Almost Perfect: Jaguar E-Type Stars in Ferris Bueller LiftMaster Spot
This super-fun commercial recreates an iconic 1980s movie moment, with a Jaguar E-Type at center stage.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should probably state that, like virtually everything I write for Jaguar Forums, what follows is pure opinion. It’s also a a blog post with the the heady word “perfection” in the title, which should communicate that it will be of little empirical value. After all, we’re talking about an advertisement for a garage door opener inspired by a 1980s teen flick — not a lecture by Stanley Cavell. So let’s not go taking everything too seriously, OK?
That said, this spot will be familiar to anyone who’s seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, with an absolutely gorgeous 1966 E-Type roadster standing in for the 1961 Ferrari GT California used in the film. Shot by shot, it’s a faithful tribute to the reveal of the Cavallino in the movie, which I’ve included below for reference. And while I have several critiques, as a huge Ferris Bueller fan, I think it’s awesome.
Now, my biggest issue is the fact the Jaguar here is a convertible, not a coupe, which isn’t solely because I think the coupes are more beautiful, though I whole-heartedly do. It’s because when Enzo Ferrari famously called the E-Type “the most beautiful car in the world,” he was describing the coupe. So it would have been a neat little bit of inside baseball for car geeks if the hero car was the model il Commendatore had spoken so highly of, especially given that it’s replacing a Ferrari.
But I get that the since the movie car was of the topless variety, the roadster makes more sense, thematically. I also think the crew did an awesome job with the garage. Because from just watching the clip? You might think this scene was shot at the Ben Rose House in Illinois. According to Ad Age, however, it’s actually a set in Los Angeles, as the original is a private residence.
Eagle-eyed fans of old British iron will also note that while there’s a red tool box in the LiftMaster spot, there’s no pre-war MG J2 sharing space in the lovely garage. The wardrobe of the two protagonists also differs slightly between the commercial and the film. In the John Hughes version, Cameron wears a Detroit Red Wings jersey, and Ferris is sporting a suit, so he can better impersonate his girlfriend’s father, and pluck her from school. For what it’s worth, the choices for the two actors in the LiftMaster do make subtle nods to the costumes of the John Hughes classic.
One neat bit of trivia about the movie is that in the script, the car the truant high schoolers “liberate” from the garage was a Mercedes-Benz. Personally, I’m glad that Hughes decided on the Ferrari — but I’d have hardly been disappointed if he’d gone with the Jag. Enjoy the clips, and let me know if you know about any other fun commercials starring Jaguars!
Photos: YouTube