West Side Story

CHICAGO – When a filmmaker creates a new work, they use the templates that are available to them, past and present. As films become more digitized and portable, Chicago’s historic Music Box Theater reminds us of the one format that filmmakers used (and still use). The 2018 70mm Film Festival runs from September 14th through the 27th. For more details and tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – In the midst of all the Oscar-oriented news, Chicago’s best movie venue – the Music Box Theatre – has been conducting an “ultimate” 70mm Film Festival. It is the last four days of this fest, so this is a reminder to experience it if you haven’t already. 70mm refers to a historical widescreen film format that expresses an amazing cinema canvas, and was used with great fanfare in Quentin Tarantino’s most recent film, “The Hateful Eight.”

CHICAGO – What is striking about George Chakiris is not so much the memories of his unforgettable performances in films of another era, but his true kindness and humility in the wake of all that jazz. Winner of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1961, playing Bernardo in “West Side Story,” the combination of his youth, energy and gratitude comes from his roots as a dancer.

CHICAGO – Russ Tamblyn has seen it all. In a show business career that is now over 60 years old, he has gone from child star (”Father of the Bride”) to Oscar nominee (”Peyton Place”) to classic role (”West Side Story”) and cult hero (”Twin Peaks”). With a span like that, he has collected a few stories.

CHICAGO – It is a story as old as show business itself. Plucky understudy replaces a Broadway musical lead on the same night a movie director decides to take in the play, which results in the understudy getting his first movie role. It happened exactly like that to stage – and now screen – performer Jeremy Jordan, who made his debut over the weekend in the film “Joyful Noise.”

CHICAGO – If you are looking for a sumptuous present for the film musical admirer in your life, look no further than the Blu-ray 50th Anniversary package of “West Side Story.” The classic Broadway-to-screen adaptation won 10 Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture.

CHICAGO – The legend of the 1961 film version of the Broadway sensation “West Side Story” grows as the years go by. Who better to remember that legend 50 years later than three of the stars of that Academy Award winning Best Picture – Rita Moreno (Anita), George Chakiris (Bernardo) and Russ Tamblyn (Riff).

CHICAGO – The former Rosa Dolores Alverio, better known to audiences as Rita Moreno, has had a glorious and tempestuous journey through life and show business. One of her most notable roles is as Anita, the fiery friend of Maria in the film version of “West Side Story,” in which Moreno stops the show with the song “America.”

CHICAGO – As our giveaways continue to grow in popularity, what we give away continues to sweeten, too. In this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, three lucky winners will be hooked up with our sweetest giveaway yet: a complete DVD set of 20 of the greatest classic films in recent memory.

CHICAGO – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment (MGMHE) on Tuesday announced the launch of an 18-month global celebration that promises to culminate into the largest catalog event in video industry history. Some of the best films the world has seen are touching down in Chicago as part of the proceedings.