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This talk is not currently available for booking. Behind the Scenes with Chicago Movie Tours This talk is not currently available for booking. All Talks About Behind the Scenes with Chicago Movie Tours is no longer available for booking. Please explore Kelli's current talks for other options. Request Talk

Explore four typical depictions of men in Hollywood film Gender in Hollywood: Men Explore four typical depictions of men in Hollywood film All Talks About Encounter four ways Hollywood has traditionally represented men onscreen. Among the categories you'll consider: macho men, comedy nerds, wounded warriors, and beasts. You'll also learn why nude (or mostly nude) onscreen men often receive harsh punishment in the movie's narrative. Join us for an overview of men in film! NOTE: To give your guests a thorough background on common representations of gender in Hollywood film, book this talk alongside Gender in Hollywood: Women . Or if only one subject interests you, book it individually! Request Talk

Explore Black film history in Chicago through select movies and sites that connect them Black Movie History in Chicago: Cinematic Milestones and Sacred Grounds Explore Black film history in Chicago through select movies and sites that connect them All Talks About This hour-long talk is perfect for Black History Month or any time of year you’d like to highlight the vital contributions of African Americans to film history. In the first half of the program, you’ll discover Something Good—Negro Kiss , a silent film capturing what is believed to be the first onscreen kiss by a Black couple. The movie traces its origins to a nineteenth-century Chicago studio, whose remnants you’ll visit virtually through original HD video. Chicago’s cinematic legacy continues beyond the studio lot. You'll also learn about Burr Oak Cemetery and its significance to Black history here in Chicago and beyond. Again, through HD video, you’ll walk the cemetery’s hallowed grounds as you learn about groundbreaking films such as Cooley High (1975) and Boyz n the Hood (1991). This presentation is a meaningful way to celebrate Black filmmakers and stories—whether during Black History Month or throughout the year. 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. The Blues Brothers The mall scene in The Blues Brothers (1980) was filmed at the former Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, IL. John Landis (dir.) acquired permission to use the abandoned shopping mall for the shoot. The mall had been closed since 1978, giving it a perfect run-down and desolate appearance that fit the movie's narrative. To capture the chaotic car chase sequence through the mall, the production team used practical effects, stunts, and carefully choreographed scenes, making it one of the film's most memorable 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

Visit three Chicago locations in The Untouchables, focusing on the movie’s baby carriage sequence in Union Station and later films it inspired Behind the Baby Carriage: Chicago and The Untouchables Visit three Chicago locations in The Untouchables, focusing on the movie’s baby carriage sequence in Union Station and later films it inspired All Talks About Book for Aug. 2026 and after— download 2026 calendar . When people think of movies that showcase Chicago, The Untouchables (1987) often tops the list. But does Brian De Palma’s gangster film truly give the city a starring role—or does Chicago merely serve as a dramatic backdrop? We’ll explore that question through a tour of three key Chicago filming locations featured in The Untouchables : the Chicago Board of Trade, the Rookery Building (including Frank Lloyd Wright’s celebrated redesign), and Union Station. Using original HD footage, we’ll see how Chicago’s architecture, scale, and history help shape the film’s visual power and sense of place. In the second half of the program, we’ll focus on The Untouchables ' most iconic moment: the Union Station staircase shootout. As a baby carriage careens down the steps amid gunfire, De Palma creates one of the most unforgettable set pieces in American cinema. We’ll unpack the scene’s behind-the-scenes construction, trace its roots to silent-era filmmaking, and examine how later directors have borrowed the baby carriage motif for dramatic effect. By the end of our hour together, you’ll see how The Untouchables not only cements Chicago’s place in film history, but turns the city—especially Union Station—into an indelible cinematic character. 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. 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

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 Fury Today's #OneShotWed comes from Brian De Palma's 1978 horror movie The Fury , filmed partly in Chicago. Chicago critic Gene Siskel found little to enjoy about The Fury . He describes this action sequence inside Old Chicago, an indoor suburban amusement park, as "superfluous." (The park no longer operates.) Maybe the scene is unnecessary, but it sure is action-packed. 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

Dive into film noir—dark plots, dim lights, and dangerous cities, including Chicago Film Noir: Hollywood's Darkest Timeline Dive into film noir—dark plots, dim lights, and dangerous cities, including Chicago All Talks About Skip the monsters and ghosts—Hollywood’s real dark side is film noir. Translated as “black cinema,” film noir brims with gritty plots, seedy characters, and shadowy cities—including Chicago. In this hour-long talk, Dr. Kelli Marshall guides you through noir's French origins, cultural influences, aesthetics, and recurring character types. Along the way, you’ll revisit classics like Double Indemnity and Murder, My Sweet and discover lesser-known gems such as Undertow —all part of America’s darkest, most psychologically unsettling era of filmmaking. Request Talk

Get introduced to cinematography to experience movies on a new level How Do Movies Guide Your Eyes? Get introduced to cinematography to experience movies on a new level All Talks About When you watch a movie, the images before you may seem like objective views of the world. But they are not. In fact, those images are purposefully constructed and then put onscreen—to guide your eyes where the director wants them to go. Sneaky, right? This hour-long program introduces you to the basics of cinematography, including speed of motion, perspective relationships, focal length, depth of field, and framing. After all, once you recognize how cinematography works, you can experience and understand movies on a new level. 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

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

Learn about the Chicago connections of a few giants of American comedy Comedy in Chicago: The Marx Brothers and Bob Newhart Learn about the Chicago connections of a few giants of American comedy All Talks About Chicago's onscreen history with comedy runs deep. This movie talk and accompanying original HD video footage will consider two giants of American film comedy, both of whom have strong ties to the Windy City. In Part 1, we'll begin with a leisurely walk to the Marx Brothers' Chicago home. There, you will learn about a subgenre of film called anarchic comedy. You'll also "take a ride" down a slice of historic Route 66 and see where the Marx family once owned a chicken farm. (Yes, a chicken farm.) Then in Part 2, we'll shift comedic gears to Bob Newhart. Newhart was born in Chicago, and his sitcom The Bob Newhart Show (1972-78) was set here as well. In this section of the talk, you'll visit three locations near and dear to the comedian and actor: his childhood home, his Oak Park apartment, and Navy Pier. Join Chicago Movie Tours and discover the city's comedy roots through TV and film! Request Talk