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‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

April 21, 2020 · Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) · Comedy · 1:39:32

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 38:09The Ferrari Star Wars scene - when the parking attendants take the Ferrari for a joyride and are shown flying through the air with euphoric looks while Star Wars music plays

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 50:18The 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California (sold for $18 million in 2018), Charlie Sheen's 1986 career year, and Mia Sarah's Sloan Peterson
Chris Ryan▶ 53:32The use of pop music in the movie - possibly the best use of pop music in a movie ever, with songs perfectly integrated and cut to rhythm

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 57:30Alan Ruck — Glad Emilio Estevez turned down Cameron role, prefers Alan Ruck. Believes Hughes was vindictive about casting decisions and would cut actors who disappointed him. Thinks Jeffrey Jones was right choice over Paul Gleason for Rooney.
Chris Ryan▶ 57:53Alan Ruck — Happy with Alan Ruck as Cameron over Emilio Estevez, who seemed more punk rock. Thinks John Cusack got his iconic high schooler role with Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything instead of Ferris.
Sean Fennessey▶ 57:34Alan Ruck — Thinks Emilio Estevez could have done good job as Cameron but prefers Alan Ruck. Believes Hughes wanted Anthony Michael Hall as his De Niro/avatar. Prefers Jeffrey Jones over Paul Gleason for Rooney due to different energy - Jones more sitcom-y vs Gleason being 'just a huge prick'.

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:29Both parking attendants: Richard Edson and Larry Flash Jenkins
Chris Ryan▶ 1:04:14Max Perlich — Max Perlick and Scott Coffee from the classroom scene
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:04:37Praised Richard Edson's filmography and importance in 80s cinema but didn't give their own specific pick

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:02Charlie Sheen — Charlie Sheen - suggests going with Charlie Sheen and confirms that's their vote
Chris Ryan▶ 1:07:31Jennifer Grey - discusses her as a maligned character who serves as secondary villain but is actually great, loves her calling cops scene and karate kicks
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:08:06Jennifer Grey - agrees she's great, calls her a great comic actress and the platonic older sister, says she's probably a better villain than Rooney

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:30Shared multiple facts including: Chez Louis restaurant used in Blues Brothers, St. Elmo's Fire, and Ferris Bueller; deleted scene about Ferris stealing bonds; Challenger explosion requiring removal of space shuttle references; parents actors married in real life; Ben Stein's lecture was improvised; Ferrari replicas used bankrupted the company
Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:21Added details about Kenny Ortega doing choreography, Jennifer Aniston playing Jeannie in TV show, and preference for Parker Lewis Can't Lose over Ferris Bueller TV adaptation
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:15:17Contributed facts about Ronnie Cox's career run from 83-90, preference for Parker Lewis Can't Lose, and pointed out the bus scene timing inconsistency

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:55Matthew Broderick — Discusses multiple candidates - says Mia Farrow yes, Ferrari Corporation yes, Chez Louis yes, but uncertain about Matthew Broderick (could be this movie or The Producers on Broadway), Jennifer Grey was Dirty Dancing, and considers Chicago summer movies and all-in-one-day movie category
Chris Ryan▶ 1:18:30Inside Man — Mentions Blues Brothers and About Last Night for Chicago movies, says Inside Man is favorite all-in-one-day movie
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:17:42The Producers — Suggests The Producers on Broadway for Broderick's apex mountain and proposes the all-in-one-day movie category discussion with candidates like Dazed and Confused, Do the Right Thing

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:28Multiple quotes including the George Peterson phone call bit and various Ferris lines like 'Life moves pretty fast'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:30:28Grace's line about Ferris being popular with 'the Sportos, the Motorheads, Geeks, Sluts, Bloods, Wastoids, Dweebies, Dickheads' and the first 25 minutes being full of quotable lines
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:27:28The George Peterson phone call bit - 'Every single thing that Rock says with Peterson'

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:18What month was this day? April. Timeline issue: as a senior he should have already been accepted to college by then, unless he was waitlisted.
Chris Ryan▶ 1:33:40Where do Ferris and Cam go to college? Thinks Cam goes to Michigan, Ferris maybe to Kenyon or Bard, or University of Illinois. Ferris and Sloan date first semester of college then he forgets about her.
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:34:12Ferris goes to Hampton College or similar hippie atmosphere school where you give yourself your own grades

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:32John Hughes — Hughes first, Broderick second, Cameron third
Chris Ryan▶ 1:37:16Matthew Broderick — Acknowledges Hughes but emphasizes the perfect pairing between Broderick and Hughes, noting Broderick's peak charismatic performance
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:35:26John Hughes — Hughes - this confirms Hughes as the guy who owns the 80s more than any other writer director

Movies Referenced (48)

The Breakfast Club (1985)

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 12:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Do the Right Thing (1989)

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beautiful Girls (1996)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 49:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Platoon (1986)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 15:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dirty Dancing (1987)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Snake Eyes (1998)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:19:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 38:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Weird Science (1985)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 59:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Back to the Future (1985)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 52:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Can't Buy Me Love (1987)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 16:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Home Alone (1990)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 19:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (4)

John Hughes

38 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 1:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kenny Ortega

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Warren Beatty

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Heaven Can Wait▶ 53:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Woody Allen

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry▶ 16:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (50)

Matthew Broderick

26 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Producers, WarGames, Ferris Bueller's Day Off▶ 1:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alan Ruck

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Twister, Speed, Ferris Bueller's Day Off▶ 5:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alan Rickman

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 1:09:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Stein

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Mask▶ 32:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charlie Sheen

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Wall Street▶ 51:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gene Siskel

6 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 28:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeffrey Jones

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Amadeus, Howard the Duck, The Hunt for Red October▶ 55:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Molly Ringwald

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink▶ 58:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Anthony Michael Hall

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Live by Night▶ 5:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scottie Pippen

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for He Got Game▶ 3:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Emilio Estevez

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 57:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael J. Fox

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Back to the Future, Back to the Future Part II▶ 7:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Roger Ebert

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 28:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andy Greenwald

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 28:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Springsteen

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Wrestler, Philadelphia▶ 53:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Neil Simon

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Odd Couple, The Goodbye Girl▶ 9:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗