Related Realty | Blog Post Chicago’s Greatest Hits | A rundown of the five best, must-see films set in Chicago: The Sting, The Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Untouchables, and High Fidelity. Chicago is, without a doubt, one of the world’s legendary cities. It’s no wonder that so many iconic films have been set in the picturesque Windy City among its soaring skyscrapers, stunning parks, ornate train stations, and winding waterways. Here are just five of those movies and their most memorable Chicago-inspired scenes, which are beloved by fans around the globe. 1.) The Sting (1973) – Named Best Picture at the 1974 Academy Awards and set in 1930s Chicago, The Sting tells the story of conmen Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) and …show more content…
In an effort to cultivate the ultimate class-cutting finale before graduation, Bueller takes a “borrowed” Ferrari on a joyride through Chicago, cruising down Lake Shore Drive and visiting famous spots like Grant Park and the former Sears Tower. Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) nearly catches Bueller after the high schooler appears on television enjoying a hot dog at Wrigley Field, but the truant student and his friends quickly sneak into the Art Institute of Chicago with a group of schoolchildren. It’s here that Bueller’s best friend, Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) looks deeply into the Georges Seurat masterpiece, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” Written in just one a week, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was called by director John Hughes a “love letter” to his adopted hometown of …show more content…
After several failed attempts, Ness recruits a group of powerful lawmen, public officials, and police officers to aid him in his mission. One of the film’s most thrilling and suspenseful scenes culminates in a shootout between Ness, his partner George Stone (Andy Garcia), and mob accountant Walter Payne (Jack Kehoe) downtown in Chicago Union Station. A nearly five-minute build-up, tracked by the station’s famous clock, explodes in a rapid-fire shootout between the cops and Capone’s henchmen, who seem to appear out of the woodwork as chaos
I can only hope that this movie inspires viewers to discover the actual history. It’s extremely interesting stuff. The gangs of the Five Points established the model for the alliance of Irishmen, Jews, and Italians who created the more commonly known mobs during the 1920’s and prohibition. A path was established between the Dead Rabbits, the Plug Uglies, the Bowery B’hoys that continues today with the Latin Kings, the Crips, and the Bloods.
The film “Hoosiers” depicts the story of Norman Dale, a former college basketball coach who has been asked to take over as coach of the Hickory High School basketball team. The team’s previous coach had recently passes away and the team was left without a coach. The small town’s allegiance towards the old coach is an obstacle the team faces. Since the old coach had passed away the team’s best player, Jimmy has decided he would not be going out for the team this season. This leaves the team with only seven players and without their star player. Norman is also warned by a fellow teacher who has been looking out for Jimmy since his mother got sick, that he should pressure Jimmy into playing. Instead of pressuring Jimmy to play, Norman leaves him alone until Jimmy decides it is time to play for the team again.
The Public Enemy is a gangster film and it had a dangerous lifestyle. Last, but not least, is Gold Diggers of 1933 and it is a pretty happy film. These films all had one thing in common though; the characters all had problems with money, which greatly relates to the Great Depression. Room Service was released in 1938 and it starred the Marx brothers and Lucille Ball. It is an RKO production comedy film and the director was William Seiter.
Among the numerous movies in this film genre, ‘Boyz N the Hood’ and ‘Menace II Society’ are the two classic movies and are the best examples of Hood Films. Speaking of ‘Menace II Society’, the movie is a directorial debut of Allen Hughes and Albert Hughes which was released in 1993. The movie is a very good example that exposes the city of Los Angeles and its culture. Not only does the city has
When one thinks of a gangster they may think of speakeasies and classy cars or maybe drive-bys, but they will always imagine a man who is not afraid to get his hands dirty to grasp for a higher place on the social ladder. They will think of a man portrayed in a genre of cinema more American than any other, the gangster film. This genre began in the early thirties and has been re-adapted each decade to fit a new time. Although gangster films may mold themselves to fit into a certain cultural era, they still stay deeply tied to the foundations of the genre and its historical relevance to the american dream. This is apparent when comparing the differences and similarities between The Public Enemy and American Gangster. To better understand this comparison one needs to understand the origination of some of the classic conventions of the gangster film genre.
In Classical Hollywood Cinema, the plot moves forward mostly by the conflict between order and chaos. This is the case for most of the Film Noir movies, a popular genre that started in the 1940s. In The Big Sleep (1946) and Chinatown (1976), the two main characters, private investigators, are associated with order while all of the “femme fatale” characters bring chaos to the narrative of the films.
During the Great Depression, everyone was looking for a distraction from the terrible times around them. One way to put their mind at ease was to go to the theater and watch movies. Even during this era of distress, 60 to 80 million people a week still managed to go to the movies. Comedies were a great way to look at the bright side of situations and to put off the stress. In contrast, gangster films showed the fear that maybe what you are doing is not enough to get by and it would be nearly impossible to survive this economic crisis. Never the less, films of the Great Depression provided people hope and reassurance in that this too shall pass.
After four hard years of fighting, Canadians celebrated the end of the Great War. Many returned to the country early in 1919, only to be brought down by the lack of employment and other disappointments. However, slowly, good times returned back to Canada, as the country ushered into a new era known as the “Roaring Twenties”. Many Canadians participated in the good life as the wealthy, as well as average families had more money to spend. Economic prosperity and technological advances brought Canadians pleasure to their lives. Canadians tuned in to their radios, used the automobile, cheered for their home sports teams, followed new fashion trends, listened to the same music and did the same dances. In addition, the 1920s marked the growth of movies as Canadians packed theatres to watch their favourite stars. The 1920s were one of the most important and revolutionary times for the film industry.
Film Noir, a term coined by the French to describe a style of film characterized by dark themes, storylines, and visuals, has been influencing cinematic industries since the 1940’s. With roots in German expressionistic films and Italian postwar documentaries, film noir has made its way into American film as well, particularly identified in mob and crime pictures. However, such settings are not exclusive to American film noir. One noteworthy example is Billy Wilder’s film Sunset Boulevard, which follows the foreboding tale of Joe Gillis, the desperate-for-success protagonist, who finds himself in the fatal grips of the disillusioned femme fatale Norma Desmond. Not only does the storyline’s heavy subject matter and typical character structure suggest the film noir style, but also Wilder’s techniques of photography and empty, worn-down settings make for a perfect backdrop for this dark approach at filmmaking.
The viewer sees a private eye and beautiful client. First thought, "It’s definitely another Hollywood crime drama." On the surface, Chinatown has all the elements of a film noir: the presence of a beautiful but dangerous woman, otherwise known as the femme fatale, a gritty urban setting, compositional tension (highly contrasting light and dark colors or oblique camera angles), and themes of moral ambiguity and alienation. Chinatown, however, is different. Polanski shot Chinatown with color film, and though his colors do appear especially vivid, color film precludes the contrast intensity that black and white film offers. In addition, Evelyn is not the classic femme fatale. Though Jake mistakes her for her husband’s killer at first, Mrs. Mulwray eventually emerges as the story’s most tragic victim. Yes, Chinatown for the most part conforms to the structure of film noir, but this film departs from the general genre, creating an entirely different element in which Roman Polanksi examines not only big-money corruption and its malignant obsession with money, but also larger, more human themes such as ignorance, authority, and the pervasiveness of evil.
In this essay the following will be discussed; the change from the age of classical Hollywood film making to the new Hollywood era, the influence of European film making in American films from Martin Scorsese and how the film Taxi Driver shows the innovative and fresh techniques of this ‘New Hollywood Cinema’.
Films that are classified as being in the film noir genre all share some basic characteristics. There is generally a voice-over throughout the film in order to guide the audience's perceptions. These movies also involve a crime and a detective who is trying to figure out the truth in the situation. This detective usually encounters a femme fatale who seduces him. However, the most distinctive feature of the film noir genre is the abundance of darkness.
The director Antoine Fuqua vision for this film was to bring that intense love-hate relationship onto the big screen and showcase it for the world to see. To ensure a convincing film setting, Fuqua shot on location in some of the most hardcore neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Fuqua also wanted to show the daily struggles of officers tasked to work in the rougher neighborhoods of cities and how easy it can be to get caught up in a street life filled with killers and drug dealers. Overall the film displayed the city of Los Angeles in a different perspective. One which m...
While there are many different ways to classify a Neo-noir film, Roman Polanski’s, Chinatown captures many. The 1974 movie consists of many of these elements, including both thematic and stylistic devices. One of the main themes of neo-noir film that is constant throughout the film is the deceptive plot that questions the viewers’ ideas and perceptions of what is actually happening in the film. Every scene of Chinatown leads to a twist or another turn that challenges the practicability of the film’s reality. All of the never-ending surprises and revelations lead up to the significant themes the movie is trying to convey in the conclusion of the film.