Back in 1986, I saw FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF at a sneak preview. I loved it. I was already going around telling everyone it was the funniest movie of the year before it came out.
Then, I saw this review:
Gene Siskel didn't like it, and I was shocked. How can he not love this film?
In the years since, my opinion of the film has changed. Every time I watched it, Siskel's complaint that Bueller had nothing to say when he looked in the camera stayed with me.
The final straw came when I watched the film on DVD, where John Hughes gives one of the dullest, driest commentaries you are likely to hear. By that time, I was now on the side of Gene Siskel.
Now, I no longer love FERRIS BUELLER. The character and the situations bother me.
It has taken me twenty plus years, but Gene Siskel was right.
NOTE: This post contains a YouTube clip. If you are reading from an outside site, click through to view.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Gene Siskel on FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF
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10 comments:
Maybe viewing it as a 30-something gives you a different perspective? I know I'm like that on a variety of music & film (there are some albums I was disappointed in at the time that sound wonderful to me now-of course, the artists were closer to the age I am now when they made them).
In honesty, I didn't really like FB's DAY OFF much back in the day-I was never a big Matthew fan (yes, I am the one gay guy who didn't have a thing for MB! LOL!). I actually LOVE (and will continue to LOVE) the John Hughes Molly trilogy (hell, I strove to be a little like Ally Sheedy in THE BREAKFAST CLUB as a teen! LOL!), but FB never had the same appeal-in spite of Edie McClurg, Ben Stein & a variety of other character folk I love. I think I honestly felt FB was just spoiled & obnoxious when I was a teen-I couldn't relate to him on a lot of levels.
I was watching it not too long ago on TV & I actually think I found it a bit more funny as an adult, but I agree with both you & Gene.
I've always been a huge fan of THE BREAKFAST CLUB. That is my favorite Hughes film. It is one that has held up.
But for me, SIXTEEN CANDLES was one that I've never really liked. From the time I first saw it in the theatre, it has its moments, but never completely worked for me.
Although maybe the way my tastes have changed, I'll like it more if I watch it today.
PRETTY IN PINK is actually my fav, MZ. I always felt I was kind've a male version of MR's character in that-I actually worked in record shops a good majority of my teen & 20's years, so I love that aspect of that film. And, of course, the soundtrack...
I actually agree with you some about SIXTEEN CANDLES-PIP & BC are MUCH better films, but I guess I still have some twisted affection for it. Maybe I just love Altered Images too much! LOL!
I never liked FERRIS. I always thought the leading character was a huge asshole, and if he had acted that way at my school, he wouldn't be BMOC, he would have been snapped with towels in the locker room for eternity.
Jeffrey Jones is my favorite aspect of Ferris, and of course his secretary ("Ed with your knee I don't think you should be throwing anyone.")
One part of it that I don't care for now (but absolutely loved as a kid) is the "Twist and Shout" parade part -- why would thousands of people start dancing to a Beatles song they've probably heard hundreds of times before, and why would they care that some little high schooler is lip synch-ing to it?
One thing that has always bothered me about that parade, are all those people singing and dancing taking a DAY OFF as well??? Is it some big holiday and the rest of Ferris' school doesn't know?
Why aren't they getting in trouble for skipping school?
And yes Marty, Ferris is the kind of guy that Emilio Estevez would be in detention for beating up in BREAKFAST CLUB.
Last I heard, John Hughes had become a recluse and did not do DVD commentaries. Are you sure you weren't imagining this, Moviezzz?
While there's a lot to dislike about Hughes - including how skeletal the DVD releases of his movies are - I think Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a minor masterpiece.
I think Hughes found a really clever, really exciting way to explore teen angst in a totally different way than he'd done in his previous two films. He didn't imitate himself and in doing so, many others have tried to imitate him. I read the L.A. Times article in which both Kevin Smith and Judd Apatow acknowledge ripping off Hughes' style.
"Last I heard, John Hughes had become a recluse and did not do DVD commentaries. Are you sure you weren't imagining this, Moviezzz?"
It was the one of the first releases of the film on DVD, in 1999, that had his commentary. In all the rereleases of it, he had it removed.
Very strange that he would do that, but as I said, it made me like the film less, so I understand why he did it.
I still love this movie although I understand the complaint. It's this premise that made me turn off High Fidelity once Cusak started talking to the screen. Thank God I went back to it.
I think it works here because it just plays up the fun of the day. It's not unusual for Hughes throughout a lot of his movies to acknowledge the camera.
Parents need to know that this movie has surprising amounts of "bad" (listing toward inappropriate) language and thus isn't for younger kids. Also, it's about skipping school. So you might want to get a word in about not trying this at home. Ferris lies, shows off, and steals a car. It's a little disconcerting that he never faces any consequences -- even Bart Simpson usually has to take responsibility. Mostly, the movie glorifies defiance of authority. Sure, it's a little edgy, but teens can handle it.
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