Bank Of America Cinema Morphs

By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 19, 2011 5:20PM

You can't keep a good film series down. Bank of America Cinema (a.k.a. LaSalle Bank Cinema) may be gone forever from its former home at 4901 W. Irving Park Rd. (Rumor has it the building will be razed to make way for an Aldi). But it's re-inventing itself as the Northwest Chicago Film Society. A new series launches February 16, in its new home around the corner at the Portage Theater.

Meanwhile, film programmer Mike Phillips has an update:

The bank has donated the projectors, screen, and other equipment to the Wicker Park Art Center, the former Lutheran church on North Avenue. The idea is to eventually set it up for film screenings, but that is way down the road, as the building will need significant improvements. [The facility] needs some electrical upgrades before it can start projecting on film.

Yesterday, volunteers moved everything to Wicker Park. Including the screen, which proved to be a challenge; apparently when the auditorium was constructed they seem to have moved in the screen first and then built the entrances. Nevertheless all the equipment was salvaged, as well as a bunch of the old theater seats. These will be auctioned off at a future fundraiser for the Northwest Chicago Film Society.

The Portage Theater is located at 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave.