Ferris Buellers Day Off (1986)

Film of 2012 #47

The 1986 John Hughes film considered by some as a classic got dusted off for a revisit and I was impressed how well it holds up. This is one of the first films I am aware of that clearly breaks the 4th wall and it is very much an extreme film that pushes the boundaries of realism and believability, it is a comedy and if you accept it, it really works well. The story follows Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller the ultimate teen, whose view on life is that while in his teens he wants to enjoy himself before he grows up. You have parts in this film for Jennifer Grey as his sister, Charlie Sheen as a cameo in the police Station, Jeffery Jones as the Principal trying to catch Ferris and Sloane and Cameron (insert friends) that go on the adventure with Ferris.

Some of the good things about this film, as with the breaking of the fourth wall you also have little back story to Ferris and his situation. You do have the cartoonish fact that his parents and everybody at school loves him including the fact that a running joke through the film is Save Ferris all over the place. The only people that hate him are his sister and the principal who are constantly trying to catch him out. You get the feeling from the film that they have been at this for a while and it almost plays like a series with this just being an episode. The thing I really like about this is the fact there is no apology for it and I actually wonder that if you approached the studios today with this idea whether they would actually go for an idea that is out there and different.

This film could be remade or a sequel but I think that in today's age they would struggle to capture what the film was. It is almost like an experiment in film making without being so obvious and when you watch it you can just enjoy the teenage rebel who is not evil if he is a little selfish. And really what I think John Hughes was trying to say was enjoy life, the principal and his sister end up in trouble trying to catch out Ferris and yet he is not really doing them any harm. All I can say is SAVE FERRIS and watch this film a solid 3 star recommend.

Ruthless People (1986)

The classic 80's comedy from Jim Abrahams, David and Jerry Zucker, starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater. This is the story of Ken and Sandy Kessler, payed by Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater when wronged by Sam Stone, played by Danny DeVito they kidnap his wife Bette Midler just before he can get rid of her himself and the hilarity of misunderstood and misconstrued ideas leads to some classic scenes.

This is one of these brilliant comedies that gets slightly overlooked when talking about 80's classics as quite often people only get as far as the John Hughes films which are great but overlook the other films that are out there. The acting cast is stellar for the time with DeVito, Midler and Reinhold fulfilling all that you expect and Helen Slater who was famous as Super Girl being brilliant as the ditsy blond. And you also have Bill Pullman and Anita Morris playing great roles as some of the side characters.

Another film that revisited for the first time in a long time and was really glad that I did, there are some flaws with a lot going on and some of the comedy just being down right Silly. Overall this is a recommend for those that have not seen it and maybe time for a re--watch for those that have not seen it for a while 4 stars.