Post 11: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Art Gallery Scene:

The setting of this scene was an art gallery, shows a lot of still shots of paintings to build up an atmosphere of sensitivity and stillness. The artwork allowed the director of photography to get some very artistic shots, e.g. the shot of Ferris and Sloane in front of the stained glass. This setting is so different from the rest of the places they go in the rest of the film; it’s quiet and less about rebelling and fooling someone to get somewhere, but more about seeing great things, and simply enjoying each other’s company.

The costumes are the same as in the rest of the film, they haven’t been planned to suit the setting, but to suit the characters. Ferris is wearing average, casual clothes, but despite them being so, they also show his charisma and confidence. Sloane wears almost the female version of what Ferris is wearing, with a slightly oversized leather jacket, white shirt, and sunglasses. This represents how much she idolises and trusts him, and also how similar they are to one another. Her jacket has tassels on too, which bring attention to her, but she embraces this and doesn’t let it embarrass her. Cameron wears braces over his shirt, which could signify his reserved manner, especially compared to the other two, and also the smart, immaculate way of his house. His jumper is bright red and shows a tire on it, which could easily link to his father’s love for the car. It could also reference the way Cameron is always thinking of his dad, and the things he could do wrong. The colour red can also represent danger, which links to his character’s anxiety. When comparing his and Ferris’ haircuts too, you can see that Ferris has chosen a more popular and fashionable hairstyle from the time, whilst Cameron remains more formal. These points could also make the difference in wealth of their two families more visual. 

The lighting within this scene is soft and white in most shots, making sure not to distract the viewer from the content. The one shot that the lighting is greatly notable is the shot of Ferris and Sloane in front of the stained glass window. The lighting is a lot darker, and despite light coming through the window, it is dimmed, and the colour scheme completely changes from the others shots too because of it. The main colour of the window being blue, the shot is given a cool feeling, which makes it feel even more separate from the rest of the scene. The difference in colour from this shot to the shot of Cameron makes them seem more distant, as red and blue are often seen as opposites. The darkness almost makes silhouettes from Ferris and Sloane, making this part seem more dramatic and romantic. The greatly different lighting and colour scheme makes this shot seem private and secretive to just Ferris and Sloane, like they were the only ones involved in that moment.

The shots in this scene are the most obviously planned throughout the entire movie, everything is placed in the frame with confidence, and you can tell that the director of photography had many clear plans. There are many straight-on shots of the paintings along the walls, and wide shots showing the different rooms of the gallery so to bring up the atmosphere. Most of these still shots show famous art pieces, potentially emphasising the importance of this part of their day, and they are mentioned by Ferris later in the film when Cameron tells him he hasn’t seen anything good today, and in response he lists the many things they have seen, including “priceless works of art.” The organised manner of these shots is continued onto the characters, with them positioned like statues across a room, and spaced put evenly between paintings, giving each of them art look at separately. I think that this is one of the ways the characters accepting themselves is represented visually, and whilst positioned like statues it could be way of saying they are, themselves, works of art.

Another part of the composition in this scene is the shot of Ferris and Sloane, where they are the side of the frame, allowing the stained glass window to take up most of the frame. This is not art for the characters to acknowledge, but for the viewer to, as they are both looking at each other. It cuts briefly from this shot and then back to it, but in this second shot it is closer on the characters. This shows the importance of this moment to them, and how the viewer should recognise this. The setting, despite being designed for aesthetics, should not distract the viewer from the characters’ actions.

Yet another significant series of shots in this scene is when Cameron is looking at the painting Sunday in the Park on the Island of La Grande Jatte, and the next shot keeps zooming in further on either his face, or the child in the picture’s face. Considering this is right next to the shot with the stained glass window, it shows that he and the other two had different experiences of the same place, despite spending most of it together. He really focuses on the details of the paintings, and his face show disbelief at the amount of detail that can be made with just dots. His attention to the large picture being made of small dots could also reference his constant focus on the bigger picture, and how small he is within it. The fact that he is focusing on the child shows his reflection upon his own childhood and his parentage.

There isn’t a great amount of movement within this scene, expect for the beginning of it with the children on a school trip going across the screen, with the three of them joining in, holding hands with them. The fact that they join the line of children could imply that their reasons for having the day off are innocent and fun - as if they want the freedom to act like kids without anyone telling them they have to do otherwise. The other movement within this scene is that of Ferris and Sloane kissing, but there is a long time before this whilst they simply look at one another, this creates a more caring and heartfelt scene. As these are the only two pieces of exaggerated movement, this scene seems more contemplative for the characters and the viewer alike and are allowed to think around what the scene is about. 

Whilst the three of them are pretending to be statues, they each have their own unique expression, despite having the same poses. Cameron looks as though he’s trying to be neutral and serious, Sloane appears confident and like she is enjoying herself, and Ferris is evidently trying to fake earnestness in a comedic manner. These all fit with their personalities well; Cameron  always takes things seriously, and finds it hard to relax and have fun. Sloane has a mischievous side to her and is confident when expressing herself. Ferris is confident with all he does too, but also feels free to joke about, and enjoys making others laugh. Cameron also expresses many emotions whilst looking at the painting as the camera gets closer and closer to his face. His face reveals his confusion and awe around the painting. He also still looks panicked, showing that even in such a calm and quiet environment he remains anxious.

The use of music here is calming and emotional. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths is slower than the other songs in the rest off the film (e.g Twist and Shout) and has a lot less of an upbeat rhythm to it. Using just the instrumental was an interesting choice, as it ensures the focus is not on any lyrics, and emphasises the calm of the gallery. I think that the point of this scene is that the emotions involved it don’t have to be put into words.