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Pull up a seat, grab some popcorn, and dig deeper into Chicago and film.


Unity Temple in Film: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterpiece with a Hollywood Voice
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, famed for its concrete design and lack of religious iconography, appears mostly in documentary film, including one narrated by Brad Pitt.
3 days ago3 min read


Featured on NBC: Talking 'The Untouchables' Inside Chicago’s Union Station
Watch my NBC 5 Chicago segment filmed inside Union Station, where I discuss "The Untouchables" and its iconic staircase scene featured on my Chicago movie tours.
Jul 172 min read


On a Mission from God—and for Movie Stills
Ever stumble upon a hidden gem in an antique mall? This Blues Brothers find might spark your curiosity about Hollywood publicity movie stills.
Jul 31 min read


Lose That: A Marital Affair in Planes, Trains and Automobiles?
An emotional reaction in the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles was tied to a subplot that director, John Hughes, chose to remove.
Nov 14, 20242 min read


Memorial Day History, Movies, and Chicago's Grant Park
Look for 2 monuments devoted to the founder of Memorial Day in our short video on The Trial of the Chicago 7.
May 27, 20242 min read


Oscar Winners from Chicago: Excerpt
In this excerpt from Oscar Winners in Chicago (25 min.)—our fourth program counting down to the 2024 Academy Awards—learn about a game-chang
Mar 1, 20241 min read


How Do You Capture Chicago Through Film?
In this roundtable discussion, a podcaster, a blogger, and a tour guide discuss how they record Chicago's past and present film history.
Nov 15, 20231 min read


Magic Hour in Somewhere in Time
In this mini course, master magic hour lighting while you analyze its role in the movie 'Somewhere in Time,' filmed partially in Chicago.
Oct 12, 20231 min read


Quincy Jones and Chicago in 60 Seconds
In 60 seconds, learn about the "rough and scary" childhood of film producer Quincy Jones and a Chicago mural that celebrated him.
Sep 12, 20231 min read


Quincy Jones' Chicago: Virtual Tour
On this virtual walking tour, visit the childhood home of film producer Quincy Jones and a mural that celebrates him.
Sep 12, 20231 min read


The Sins of Chicago Nickelodeons
Walk virtually with Chicago Movie Tours and hear why some Chicagoans claimed small movie houses lured certain filmgoers into a life of sin.
Aug 16, 20231 min read


Altenheim Goes to the Movies
Tour Altenheim, originally built to care for German elderly and later, a setting for Chicago movies
Aug 2, 20231 min read


Chicago's Shipwreck, Liquor, and Movies
On this virtual walking tour, learn about the S.S. Eastland tragedy via a suburban Chicago speakeasy and film.
Jul 18, 20231 min read


Sneaky Music in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Revisit music from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' to learn about a Hollywood term called "sneaking in and out."
Jun 28, 20231 min read


Movies on the Bayou: Live on Location in Louisiana
Float virtually with us down a Louisiana bayou and learn why movies are filmed on these mystical bodies of water
Jun 13, 20231 min read


The Untouchables: Behind the Scenes in Chicago's Union Station
Dig in to The Untouchables with two behind-the-scenes accounts.
May 26, 20233 min read


Editing and Chaos in The Untouchables
In this mini course, use the most famous sequence in The Untouchables (1987) to master a disorderly editing style.
May 24, 20231 min read


Blues Brothers on Location: Prisons, Malls, City Halls
Revisit three scenes from 'The Blues Brothers,' and assess the significance of location filming in Chicago
May 17, 20231 min read


Low-Angle Shots in The Dark Knight
Go on location in Chicago to learn what what low-angle shots signify in The Dark Knight — and in Hollywood movies in general.
May 10, 20231 min read


The Dark Knight on My Watch
I don't like The Dark Knight, but if you run a business called Chicago Movie Tours, then you must submit to the movie at some point.
May 9, 20232 min read
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