Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Airplane! Airplane! is a 1980 film comedy that parodies popular 1970s disaster movies like Airport (1970), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Earthquake (1974) and The Towering Inferno (1974). More specifically, Airplane! borrows its story, characters, and some lines of dialogue from an earlier disaster drama, Zero Hour! (1957). In today’s screenshot, a member of ground control accidentally sends a plane crashing through the airport terminal’s window. As the plane breaks through, people scatter right and left. One woman even throws her baby in the air before she runs (look for the pink blanket near the airplane's nose). For all the hijinks, watch the short clip below. While Airplane! was not shot in Chicago, the flight in the story is headed here (from Los Angeles). And Chicago is mentioned nearly 40 times in the screenplay. One of the silliest Chicago references in the film comes in this short insert . As a radio DJ says, “This is WZAZ in Chicago, where disco lives forever,” the airplane flies over WZAZ's tower, destroys its antenna, and kills the signal. Hardcore Airplane! (or Chicago movie) fans can even buy a WZAZ Chicago t-shirt . Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Spider-Man 2 Today's #OneShotWed comes from Spider-Man 2 (2004), a movie set in New York and filmed partly in Chicago. In this scene, Spider-Man and Dr. Octopus fight atop a moving ‘L’ train. Since Manhattan has few elevated tracks, special effects crews were sent to Chicago to film 'L' stations and the surrounding city environment. Characters were digitally inserted later. Movie magic! (Well, computer magic.) Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Explore hidden stories of women who shaped early Chicago cinema, with HD footage of key locations where they lived and worked Women and Early Cinema in Chicago: Untold Stories Behind the Silent Screen Explore hidden stories of women who shaped early Chicago cinema, with HD footage of key locations where they lived and worked All Talks About Discover untold stories of three women who helped shape early cinema in Chicago. Through HD footage of locations where these women lived and worked, you'll explore their often overlooked contributions to the early film industry. Start in Chicago's western suburbs at a modest Frank Lloyd Wright home, where you'll uncover a woman's impressive connection to pre-cinema through her work at the Art Institute of Chicago. Then, stroll down a 140-year-old brick-paved road to the Morse Theatre to hear about its innovative female ownership and why it was once hailed as "the theatre of the future." Finally, visit the old Essanay studio lot in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, where a silent-era screenwriter worked before becoming one of Hollywood's most powerful gossip columnists. Led by a PhD who taught film for more than a decade, this program offers a unique glimpse into Chicago's cinema history, highlighting three (of countless!) oft-overlooked women who made their mark on the early days of film. Request Talk

Learn about three Chicago movie theaters that survived the 1918 flu pandemic Chicago, Movies, and the 1918 Pandemic Learn about three Chicago movie theaters that survived the 1918 flu pandemic All Talks About In 1918, Chicago movie theaters faced an unprecedented challenge as the flu pandemic disrupted daily life and shuttered public spaces across the city. Yet some movie houses found ways to endure—and their buildings still stand today! In this talk, Kelli takes you, via HD footage, to three silent-era Chicago movie theaters that survived the 1918 flu pandemic. Along the way, she offers a brief history of the so-called Spanish Flu, with subtle connections to more recent global experiences such as COVID. Request Talk

Visit three Chicago locations from "While You Were Sleeping," and consider the importance of Saul, the Jewish elder guiding this Christmas rom-com Christmas in Chicago: Location and Legacy in While You Were Sleeping Visit three Chicago locations from "While You Were Sleeping," and consider the importance of Saul, the Jewish elder guiding this Christmas rom-com All Talks About Book for Nov. 2026 and after— download 2026 calendar . Round out your holiday season with a virtual walking tour through the Chicago area locations where the 1995 Christmas movie While You Were Sleeping was filmed. Join Kelli as she guides you through three sites from the film, from the quiet village streets of La Grange, IL, to the city's busy public transit stations. Along the way, we’ll not only revisit the places that set the stage for Lucy and Jack’s romance, but we'll also explore an often overlooked element of the movie: the character of Saul, the Jewish elder who gently guides the story’s moral compass and shapes the romantic comedy. Whether you’re a fan of Sandra Bullock, Peter Gallagher’s eyebrows, or simply looking for a festive way to experience Chicago onscreen, this talk is a fun way to celebrate the season. Request Talk

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Continental Divide Continental Divide (1981) is lesser-known Chicago movie starring comedian John Belushi. The story follows a Chicago newspaper reporter (Belushi), who travels to the Rockies to interview an eagle researcher (Blair Brown). As they navigate their differences—and the challenges of the wilderness—a romance blossoms. In this scene, Belushi's character (in the background) has made it to the mountains, where he comes face-to-face with a cougar. Most of the mountain scenes, like this one, are filmed in Colorado. But Chicago is on display as well. For instance, Belushi's character works for the Chicago Sun-Times , so several scenes show the interior and exterior of the now-demolished Sun-Times building. Unlike when he acted in The Blues Brothers , "Belushi remained clean and sober" during filming of Continental Divide . "This was a new Belushi, clear-eyed and professional." Unfortunately, the movie didn't fare well. Fans wanted to see Belushi's manic onscreen performances, not a romantic one. Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Widows (2018) Today’s screenshot comes from the 2018 Chicago-based heist thriller, Widows , directed by Steve McQueen and based on a British TV series of the same name. Let’s analyze… This is a medium shot of a politician named Jack Mulligan, played by Colin Farrell. Mulligan has just arrived in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood to meet with his political opponent (who is also a crime boss). The well-dressed Mulligan—with his shiny car, chauffeur in the background, and obvious unease over his surroundings—is somewhat out of his element here. Indeed, in the preceding scene, Mulligan is attending a fancy gala with other city bigwigs, all seated underneath the impressive Tiffany Dome at the Chicago Cultural Center. In the background of this shot, those familiar with Chicago’s historic movie houses will recognize the former Central Park Theater (c. 1917), pictured here in full . Located at 3535 W. Roosevelt Rd., the Central Park Theater is notable for several reasons: It is the first movie palace completed by Balaban and Katz and architectural firm Rapp and Rapp , a partnership that would spawn several landmark movie palaces like the Chicago, Oriental (now Nederlander), Riviera, and Uptown. It was among the first movie theaters in the nation to have air-conditioning. It offered a daycare in the basement. The Central Park Theater has served as a church since 1971. Behind the chauffeur, note the crosses etched into the walls. Start at 02:30 to watch the scene from Widows unfold. Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

Every Wednesday, join us in guessing the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Visit our archive to play the ones you missed! One-Shot Wednesday On Wednesdays, guess the Chicago-based movie or television show from one screenshot. Thief Thief is a 1981 neo-noir directed by Michael Mann starring James Caan in the lead role. The movie follows the story of Frank, a skilled professional safecracker and jewel thief who operates in Chicago. As Frank takes on a high-risk job, he becomes entangled in a web of corruption and betrayal. Below, watch Caan explain how he prepared for Thief 's safecracking scenes—and the satisfaction he received from doing so. Welcome to One-Shot Wednesday! Think you’re a Chicago screen buff? On Wednesdays, we post one still from a movie or TV show filmed or set in the Windy City. Your mission? Guess the title! You've already seen this week’s image above. If you're feeling nostalgic, explore the full archive of past challenges to keep the fun rolling. Psst: you're on screenshot: 84 Access Archive

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