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Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, Alan Ruck, Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer Grey, Charlie Sheen

The kid who can pull off any scam and still be loved by everyone (that is except for his sister and principal) returns to DVD in a deluxe edition. The “Bueller Bueller Edition” of “Ferris Bueller’s Day off” re-release may be a double dip but it’s a worthwhile double dip. Ferris (Matthew Broderick) decides to fake being sick so he and his friends can joyride around town. His principle nemesis IS his principal (Jeffrey Jones in a perfect comedic performance) and he’s out to prove that Ferris isn’t the sunny kid that everyone loves is nothing but a slacker. Ferris plans on spending the day with his girlfriend (the lovely and taleted Mia Sara who needs to reemerge from her cocoon) and best friend (the wonderfully droll Alan Ruck). ***

”Ferris Bueller” still retains the charm it did twenty years ago. A lot of 80’s teen comedies haven’t aged very gracefully but “Ferris” despite all the odds still manages to remain fresh and funny. Matthew Broderick’s star would continue to rise, fall and then rise again with “The Producers” but here we get him fresh faced and in command of his abilities as a comic performer. Child actors rarely get a second act in their careers and I’m happy to say that most of the performers here beat the odds and continue to have thriving if less high profile careers as performers. Not all of Director John Hughes films have aged as well as this one (“Home Alone” although directed by hack film director Chris Columbus is very much a Hughes film from th first frame to the last even though he produced and wrote it) and perhaps the secret to “Ferris” eternal youth is the fact that it’s a sweet comedy for all intents and purposes. Ferris doesn’t want to really hurt anybody just have a good time and get away with it. Oh and look for Charlie Sheen in his first role in a cameo with Jennifer Grey. ---

“Ferris” looks as bright and shiny as that red Ferrari that he and Cameron borrow from Cameron’s dad. The colors positively pop here and the murky transfer that marred the release from five years ago have been cleaned up for the most part here. Clarity and image sharpness are extremely good and the 5.1 mix jumps out at you despite the fact that most of the sound comes from front and center speakers. That’s not a surprise though given that this is a dialog driven comedy.

The extras alone make this worth getting. We get a short documentary “Getting the Class Together: The Cast of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” featuring interviews with the main cast members. Hughes appears in clips from the 80’s. “The Making of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” features plenty of vintage behind-the-scenes footage, interview clips and we learn quite a bit of trivia about the origin of both the script and Hughes six day marathon to complete the script before a writer’s strike. “The World According to Ben Stein” features supporting actor and former Economic Advisor (and teacher) Ben Stein discussing how he broke into show business and his former role as an advisor to President Nixon. “Vintage Ferris Bueller: The Lost Tapes” is filled with vintage interviews that were done while the film was in production. We also get a deleted scene in a French restaurant .”Meet the Principal” has Broderick interviewing actor Jeffrey Jones about why he’s so intent on busting Ferris. The extras are rounded out by a “Class Album” which is a photo gallery and promo trailers for “Airplane” and “Tommy Boy”. ---

A terrific reissue that isn’t quite as definitive as it should be “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: The Bueller Bueller Edition” has some very nice extras and an improved picture to make this edition a worthwhile double dip.