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.
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.
IMAGE DETAILS
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5928x4748px 45.74 MB
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© 2011 - 2020 jasinski
Comments100
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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.
Sorry for rambling on anyway love the painting it realy captures the moment for me.
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