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Famous Chicago Films
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Published: November 5, 2006
Famous Chicago Films
We may not be Los Angeles or New York. (For that matter, the way the film industry has been going lately, we may not even be Toronto or Vancouver; after all, the film version of Chicago wasn't even filmed in Chicago. It was filmed in Toronto!) But we have been shot more times than 50 Cent at a Source Awards party- well, at least on film.
Time and time again, Chicago is the setting for some of the most notable films in the whole American film lexicon.
For comedy, where does one begin? So many famous Chicago films are comedies, and a true fan would have a hard time deciding which the most recognizable ones are. Here are a few: The Blues Brothers (1980), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and Adventures in Babysitting (1987).
Directed by native Chicagoan John Landis and written by Dan Akroyd and Landis, The Blues Brothers is widely shot throughout the Chicagoland area. Joliet, Harvey, the Southside and the Loop all highlight the settings; however, these places have drastically changed over the years and are virtually unrecognizable today.
As opposed to The Blues Brothers permeating most of Chicago, Adventures in Babysitting is mostly concentrated in Chicago's downtown Loop. Starring Elisabeth Shue, Adventures in Babysitting takes viewers on a wild ride with a bunch of wild kids into No-Grown-Up-Land where danger and comedy create a strangely funny concoction.
No mention of Chicago films would be complete without Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Written and directed by John Hughes, famous 1980s auteur of adolescent angst, Matthew Broderick and gang ditch school and take off to the 'big city' for some recreation. It's too bad that a vindictive school principal and mean-spirited older sister are hot on Ferris' trail. This gem by Hughes is a fun and charming classic for all generations.
On a much darker note, Chicago films can terrify and shock the most stalwart of us. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) may not have the cool camera work and slick production of more recent thrillers and crime dramas, but it compensates in pure, unrestrained violence. Michael Rooker's committed performance makes up for what the film lacks in production. This is one of many Chicago films that takes the viewer into the heart of the city's and one disturbed man's darkness.
Another film that reveals Chicago's hidden underbelly is Candyman (1992). Candyman mixes supernatural horror with urban legend and mystery; the story has an urban Gothic sensibility making it stand out in its genre. Clive Barker (writer) and Bernard Rose (director) brilliantly incorporate compelling dramatic lines with dark and grotesque elements that make this Chicago film a worthwhile cult classic.
And finally, from Chicago's native son David Mamet is a Chicago film with a historically significant story that defines the city itself: The Untouchables (1987). Filled with suspense, action, dramatic sensitivity, rich historical reference and Mamet's snappy rhythmic dialogue, The Untouchables brings Al Capone's seminally criminal existence to life. This particular Chicago film captures a period of time in Chicago's rich history with encroaching modernity. Brian De Palma's Hitchcockian camerawork brings the audience into the alluring, deadly Jazz Age with long shots, wide angles and variegated point-of-view, not allowing the viewer remoteness. But it is the culmination of good writing, deft vision and all-around great acting that makes this film a superior achievement; Robert De Niro's performance (by itself) cannot be denied.
No matter the genre, Chicago is just one more place that takes the film world by storm; Chicago films make interesting study and entertaining escape. So it's not Manhattan, Los Angeles or London! It doesn't matter. Chicago has a unique way of making a blank movie screen captivating.
We may not be Los Angeles or New York. (For that matter, the way the film industry has been going lately, we may not even be Toronto or Vancouver; after all, the film version of Chicago wasn't even filmed in Chicago. It was filmed in Toronto!) But we have been shot more times than 50 Cent at a Source Awards party- well, at least on film.
Related Articles
For comedy, where does one begin? So many famous Chicago films are comedies, and a true fan would have a hard time deciding which the most recognizable ones are. Here are a few: The Blues Brothers (1980), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and Adventures in Babysitting (1987).
Directed by native Chicagoan John Landis and written by Dan Akroyd and Landis, The Blues Brothers is widely shot throughout the Chicagoland area. Joliet, Harvey, the Southside and the Loop all highlight the settings; however, these places have drastically changed over the years and are virtually unrecognizable today.
As opposed to The Blues Brothers permeating most of Chicago, Adventures in Babysitting is mostly concentrated in Chicago's downtown Loop. Starring Elisabeth Shue, Adventures in Babysitting takes viewers on a wild ride with a bunch of wild kids into No-Grown-Up-Land where danger and comedy create a strangely funny concoction.
No mention of Chicago films would be complete without Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Written and directed by John Hughes, famous 1980s auteur of adolescent angst, Matthew Broderick and gang ditch school and take off to the 'big city' for some recreation. It's too bad that a vindictive school principal and mean-spirited older sister are hot on Ferris' trail. This gem by Hughes is a fun and charming classic for all generations.
On a much darker note, Chicago films can terrify and shock the most stalwart of us. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) may not have the cool camera work and slick production of more recent thrillers and crime dramas, but it compensates in pure, unrestrained violence. Michael Rooker's committed performance makes up for what the film lacks in production. This is one of many Chicago films that takes the viewer into the heart of the city's and one disturbed man's darkness.
Another film that reveals Chicago's hidden underbelly is Candyman (1992). Candyman mixes supernatural horror with urban legend and mystery; the story has an urban Gothic sensibility making it stand out in its genre. Clive Barker (writer) and Bernard Rose (director) brilliantly incorporate compelling dramatic lines with dark and grotesque elements that make this Chicago film a worthwhile cult classic.
And finally, from Chicago's native son David Mamet is a Chicago film with a historically significant story that defines the city itself: The Untouchables (1987). Filled with suspense, action, dramatic sensitivity, rich historical reference and Mamet's snappy rhythmic dialogue, The Untouchables brings Al Capone's seminally criminal existence to life. This particular Chicago film captures a period of time in Chicago's rich history with encroaching modernity. Brian De Palma's Hitchcockian camerawork brings the audience into the alluring, deadly Jazz Age with long shots, wide angles and variegated point-of-view, not allowing the viewer remoteness. But it is the culmination of good writing, deft vision and all-around great acting that makes this film a superior achievement; Robert De Niro's performance (by itself) cannot be denied.
No matter the genre, Chicago is just one more place that takes the film world by storm; Chicago films make interesting study and entertaining escape. So it's not Manhattan, Los Angeles or London! It doesn't matter. Chicago has a unique way of making a blank movie screen captivating.
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