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The Rebirth of Cameron Frye

By jasinski
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A piece for a group show at Gallery 1988: Venice.
The show is a called "The Road to Shermer" a tribute show to the movies of John Hughes. You know, classic teen movies from the '80s.

I chose Ferris Bueller's Day Off as it's the John Hughes film that had greatest impact on me back in the day. ***There are plot spoilers that follow if you somehow haven't seen this movie, you've been warned.***

After re-watching the film and contemplating a bit, the thought occurred to me that it is not really about Ferris Bueller. It's about Cameron Frye, Ferris's uptight best friend with a miserable home life and a lot of fears. Through the course of the film, Ferris doesn't change or grow, nor do any characters except for Cameron (and, to a lesser degree, Ferris's sister). Ferris acts as the catalyst by which Cameron is forced to confront those fears and (at least in his mind) overcomes them. The pivotal point of the film is the scene where Cameron throws himself into the pool. This is the only time in the story where Ferris seems to express real concern and emotion for anything. It's as if in this world, everything is a joke or a game, except this moment when Cameron's life is truly in question. Cameron is symbolically 'reborn' as he emerges from the pool to a new awareness that will allow him to deal with his father's anger in regards to his prized car. Cameron is the character in the movie I think most people can identify with and his 'redemption' seems the most compelling arch of the story.

Anyway, here's what came of it. If you know the movie, you should get most of the different symbols I threw in the piece.
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© 2011 - 2020 jasinski
Comments100
anonymous's avatar
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GuardiansFan1988's avatar
This is incredible! I watched this movie yesterday such a great scene..that's the prose and genius of John Hughes's work :D
Rob-Satanta-K's avatar
Bueller..............Bueller..............Bueller
FaolanEternal's avatar
Ferris bueller you're my heroooo :icontrollfaceplz:
katiekat228's avatar
Fantastic picture and description! "Ferris Bueller you're my hero"
teragram98's avatar
I love this movie!
rubygloom73's avatar
Best scene of the best movie ever!!!! OMG I LOVE YOU
olduwan-steve's avatar
I love this, with the dramatic poses and the symbolism it makes me think of Jacques-Louise David
snivellus747's avatar
"Ferris Bueller, you're my hero."

xD Love this piece, it's beautiful and I love this movie!!
A-Dance-In-The-Rain's avatar
ahaha this is wonderful!!
It's such an interesting turn in the movie where things are actually more serious.
GirlycardDracul's avatar
Ferris Bueller you're my hero :pointandlaugh:
creamuu's avatar
I LOVE THAT MOVIE!
renartsam's avatar
Woah! I've never ever thought about it that way!
Great piece. I love finding all the little different symbols here and there.
nosepovo's avatar
Ferris Bueller's Day Off! What a GREAT movie!
Annazeta's avatar
"When Cameron was in Egypt's land....let my Cameron go." Love it. Never thought of it that way, but you are absolutely right!
dharmavan's avatar
you are muuuuuuthurflipping brilliant
xx950xx's avatar
Ferris you're my Hero!
-Cameron Frye
gemini-tiger's avatar
A friend of mine said it was like Fight Club & Ferris is Cameron's Tyler Durden.
ans-pencil's avatar
surreal and very warm and lovely
BluDrgn426's avatar
amazing! and I love your description.
Subcogitate's avatar
This is fantastic!
Moiwrongoh's avatar
"Ferris Beuller you're my hero"
Pudsybear's avatar
when Cameron was in Egypt's land... cool image man :)
klemonade's avatar
This has to be one of my favourite films, its just brilliant in most ways its such a happy film apart from Camerons emotional problems. I think your veiws are pretty welll thought out on the subject. There has been alot people who have thought of thoeries about the subject one of the most popular although I dont know if youve heard it, that in fact Cameron was the only one that existed through out the films and Ferrris was a figment of his imagination. Some refer to it as the ferris bueler fight club theory, its a quite an interesting way to look at the film.

Sorry for rambling on anyway love the painting it realy captures the moment for me.
anonymous's avatar
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