The Chicago Rep-port: 8/4 to 8/10, by Aaron Pinkston
Repertory screenings may not be as abundant in Chicago as they are in LA/NY but when you look around, there are many theatergoing delights. The Chicago Rep-port is a weekly(ish) series highlighting the best and most compelling repertory screenings in the Second City.
Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N State St
Turning the calendar into August, the Siskel’s rep series focuses on one of world cinema’s greatest and most overlooked artists, Italian provocateur Mario Bava, with The Baroque Beauties of Italian Horror. As the grandfather of Italian giallo cinema, Bava’s films are as luscious as they are horrific. This week features three of his finest works: his incomplete final film, rediscovered after his death, Kidnapped (Mario Bava, 1974, DCP, 8/4 and 8/7); the original European cut of Black Sabbath (Mario Bava, 1963, DCP, 8/5 and 8/10); and Telly Savalas-as-Satan surrealist film Lisa and the Devil (Mario Bava, 1973, DCP, 8/5 and 8/8).
If you want to catch both Black Sabbath and Lisa and the Devil on Saturday, August 5 (and why wouldn’t you?), you can buy a double-bill ticket at a discounted rate!
Doc Films, 1212 E 59th St # 3
On Friday, August 4, Doc Films continues their summer programming with Mystery of the Wax Museum (Michael Curtiz, 1933, 35mm). The original wax museum horror film is one of the best and most purely entertaining under the steady hand of classic Hollywood filmmaker Curtiz.
The Logan Theatre, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
With only six episodes left in Showtime’s Twin Peaks revival, why not return all the way back to the beginning of the story? The Logan Theatre’s August Late Nights program kicks off this week with Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (David Lynch, 1992, format unknown) with showtimes August 4-7.
Also screening August 4-7 is classic Marx Brothers comedy A Night at the Opera (Sam Wood, 1935, format unknown). The famed comedy troupe offer up their funniest film as Groucho, Chico and Harpo lampoon high society with their typical irreverence and wordplay.
Rounding out the week on August 8-10 is Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000, format unknown). With Nolan’s Dunkirk continuing to light up the box office, Memento would make a fantastic double-feature of how narrative structure impacts storytelling.
Cinemark Theaters, various Chicagoland locations
This week’s Cinemark Classic is Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood, 1992, format unknown), one of the great revisionist westerns. As early buzz for The Dark Tower’s gunslinger story not looking so hot, this version of a grizzled gunslinger in the face of violence may be a good antidote at the multiplex. You can catch Unforgiven at Cinemark on Sunday, August 6 or Wednesday, August 9.
Chicago Park District Movies in the Park, various Chicago locations
And finally, here are this week’s highlights for Movies in the Park: Tomboy (Céline Sciamma, 2011, format unknown) at Gill Park (825 W. Sheridan Rd.) on Sunday, August 6; Home Alone (Chris Columbus, 1990, format unknown) at Burnham Park (5491 S. Shore Drive) on Monday, August 7; and The Wiz (Sidney Lumet, 1978, format unknown) at the South Shore Cultural Center (7059 S. South Shore Dr.) on Monday, August 7.