17 August 2017

Chicago IL, USA


 
In the movie FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) decides to skip school for a day and go to Chicago with his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara). He even manages to persuade Cameron to take the expensive Ferrari of his father.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:32:18
Filming began on 9 September 1985 in Chicago. At the end of October production moved to Los Angeles where shooting ended on 22 November 1985, although no scenes are set here. A few additional scenes were filmed in April 1986. Director, screenplay writer and producer John Hughes, who grew up in Chicago, described the movie as “sort of my love letter to the city”.
 
He had the opportunity to film from a helicopter, flying above the Chicago River. Some of Chicago’s most iconic buildings can be viewed from the river, a boat trip as organized by the Chicago Architecture Foundation is highly recommended.
 
The first images of Chicago, taken from the helicopter, appear when Ferris and his friends arrive. The building where the father of Ferris works dates from 1983 and is located at 333 W. Wacker Drive, in the film it is seen from the river. The glass facade mirrors the buildings on the other side, in the years that have followed several new skyscrapers have been added.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:15:47
333 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, 7 June 2017

The neo-Gothic Tribune Tower at 435 N. Michigan Avenue was the result of a competition hosted by the newspaper Chicago Tribune. The winning design by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood, including the tower’s top based on the French cathedral of Rouen, was completed in 1925. The walls next to the sidewalk have pieces of famous buildings from around the world incorporated, including the Taj Mahal and the Sydney Opera House.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:31:43
Tribune Tower, Chicago, 7 June 2017
Tribune Tower, Chicago, 7 June 2017

Marina City consists of two corncob-shaped towers that were designed by Bertrand Goldberg in 1959 and in 1968 construction was completed. Both buildings have the same round balconies. The lower levels are parking spaces.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:31:47
Marina City, Chicago, 7 June 2017


Willis Tower, 7 June 2017
After arriving in Chicago Ferris, Cameron and Sloane visit Skydek, the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower located at 233 S. Wacker Drive. After completion in 1973 this was the highest building in world, designed by Fazlur Rahman Khan. The view is spectacular, on a clear day four states - Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana - can be seen.
In the movie it looks as if the view from Skydeck is shown but it is not since the tower can also be seen. It remains a popular tourist attraction in Chicago. Visitors are first invited to watch a documentary about the history of the tower and then an elevator takes them up to Skydeck in 60 seconds.
During a renovation in 2009 glass balconies were added, nicknamed ‘The Ledge’. In the same year the name was changed into Willis Tower as the main tenant has the right to name the tower. Since 2013 however United Airlines is the largest tenant. When visitors exit through the gift shop, the dvd and and T-shirst of the movie are on sale. More information, including opening hours of Skydeck, are to be found on the website of Willis Tower.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:38:34
View from Willis Tower, Chicago, 7 June 2017
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:38:42
Skydeck Willis Tower, Chicago, 7 June 2017
Gift shop Willis Tower, Chicago, 7 June 2017

Next up in the Chicago visit is The Art Institute of Chicago, a museum at 111 S. Michigan Avenue. The collection is enormous and includes works of art that are world famous. In a montage the favourite items of Jon Hughes are shown. The majority of these artworks are still on display but in a different setting.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:19
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:32
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Paris street, rainy day (1877) - Gustave Caillebotte
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:36
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Nighthawks (1942) - Edward Hopper
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:38
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Painting with green center (1913) - Vasily Kandinsky (left)
Improvisation No. 30 (1913) - Vasily Kandinsky (right)
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:41
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Nude under a pine tree (1959) - Pablo Picasso
Walking man II (1960) - Alberto Giacometti
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:45
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
The old guitarist (1903-1904) - Pablo Picasso
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:49
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
The child's bath (1893) - Mary Cassatt
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:53
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Jacques and Berthe Lipchitz (1916) - Amedeo Modigliani
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:56:57
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Greyed rainbow (1953) - Jackson Pollock
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:57:02
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Bathers by a river (1909-1917) - Henri Matisse
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:57:10
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Portrait of Balzac (1893) - Auguste Rodin

Sloane, Cameron and Ferris are watching three paintings by Pablo Picasso. The portrait on the right, “Sitting woman”, painted on 20 Februari 1949, is no longer part of the collection. It was sold during an auction for US $ 4,264,000.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:57:10
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
The red armchair (1931) - Pablo Picasso
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:57:22
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (1884-1886) - Georges Seurat
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:57:34
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (1884-1886) - Georges Seurat
Ferris Bueller's day off, 0:57:28
The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
America windows (1977) - Marc Chagall

Ferris Bueller's day off, 1:01:21
Cameron and Sloane are completely surprised when Ferris becomes the main singer of a parade. These scenes were filmed during the annual General Von Steuben German-American Appreciation Day Parade on Saturday, 28 September 1985. On that day the location shoot was not finished and a week later the remaining scenes of the parade were made.

The second Saturday shoot was announced on the radio. Thousands of people came to the city and were standing in the streets. Ferris sings “Twist and shout” at the corner of N. Dearborn Street and W. Calhoun Place.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 1:05:33
Corner N. Dearborn Street en W. Calhoun Place,
Chicago, 7 June 2017

The Art Institute of Chicago, 8 June 2017
Cameron and Sloane follow the parade from N. Dearborn Street into S. Dearborn Street. While walking and dancing with the other people, two examples of public art are seen in the background. The first is “Flamingo”, a sculpture by Alexander Calder from 1973. This construction is 53 foot high and was unveiled in 1974 at the Federal Plaza in front of the Kluczynski Federal Building. A miniature version is on display at The Art Institute of Chicago. Also remarkable is “Four Seasons”, a four sided 70 feet long mosaic by Marc Chagall at the Chase Tower Plaza, dedicated on 27 September 1974. The steps with the dancing people are at the adjoining Exelon Plaza.

Ferris Bueller's day off, 1:02:33
"Flamingo", Federal Plaza, Chicago, 7 June 2017
Ferris Bueller's day off, 1:04:06
"Four Seasons", Chase Tower Plaza, Chicago, 7 June 2017
Ferris Bueller's day off, 1:04:07
Exelon Plaza, Chicago, 7 June 2017

Thanks to Chas Demster of It’s Filmed There for providing the addressses.

Screenshots © Paramount Pictures