Podcast

CHICAGO – One of the most highly anticipated music documentaries will finally see the light of screen this 2021 Thanksgiving weekend. “Get Back” by director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings Series) is a three-part film chronicling the making of the “Let It Be” album, The Beatles second-to-last (but released last).

CHICAGO – Composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein was one of the most influential music icons of the 20th Century, that is never in dispute. The latest doc on his life, “Bernstein’s Wall,” is a philosophical overview bio told by creator/director Douglas Tirola. The film, with a Q&A with the director, will screen at the Chicago Critics Film Festival on November 13th, click LENNY for details.

CHICAGO – When Michael Caplan began his journey creating the film biography of legendary Chicago author Nelson Algren, he was a self-described “fan” but not much else. After spending several years with the man who wrote “The Man with the Golden Arm,” Michael Caplan has certainly got to know him well.

CHICAGO – In 1987, one of the oddest incidents in broadcast history took place in Chicago, when a local news sports segment and an episode of “Dr. Who” on PBS was interrupted by a bizarre video sequence featuring a man in a Max Headroom mask. This infamous event was the inspiration for the new film “Broadcast Signal Intrusion” – directed by Jacob Gentry – which was release to theaters and through Video-On-Demand on October 22nd, 2021, after playing at the 57th Chicago International Film Festival.

CHICAGO – The film “Dune,” an adaptation of the classic Frank Herbert sci-fi novel, is just coming off its opening weekend. One of the principle roles, Piter De Vries from the House Harkonnen, is portrayed by David Dastmalchian. DD is having a stellar 2021, coming off his triumph as Polka-Dot Man in “The Suicide Squad.” He talked to HollywoodChicago.com via Zoom.

CHICAGO – In 1987, one of the oddest incidents in broadcast history took place in Chicago, when a local news sports segment and an episode of “Dr. Who” on PBS was interrupted by a bizarre video sequence featuring a man in a Max Headroom mask. This infamous event was the inspiration for the new film “Broadcast Signal Intrusion,” which was release to theaters and through Video-On-Demand on October 22nd, 2021, after playing at the 57th Chicago International Film Festival.

CHICAGO – One more time, virtual and online. YippieFest 2021 will air on Twitch TV and through their website on Sunday, September 26th (7pm start). The freewheeling festival is usually a live theater and music event every August, but with the pandemic still lingering the show must go on, virtual and online. For more info, click YippieFest.com.

CHICAGO – Coming out as one’s true self is a benefit of our evolving social order. In “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” which will stream on Amazon Prime Video on September 17th, the title character is an intuitive teenage drag queen, and fights the last vestiges of prejudice against his destiny. Oh yes, and it’s a musical.

CHICAGO – When we last checked in with actor and filmmaker Ashton Swinford, she had just completed her hilarious web series ”Miss Information”. She is back with a new short film, equally funny, in the white privilege satire “Basic Witches.”

CHICAGO – One of the more fun, crazy and comic-book-like superhero films opening this week (August 6th) is “The Suicide Squad.” A band of imprisoned misfit rogues in the DC comics universe are sent on a suicide mission in South America, and if they accomplish the assignment they’ll be set free. David Dastmalchian portrays one of the rogues, the freakish Polka-Dot Man.