It's the 30th Anniversary of Ferris Bueller's Day Off this year. Chicago has done a lot to commemorate the event, but the best has to be the one located at one thousand three hundred and fifty-three feet in the air. You can stand where Ferris Bueller did on the Skydeck of the Sears (now Willis) Tower, right next to Sloane and Cameron. I got to live the dream of actually being part of a movie, as I stood next to a pair of well-dressed mannequins, doing my own, admittedly poor, Ferris Bueller impression. Photo credits go to my wife.
The best thing about writing for a living is that you can do it pretty much anywhere. This means that I can write about my trip to Chicago, while still on my trip to Chicago. I'd never been to the Windy City before, but as a movie writer, I picked a good time, because the entire city is celebrating Ferris Bueller's birthday. While I have only visited a small corner of the city, because driving in Chicago is nuts, I got to see the Chicago Museum of Art, where Cameron stares into the oblivion that is pointillism, and a handful of other places that the movie goes by. However, my favorite spot had to be the 104th floor of the Willis Tower when I rounded a corner and saw a very familiar hockey jersey.
There, I found an entire collection of Ferris Bueller's Day Off merchandise, from "Save Ferris" t-shirts to sweater vest refrigerator magnets. But the best part was the pair of mannequins up against one of the windows, one dressed like Mia Sara's Sloane, the other, as Alan Ruck's Cameron. The third slot was vacant so that visitors could stand-in for Ferris Bueller, reenacting one of the iconic moments of the movie, something I, of course, had to try out.
I have to admit, Matthew Broderick was right, the view does look pretty amazing. A plexiglass board has been put up so you don't actually get to lean all the way to the window, but it's far enough that you do get a good look at just how high up your really are. Also, you may want to bring a wet nap or something else to clean the plexiglass if you have an issue with germs, there have been a lot of heads up against it. It's not pretty. The view, however, is very pretty. The massive city stretches out before you, and mostly, below you. It does look very peaceful. Check out the scene in the film below.
Down in the lobby, you can actually purchase an Abe Froman sausage if you're so inclined, he is, after all, the sausage king of Chicago. Do you have a favorite real life place that you've been that was made a famous by a movie? Let us know in the comments.
