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Photos: Thousands Twist & Shout For 'Ferris Bueller' At Hollywood Forever
Bueller..? Bueller..? Anyone..? Everyone.
This past Sunday, a crowd of roughly 4,000 people headed to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery to catch Cinespia's screening of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Dressed to play hooky—and take the next day off for Labor Day—fans of the John Hughes '80s classic trekked past tombstones and marble mausoleums to claim a picnic spot on the historic cemetery's lawn.
Sporting Ferris' leopard print vest, Cameron's Red Wings jersey and Sloane's tasseled leather jacket, we saw plenty of impressively committed costumes, along with plenty of patriotic colors for the holiday. We even spotted some more subtle nods to the movie with a few 'Abe Froman' and 'Save Ferris' T-shirts. Those willing to wait had their portraits taken at the Cinespia photo booth, which featured parade float platforms, a Wrigley Field backdrop and even dirndl-skirted models to complete the look of some of the movie's memorable Chicago scenes.
As the sun began to set over Hollywood, moviegoers spread out their packed picnics, uncorked their wine and caught up with friends. Meanwhile DJ Daisy O'Dell set the tone of the night with a pre-show selection of '80s hits, including many of the songs from John Hughes' films. John Wyatt, who founded Cinespia over a decade ago with crowds much smaller than this one, welcomed the crowd of thousands to the sold out screening. Everyone then settled in for an evening of watching our unflappable hero as he and his friends ditch school and adventure across Chicago.
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Throughout the screening, the crowd applauded the movie's memorable characters, cheered as Ferris outwitted Principal Rooney and couldn't resist hopping up to dance when Ferris took to the parade float to lip-synch "Twist and Shout." While the screening may have been the first time seeing the movie for some and the hundredth time for others, watching it under the stars with thousands in such a dramatic setting easily made us feel like we were all taking Ferris' words of wisdom to heart: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once and a while, you might miss it."
Cinespia still has several more outdoor screenings planned for this year—including Fight Club, Carrie and a double feature of Back to the Future I & II—so you can join the fun next time. And be sure to check out our listing of all of the outdoor movie screenings around town, as well as the Rooftop Film Club at The Montálban.
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This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
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