This past week marked the 30th anniversary of what's really become one of the most iconic films in American comedy: Ferris Bueller's Day Off. For those who need a refresher, this is the goofy and oddly inspiring 1986 film in which Matthew Broderick played Ferris Bueller, a wise-cracking high school senior determined to escape the stress of real life by way of an adventurous and absurd day of hooky. It ended up being one of those movies that just struck a special note with a generation, and its comedy stands the test of time pretty well; not to mention, it's probably still the biggest film of Broderick's career.
You may be asking yourself, if the movie came out in 1986, wouldn't this past week have marked only its 29th anniversary? And if we're talking strictly about the film's release, that would be correct. However, because the Internet misses nothing—and because baseball fans love their statistics and history—it came to light that while the movie came out in 1986, the Braves vs. Cubs game that Bueller and his buddy Cameron attend as part of their day off took place on June 5, 1985. According to Fox Sports, this was a very real baseball game (though the scene was actually filmed during a Cubs-Expos game later in 1985), which means if 2016 is the 30th anniversary of the movie release, June 2015 is the 30th anniversary of the "day off" itself.
So, if you count yourself among the millions of Ferris Bueller's Day Off fans out there, now's probably as good a time as any to celebrate the legendary film! The best way to do so, of course, is simply by watching it again, and remembering all the fun little jokes and character nuances that made it so special to begin with. If you don't own the DVD, it's available on Amazon Prime for a pretty reasonable $3.99 rental, though you may also want to check your TV schedule; television tends to be aware of anniversaries and special viewing occasions!
On the other hand, if you really want to get into the Ferris Bueller spirit, there are actually a number of other ways to enjoy the movie that have arisen over the years. To begin with, there are actually a few gaming options that help you jump right back into the atmosphere of the film. As seen on InterCasino, the most accessible title is the Ferris Bueller's Day Off slot machine, which features a progressive jackpot format and plenty of fun little tie-ins to the movie. The slot machine wheel pictures and icons are replaced with images from the movie, but you'll also find cut scenes from the movie interspersed with the gaming action. It's labeled as being "even more fun than the film," which may be a stretch, but it's a pretty good time given that comedies don't tend to inspire video games! Then again, if you want to go truly old school, there's also a Ferris Bueller board game that's "similar to Candyland, but re-themed for a Ferris Bueller universe" (which actually makes sense in a weird way)
Then again, while it's plenty of fun to break out the old movie or play a game based on its material, perhaps the best way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of cinema's most infamous day off is to take a day off yourself. Whether it's school, work, or whatever else, embrace the spirit of playing hooky one more time, ditch your responsibility, and see if you can create anything close to Bueller's own crazy day off!
And who knows? By the time the 30th anniversary of the actual film release rolls around in another year, there may be yet another way to celebrate Ferris Bueller's Day Off. In recent years, there have been somewhat persistent rumors of a possible sequel. Here's hoping!
