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  • South Side | Movies Filmed in Chicago | One-Shot Wednesdays

    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. South Side This episode (2.4) of the television comedy series South Side cleverly tips its hat to Ferris Bueller's Day Off , the 1986 movie that shares its Chicago backdrop. Here, the show offers a more representative South Side experience than Ferris Bueller’s North Side one. For instance, it substitutes a Cubs game for a White Sox, and it trades the Art Institute of Chicago for the DuSable Museum of African American History . And, as represented by the above screenshot, South Side replaces the “Save Ferris” water tower (as seen here ) with “Save Brenda” in graffiti on the South Side sculpture Fountain of Time . South Side ’s Chandra Russell explained to Entertainment Weekly in 2021, ”We certainly set out to create a love letter to an iconic Chicago movie, but we wanted to do it in a unique way.” Mission: accomplished. 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

  • Sixteen Candles | Movies Filmed in Chicago | One-Shot Wednesdays

    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. Sixteen Candles This slightly low-angle medium shot of Joan Cusack comes from Sixteen Candles . In John Hughes’s 1984 teen comedy—set and filmed in suburban Chicago—Cusack plays Geek Girl #1. She has no lines other than “yeah” and “okay,” and she wears a neck brace that hinders her drinking from water fountains and cans of soda. Memorably, Geek Girl #1 uses material from her shirt appliqué to wipe her mouth after she finally captures a sip of water. (Joan’s brother, John Cusack, also plays a small part in Sixteen Candles .) Fans of the Cusacks likely know the siblings—comprised of Ann, Joan, Bill, John, and Susie—grew up in Chicago’s north suburb of Evanston, where they began acting in local theater productions. Additionally, their father, Dick Cusack, owned a movie production company that created corporate films, and he and his wife encouraged the kids to perform. Despite their careers in Hollywood, John and Joan Cusack still have residences here. In fact, since 2011, Joan has owned a gift shop in Old Town, Chicago . When asked about her hometown—where bit parts like this one in Sixteen Candles would ultimately lead to Oscar-nominated roles in Working Girl and In and Out— Joan Cusack says this: “Chicago is so normal. It’s very real. In Hollywood, I feel like mostly an actress. In Chicago, I feel like a person and an actress.” (Tallahassee Democrat , Dec 1993) 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

  • Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) | Movies Filmed in Chicago | One-Shot Wednesdays

    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. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) Directed, written, and produced by John Hughes, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a road movie with one goal: to get its two characters home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Steve Martin and John Candy play the incompatible pair. Martin’s Neal Page is an uptight Chicago ad executive, and Candy’s Del Griffith is a garrulous shower curtain ring salesman. The long shot above of a guy smirking behind a NYC taxi cab takes place near the beginning of Planes, Trains and Automobiles . While frantically searching for a cab, Neal encounters “Taxi Racer,” played by Kevin Bacon. The two men sprint through a crowded Manhattan street, seeing who can reach an available cab first. Neal nearly wins, but he trips over Del’s trunk and lands face-first onto the street. “Taxi Racer” claims the cab; before getting in, he offers a sarcastic salute to the fallen Neal. Here, Hughes films from a low angle because it is a point-of-view shot from Neal’s (lowly) perspective. What’s more, this shot—along with the whole scene —foreshadows the frustrating and often submissive position in which Neal will consistently find himself as he crosses paths with Del on their journey home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. If you’re wondering why Kevin Bacon plays such a small role in Planes, Trains and Automobiles (indeed, he’s only onscreen for 1 minute), he explains here . 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

  • Event Calendar | Chicago Movie Tours & Talks Schedule

    View upcoming walking tours and film history presentations by Dr. Kelli Marshall. Join a public tour in Chicago or find a talk near you. Book your spot today! Chicago Movie Events Calendar July 2026 Today Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1:00 PM Private: Chicago's First Ferris Wheel in Film 15 16 17 18 19 20 4:30 PM The Chicago Wheel: Rise & Fall of the World's First Ferris Wheel 21 22 7:00 PM Women and Early Cinema in Chicago: Untold Stories Behind the Silent Screen 23 24 25 11:30 AM The Art of Ferris Bueller 26 27 28 6:30 PM Still Waters, Sudden Death: Chicago’s Deadliest Disaster Onscreen 29 30 31 1 2 10:30 AM 1893 World’s Fair & Filming Locations: Chicago Midway Walking Tour 3 4 5 6 1:00 PM The Breakfast Club: Chicago, Music, and a Generation Defined 7 8 11:30 AM The Art of Ferris Bueller Don't see a date that works? Request a Private Tour Request a Talk

  • Contact Us | Chicago Movie Tours

    Looking for fun things to do in Chicago? Contact Chicago Movie Tours and let Kelli help you discover the Windy City through film! Contact Ready to discover Chicago through film? Or have another question? Reach out below. First* Last Email* Reason for contact* Share the details* Opt in to receive news about future tours and talks. Submit

  • Subscribe to Stay in the Loop | Chicago Movie Tours Newsletter

    Join 1,000+ film fans and history buffs. Get exclusive Chicago cinematic history, upcoming tour dates, and new talk announcements from Kelli, Ph.D., delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for Updates Life Moves Pretty Fast... You Could Miss It Sign up to receive a weekly update like this . It's free, and you may unsubscribe at any time. First name* Email* Yes, subscribe me to your awesome newsletter! * Submit

  • The Fugitive (1993) | Movies Filmed in Chicago | One-Shot Wednesdays

    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. The Fugitive (1993) In The Fugitive , Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) escapes from U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) during Chicago's annual St. Patrick's Day parade, allowing him to continue his quest to find his wife’s killer. Today’s screenshot illustrates how The Fugitive ’s director, Andrew Davis, filmed this scene “documentary-style, grabbing what [he] could from the actual parade.” Pictured are parade participants from the Chicago Stockyards Kilty Band , reportedly Chicago's oldest bagpipe band, founded in 1921. More specifically, Davis captured most of the parade chase with hand-held and Steadicam cameras. Then, he edited the shots together to depict Kimble’s slipping away unnoticed. But one of the final shots in this scene—of Kimble escaping into the crowd as Gerard searches —occurs in the same frame. “That moment was without a cut," recalls Davis. "It was fantastic." You can watch the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade scene in full below and read more about it in this 2023 interview . 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

  • Contagion | Movies Filmed in Chicago | One-Shot Wednesdays

    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. Contagion Contagion is a 2011 thriller that follows the rapid spread of a deadly virus and the efforts of scientists, government officials, and the public to contain and understand the outbreak. Much of the movie was shot here in and around Chicago. Gwyneth Paltrow's character, seen below, dies early in Contagion due to the lethal spread of the virus. In today's #OneShotWed, her character's son watches said demise from the family kitchen. The house in which this scene was shot is located in the Chicago suburb of Glencoe. The family who owned the home stayed in a downtown Chicago hotel for 3 weeks (on the studio's bill, I assume) while set designers modified the furniture and wall paint to fit the story. All was reset after production of course. 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

  • Flags of Our Fathers | Movies Filmed in Chicago | One-Shot Wednesdays

    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. Flags of Our Fathers Flags of Our Fathers is a 2006 war drama directed by Clint Eastwood. It depicts the Battle of Iwo Jima (1945), the flag-raising atop Mount Suribachi, and the event's impact on six American soldiers’ lives. Notably, Flags of Our Fathers is a companion piece to Eastwood's film Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), the latter of which represents the battle from the Japanese perspective and is almost entirely in Japanese. Eastwood filmed the two war movies back to back. Flags of Our Fathers unfolds via flashbacks, this scene included. In this long shot, the war heroes are being honored on location in Chicago’s Union Station . For the scene, the Illinois Railway Museum brought in two vintage trains, and set designers redecorated the station’s Great Hall with WWII banners. In the background of this screenshot, note the massive banner representing the now-iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima . Aside from Union Station, Flags of Our Fathers filmed at Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, the Drake Hotel (seen at the end of this scene), and the Kenilworth and Glencoe train stations. Eastwood shot the movie over 58 days, a little longer than his usual speedy shooting schedule . 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

  • The Wizard of Oz and Dark Hollywood in Chicago | Walking Tours

    On a 90-minute guided movie walking tour, uncover Hollywood's dark past in Chicago through The Wizard of Oz, cocaine movies, and gangsters The Wizard of Oz and Dark Hollywood in Chicago On a 90-minute guided movie walking tour, uncover Hollywood's dark past in Chicago through The Wizard of Oz, cocaine movies, and gangsters Read Reviews Book Public Tour Book Private Tour About 1.5 hrs 1.25 mi. 8 guests $39.99 On a 90-minute guided movie walking tour, uncover Hollywood's dark past in Chicago through The Wizard of Oz, cocaine movies, and gangsters Meet up in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood for The Wizard of Oz and Dark Hollywood in Chicago , a 90-minute guided outdoor walking tour on the darker side of the silver screen! A park inspired by The Wizard of Oz , homes designed by Chicago's leading architect, and a theater built for moving pictures seem friendly enough. But a closer look at these three Chicago locations leads you down a destructive path closely tied to Hollywood. You'll start the tour in a neighborhood park devoted to The Wizard of Oz . Here, you'll learn about Chicago's connections to the beloved children's story. But also, brace yourself for untold, darker tales behind the iconic 1939 movie that may leave you shocked. Your adventure with The Wizard of Oz and Dark Hollywood in Chicago continues as you stroll down a tree-lined street, surrounded by houses with a rich history that whisper secrets of Hollywood's scandalous silent era. As you explore these architectural gems, your expert PhD tour guide , will disclose mind-boggling connections to "cocaine comedies." From there, you'll follow a narrow brick road. It's not yellow, alas. But look carefully as you walk, and you'll find written remnants of Chicago's past. On the final stretch, your tour takes a thrilling turn into the heart of Chicago's notorious gangster history, seamlessly interwoven with the glamour of Hollywood's golden era. Along your The Wizard of Oz and Dark Hollywood in Chicago journey, film clips, screenshots, newspaper clippings, and vintage movie magazines will transport you back in time, offering glimpses into the scandalous happenings of yesteryear. Don't miss your chance to be part of this adventure in Chicago. Book your spot! Movies/TV Highlighted Public Enemies (2009) High Fidelity (2000) The Wizard of Oz (1939) Get Out and Get Under (1920) The Mystery of the Leaping Fish (1916) For His Son (1912) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910) Public Tour Dates Sunday Sep 6, 2026 3:30 PM Buy Tickets Show More Dates Private Tours Book this tour as a private or group tour! The private tour price listed below is a flat fee for up to 8 guests. If you have more than 8 in your party, please contact us to see if we can accommodate you. Book Private $399 Tour Specifics Start/End Points The tour starts at Oz Park, 2021 N Burling St. next to the Tin Man sculpture (W. Webster/N. Larrabee). The tour ends at 2433 N Lincoln Ave. Waivers Guests must initial a digital general waiver of liability with Chicago Movie Tours when they book. Guardians must sign waivers for children under the age of 18. Low Attendance To ensure we can provide a fun, engaging, and economically feasible public tour, we typically need a minimum of 4 guests. Head over to Tour Terms and Conditions for more on this policy, including reasons behind it and your refund options if, in the rare instance, a tour is cancelled due to low attendance. Parking/Transportation If available, free parking spots run along the residential streets near Oz Park. Public transit : take the Brown Line or Purple Line to Armitage, or take the Brown, Purple, or Red Line to Fullerton. Our starting point is a 0.4 mile-walk from the Armitage 'L' station and a 0.5-mile walk from the Fullerton 'L' station. Accessibility All of our stops on the walking tour have sidewalks and crosswalks. We will travel down an original brick-paved road. What to Bring Please wear weather-appropriate clothing. Tours run rain or shine. Restrooms A Target store with a public restroom is near the start of our tour route. Children While this tour explores the children's story The Wizard of Oz , some content may not be appropriate for guests under age 13. Photography/Video No video or audio recording of the tour, but take as many pictures as you'd like! Cancellations and Refunds You may cancel or amend your reservation 48 hours or more before the tour departs. Read more Tour Terms and Conditions . What's Included Guided 90-min. outdoor walking tour in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, including buildings with National Historic and Chicago Landmark status Expert tour guide commentary from a PhD in film Obscure stories about Chicago's ties to The Wizard of Oz and Hollywood's scandalous past Small group to generate engagement and foster a personalized tour Visual and audio media to enhance your experience Plenty of Instagram opportunities Mini (Oz-themed) goodie bags! 💙 Reviews Jason The Wizard of Oz and Dark Hollywood in Chicago average rating is 5 out of 5 An exceptional tour. I did the Oz and dark side of Hollywood tour and Kelli was smart, fun and a great guide. Must do, especially if you’re in the Lincoln park area. May 3, 2026 Michelle The Wizard of Oz and Dark Hollywood in Chicago average rating is 5 out of 5 What a gem of a find our tour was! A friend of mine and I did the Dark Hollywood tour today, as it sounded intriguing and something different to do. I had so much fun! Learned a ton about Chicago, Hollywood, The Wizard of Oz and other films, and even some broader history that I never knew, and I found it all fascinating. Also loved the incredible photos that the tour guide brought pertaining to all the relevant history. Tour guide was lovely and welcoming of all my questions. I look forward to taking another Movie Tour at the old Joliet prison in September! July 7, 2024 Todd Miller Wizard of Oz in Chicago average rating is 5 out of 5 Best Chicago tour I’ve been on. Don’t miss it!! November 11, 2023 Load More Reviews

  • Hoodlum | Movies Filmed in Chicago | One-Shot Wednesdays

    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. Hoodlum Hoodlum is a 1997 gangster film starring Laurence Fishburne, Cicely Tyson, Tim Roth, and Andy Garcia. It chronicles the rise of an African American mob boss (Fishburne) during the Prohibition era, as he clashes with rival Italian-American gangs for control of the illegal numbers racket. Hoodlum takes place in 1930s Harlem. But it was shot extensively in Chicago—in part, because it wanted to take advantage of the city's late 19th- and early 20th-century architecture. In this #OneShotWed, an Italian gangster (Mike Starr) positions himself outside an elevator in the Brewster Building (c. 1896) to surprise and then rough-up one of his Black rivals. Venture inside the Brewster Building in this story from ABC7 Chicago. The 1988 horror movie Child's Play was also filmed in this unique residential building . 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

  • Virtual Tours | Chicago Movie Tours

    On virtual walking tours, discover Chicago and movies through real-time participation, HD video, interactive maps, and other unique media forms. Virtual Tours Discover Chicago and film virtually through participation, HD video, and other media. Director's Chair Book a Virtual Tour Join a Live Virtual Tour Jul 20, 2026 9:30 PM The Chicago Wheel: Rise & Fall of the World's First Ferris Wheel Travel back to the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 and experience the first Ferris wheel through film and virtual reality DETAILS Jul 28, 2026 11:30 PM Still Waters, Sudden Death: Chicago’s Deadliest Disaster Onscreen Examine the SS Eastland tragedy through its screen portrayals—from newsreels and documentaries to home movies and a Disney show DETAILS Watch a Virtual Tour What's Included Chicago Movie Tours' virtual tours and events incorporate the following, when applicable, to bring the subject matter to life: HD video High-quality photos Expertly designed animated slideshows Clips and screengrabs Maps (to orient you as you "travel" with us) Vintage newspaper articles and ads Classic movie fan magazine excerpts Well-researched commentary Additionally, we always include opportunities for audience contribution.

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