Revisit the abortion plot in Dirty Dancing, without which the entire movie falls apart Dirty Dancing on Abortion Revisit the abortion plot in Dirty Dancing, without which the entire movie falls apart All Talks About Dirty Dancing , the 1987 coming-of-age movie starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, has resurfaced in the news in 2022 for three reasons: Grey is promoting her memoir Out of the Corner . This summer marks the film’s 35th anniversary . The Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade , the 1973 Court decision that affirmed the constitutional right to abortion. In light of these recent events—along with Millennium Park's summer film series (Aug. 2) and a live concert in Rosemont, IL (Nov. 11)—join Chicago Movie Tours in an exploration of Dirty Dancing as it relates to the issue of abortion. We’ll pay special attention to the movie’s representation of abortion, without which the whole story would collapse. Also, in the livestream, we’ll consider Dirty Dancing ’s premiere, its screenwriter’s intents, and its progressive messages for audiences in 1987—and today. Choose your date below to join the conversation! Registration closes 70 min. before the event is scheduled to begin. 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. Rent-a-Cop Rent-a-Cop is a 1987 action-comedy starring Burt Reynolds and Liza Minnelli. Reynolds plays a Chicago police detective turned security guard. He crosses paths with Minnelli’s character, who is being pursued by both the police and criminals due to her involvement with a jewel heist. Together, the duo try to stay one step ahead of both the law and the bad guys. This medium-long shot of Reynolds’ character lighting a cigarette is filmed outside the Hyatt Regency Chicago . (Thanks for helping identify the hotel, Tours with Mike !) Rent-a-Cop filmed 3 weeks in Chicago and the rest of the time in Cinecittà Studios in Rome . By the mid-1980s, Burt Reynolds’ once-thriving career was practically at a standstill. One of Hollywood’s biggest stars, he was now receiving offers for mediocre movies like this one and Stroker Ace , both of which fared poorly at the box office. In fact, later in life, Reynolds recalls these two movies as “the kind they show in prisons and airplanes, because nobody can leave” (Variety 2011). Yikes. As of this writing, if you dare, you can watch Rent-a-Cop free on Tubi . 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. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation , Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) plans the perfect family Christmas, only to have it unravel through a series of comical disasters—from a faulty Christmas light display to unexpected visits from eccentric relatives. In this long shot, Clark stands with his wife, Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo), after several failed attempts to light his suburban Chicago house for Christmas. Note the decorative reindeer in the bottom right and copious light strands crisscrossing the entire house. Ultimately, Ellen figures out the electrical problem, and the house will be, shall we say, well lit within the neighborhood. Take a closer look at the Griswold house for a moment. The two-story yellow house is actually a facade, formerly located inside the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank, CA. Yes, although National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is set in Chicago, it was filmed primarily in Los Angeles. You may have also seen this house in American Beauty (1999), Hocus Pocus (1993), or the medical drama ER (1994-2009), also Chicago-based. Sadly, in 2023, the Warner Bros. Ranch—along with all the movie and TV “homes” within it—was demolished to make room for office buildings. 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 four Chicago movies filmed in snowy settings, discover wintry filming locations, and learn how filmmakers create movie magic with snow Snow on Set: Chicago Movies in Winter Explore four Chicago movies filmed in snowy settings, discover wintry filming locations, and learn how filmmakers create movie magic with snow All Talks About Bundle up for a journey through Chicago’s chilliest movie moments! Join film historian Kelli Marshall for a look at Chicago movie locations captured in snow and wintry weather. Featuring four Chicago-based films—Groundhog Day , The Breakfast Club , Child’s Play , and Judas and the Black Messiah —this hour-long program explores how winter weather can become part of the cinematic landscape. Using original HD video filmed on location, Kelli takes you to some of Chicago’s “coolest” movie locations while sharing behind-the-scenes stories about the films and the city itself. Along the way, you'll learn about Chicago’s snowfall and discover how filmmakers create convincing movie snow, including insights from an Oscar-winning special effects artist with Chicago roots. So grab a cup of cocoa and join us as we hit the streets of Chicago—no winter coat required! Request Talk

This talk is not currently available for booking. Loop Landmarks on Film This talk is not currently available for booking. All Talks About This talk is not currently available for booking. Consider instead From Ferris to the Frontlines: Chicago's Art Institute and Grant Park in the Movies , which also covers Grant Park and other major Chicago landmarks. Ride the train (via HD video) into Chicago’s Union Station where you disembark and then move through the building’s concourses and Great Hall, all while learning about their relationship to Hollywood. Then, walk through Chicago’s Grant Park while considering Aaron Sorkin's movie The Trial of the Chicago 7 and public art. 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. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation In this scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) accidentally gets locked in his attic while his family leaves the house to shop. While freezing inside (and hilariously donning whatever clothes he can find for warmth), Clark finds a box of old 8mm movies. He picks one and plays it against an attic wall. The reel Clark pulls out is labeled Xmas ’59 —an allusion to John Hughes' short story “Christmas ’59” that is the basis for this movie. 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. Backdraft Today's #OneShotWed comes from Backdraft (1991), filmed all over Chicago and its suburbs. In this scene, Chicago's vacant Uptown Theater catches on fire. The victim: the unsuspecting man in today's screenshot. As AFI points out, Backdraft was praised universally for its special effects, particularly the look of fire onscreen. "Fire presents itself as a personality with motive and intent, moving across ceilings and down walls in ways that defy the laws of physics. Filmmakers achieved this by building a set upside down and filming the fire in slow motion as it traveled its natural course along the floor and up the wall. A similar 'upside-down effect' was used to film smoke that appears to retreat of its own accord." Watch some of these effects in the video below. 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. Wayne's World This screenshot comes from the most recognizable scene in the 1992 comedy Wayne’s World . The "Bohemian Rhapsody" scene features the film’s main characters, Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey), headbanging in a car with their friends as they lip-sync to Queen's rock ballad. The moment, which kicks off the movie, became a cultural phenomenon, and it boosted the track's popularity years after its original release. Although Wayne’s World is set in Aurora, Illinois (a far-western suburb of Chicago), virtually none of the movie was filmed here. It was shot in and around Los Angeles. Most of the Chicago-area footage Wayne’s World does include, you’ll find in the “Bohemian Rhapsody” montage. For example, as the characters sing and drive, look for: Ray Krey’s Wheels Automart Midwest Eye Clinic (with Native American figure atop) Scatchell’s Beef Stand Chicago Joe’s the Spindle Unfortunately, some of these locales, like the Spindle, no longer exist. Featured in today’s screenshot, the Spindle stood on Cermak Plaza at Harlem Avenue in Berwyn, Illinois , about 13 miles west of Chicago. It was created in 1989 by Dustin Schuler and has had several names: the Spindle Car Kabob Cars on a Spike In short, the Spindle was a 50-foot spike with eight cars ranging in styles from the 1960s to the 1980s impaled upon it. The sculpture was torn down in May of 2008, with demolition costing around $300,000. The good news: the Spindle, of course, still lives on in Wayne's World and, amazingly, within the Library of Congress . What’s more, as of this writing, you’ll can visit a tiny version of the sculpture in the parking lot of Paisan’s Pizzeria in Berwyn . 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. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off In this medium-long shot from Ferris Bueller's Day Off , the school secretary, Grace (Edie McClurg), pulls multiple pencils out of her hair. With each reach, McClurg acts surprised, as though the No. 2 pencils are growing there like weeds. At the end of the scene, she’s (hilariously) sniffing Liquid Paper at her desk. Director John Hughes recalls McClurg’s “very sprayed hairdo,” which he thought would be fun to stick stuff in during filming. “There was a lot more than pencils in there, by the way,” he tells us in 1992. 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. Somebody Somewhere Somebody Somewhere is a 30-minute dramedy on HBO (Max) described as "distinctly Midwestern." That makes sense since the series takes place amidst cornfields, limestone houses, and abandoned strip malls. The Midwest setting is also reminiscent of the Kansas upbringing of the show’s star, comedian Bridget Everett, who plays Sam. Despite its Kansas setting, Somebody Somewhere is actually filmed in suburban Chicago, primarily in Lockport, Warrenville, and Naperville. In this screenshot, Sam's sister Tricia (Mary Catherine Garrison) and her best friend, Charity (Heidi Johanningmeier), stand outside the home decor and knickknacks shop they own, Tender Moments. Charmingly, the store’s name is a tribute to the actual band with which Bridget Everett performs , The Tender Moments. 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. The Bob Newhart Show The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978) stars comedian Bob Newhart as psychologist Bob Hartley, whose interactions with his wife, friends, patients, and colleagues spark humorous situations and witty dialogue, all filmed before a live audience. In the series, recurring jokes are often derived from Newhart’s stand-up comedy routines, particularly his one-sided telephone conversations . The show's opening credits—which you can watch below—pay homage to this comedic signature as they begin with Bob’s answering the phone with a simple "Hello?" Today’s screenshot shows you an extreme-long, low-angle shot of Newhart’s character passing by several landmark Chicago buildings. Here, Newhart's Bob Hartley is leaving his psychiatry practice for his commute home—which many have (rightly) described as bizarre. After all, if you were actually taking this route in Chicago, you'd be walking 7+ miles every day! Again, The Bob Newhart Show aired from 1972-78. But as you can see from these headlines, Chicagoans today are still perplexed by the out-of-the-way path Newhart’s character takes to get home: Chicagoans are still mad about ‘The Bob Newhart Show’ opening sequence Bob Newhart’s Bizarre Commute Home To Edgewater Took Him WAY Out Of His Way Crazy Commute (this blog post gives you a serious breakdown of the route, including a map !) Bob Newhart responds to critics of his opening credits commute from 'The Bob Newhart Show' Bob Newhart On The Glaring Error In “The Bob Newhart Show” Opening Credits 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. Flatliners Flatliners (1990) stars Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, William Baldwin, Oliver Platt, and Kevin Bacon. The movie follows five medical students conducting clandestine near-death experiments and was filmed at Loyola University Chicago between October 1989 and January 1990. The character in this close-up shot is Winnie Hicks (Kesha Reed ), a girl Kevin Bacon’s character, David, bullied in grade school. While flatlining, he is confronted by the 8-year-old girl on an ‘L’ train . She taunts him the way he taunted her, with ample amounts of vulgarity and hate. Watch the full scene below. Later in the movie, David visits Winnie , now an adult and played by Kimberly Scott . He apologizes for the way he tormented her, and she accepts his apology. Despite her small role, Scott received sigificant praise from film critics. One even says her “well-played, genuinely poignant scene with Bacon” balances Flatliners’ repetition and excess (The Monitor , 10 Aug 1990). 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