Save Ferris!
Well, you’re either thinking “What in [insert deity’s name here]’s name is the deal with the title?” or “That’s an hilarious reference to that old 80s movie, those were the days”. This post is aimed at people of the latter variety, and is about those of the first variety.
Whilst down in Dunedin recently (see the map) I had a chance to wander down George Street. I had a music voucher in my wallet (which I was later told never expire. The wonders of modern technology!), and so made the decision to wander into the local music store and peruse their collection, what then transpired was inevitable but unforseen.
Having only a $20 voucher, I was determined only to spend $20 - preferably less, then I could spend the change on a drink or something - and as such started to look through the ‘bargain bin’ where everything is under $20. Sweet. Until this day I had thought of the bargain bin as the last place of refuge for those movies that went straight to VHS in the first place. Yes, that’s right, VHS, remember that? I expected it to be full of DVDs like that old movie ‘Towering Inferno’; Wayne’s World 2; and anything with Jean-Claude Van Damme in it.
But I was sorely mistaken. On closer inspection, there were ‘diamonds in the rough’. Amongst the seemingly rag-tag bunch there were in fact bargains to be had! I will spare you the details now, but the final decision came down to a dead heat between ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, and ‘The Day of the Jackal’. They are both fantastic titles, and both of them I had seen before. No doubt they were re-runs as they were both released before I was of the movie-going age. Suffice to say that I ended up buying them both, feeling that they were historical artefacts that warranted owning in order to pass on to future generations.
Upon returning back to the place I was staying in Dunedin, I showed off my purchases to anyone who was around - as one does with new purchases of this calibre. To my horror and disgust, all of the people (bar one) to whom I showed the DVDs had never heard of either of them, let alone actually watched them. This upset me. Greatly. ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ is among the greatest films ever made, in my humble opinion. A true gem of the 80s, personifying the terrible fashion and the terrible haircuts those times are known for. It should definitely be the staple for any film student, and Ferris should surely be taken as a guide for the aspiring male.
‘The Day of the Jackal’ - an adaptation of the book of the same name- is a fantastic murder thriller which, whilst a little on the long side, I still consider to be much better than its modern-day counterpart, ‘The Jackal’. One wonders why they bothered.
To conclude, if you do want to live a fulfilled and wholesome life on this planet, I really must recomend that you watch at least one of these movies before you die. Please.
September 27th, 2006 at 11:44 pm
Dude, you had me worried there for a minute,
“The day of the Jackel” is fantastic, but after you calling me old last week for finding “No Scrubs” (TLC) on youtube, I figured you meant “The Jackel”, which was in a word, rubbish.
FBDO is good too, esp. trying to wind back the odometer on the Ferrari :D.
~SST
September 28th, 2006 at 1:08 am
Loved Ferris, but my top two 80’s movies are Dirty Dancing and Ghost.
Do ya love me, (do ya love me) ?
Now that I can dance…. Watch me now!
Stunned though that your people had never heard of Bueller. Those “Save Ferris” t-shirts that were everywhere a little while ago must’ve proved a bit perplexing!
Then again, not everyone is lucky enough to have older siblings to provide an ample cinematographic education…
September 28th, 2006 at 12:29 pm
SST, I possibly expressed myself incorrectly when talking to you, but I meant to say that I was curious as to why you actually bothered finding “No Scrubs” on youtube. Reading Wikipedia I have been upset to find out that the Ferrari was in fact a fibreglass body made especially for the film. Disappointing.
GeM, you’re a unique character… ‘Ghost’ was another classic film, but definitely doesn’t compare to FBDO…There are many tees that are somewhat incomprehensible to the general public, like the ‘vote for Pedro’ tees that are floating about.
September 28th, 2006 at 8:19 pm
I’m lead to believe (thanks GSMA - my sister) that “vote for Pedro” is from a contempory film. Must have missed it somewhere along the line.
Ghost - oh, my love, my darling….
Good film, DM is hot stuff.
Also the inspiration for one of the Ford “German Engineering just got a whole lot sexier” ads. And if there’s anything engineering needs in general, it a bit of sexiness.
~SST
September 28th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
Wikipedia also tells me that Jennifer Grey had a nose job to straighten her hook nose between playing Baby (Dirty Dancing) and Jeanie Bueller.
It was career-ending surgery : Ferris was her last decent movie.
Which is proof unique characters are better… !
September 29th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Interesting site you have here Will. I did not realise they had videos at music stores anymore. Maybe i am confused but you are talking about movies aren’t you? And why does a music store have movies and even if they do why would they accept a music voucher for the purchase of movies. Something isn’t right in Dunedin. The weather is though. Nice day here.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Since when were you humble, or capable of a humble opinion?!
But I’m skipping the point of your whole rant. Possibly purposely. Nah - FBDO is awesome and everyone should have seen it. But I do agree with GeM about Dirty Dancing — woo!!!
Also - attention all males: do not follow Will’s advice and use Ferris as a good guide to being a male. Please.
As for “vote for pedro”, that is from a contemporary film: Napolean Dynamite (sorry for the impromptu spelling, but I’ve got the AFL grand final to get to….)… Go Tigers!
September 30th, 2006 at 11:08 pm
Firstly, “Ditto” to Ghost.
Secondly, sexiness, engineering, will and SST… your fighting a lost cause, sexiness will never compute dude.
Thirdly, there is only one true Dave that will post crazy crap at 11pm at night after sleeping no longer than 2 hrs in the last 48 while spending most of his time drinking.
And a Fourth, anyone willing to don a “vote for Pedro” or “save Ferris” shirt must surely know the absolute contradiction of bringing mainstream mediocrity to what can only be described as generation defining icons of Hollywood independent and contemporary film. May as well go out grab a beret made in china, add some black fingernail polish, throw on a che gurrero t and call yourself a revolutionary…. BANG!
nuf said