In 1962 when it was announced that Tippi Hedren would be playing the lead in The Birds, Alfred Hitchcock's followup to Psycho, the general reaction was, "Who's that?" A hitherto unknown blonde model, Hedren was launched into stardom almost overnight after Hitchcock happened to see one of her television commercials and cast her in the film. And just as the director intended, she burns like a cool fire at the center of the movie. Even as the bird attacks grow more vicious, she maintains her coiffed, finely calibrated elegance. Until the climax, that is, a harrowing sequence in an attic room that, in our view, tops even Hitchcock's notorious shower scene as a pure tour de force of film editing. more ›

Here at Chicagoist we're huge fans of the Master of Suspense. The films selected for the Music Box's current retrospective veer towards the latter part of his career, but they're worth watching on a large screen. more ›

We were all psyched to tell you about Doc Film's planned screening of Alfred Hitchcock's Under Capricorn tonight, which features several ten-minute-long takes replete with gymnastic camera moves and delirious Technicolor Ingrid Bergman. And a shrunken head. But we've just learned there's been a snag. more ›

This one's for all the Alfred Hitchcock fans out there. Here's a video of murder scenes from 36 of the legendary auteur's films, synchronized to climax in unison. more ›

Plenty of Hitchcock fans have never seen The Wrong Man. That is somewhat understandable, given the iconic status of its chronological neighbors in the filmography (The Man Who Knew too Much, Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho), but it is also a shame. With a brooding and expressive film noir visual style, memorable performances from Henry Fonda and Vera Miles, and a moving, true story which sets it apart from Hitchcock's other films, we would nominate it as the great director's most underrated work. more ›

Not like we ever need an excuse to watch North by Northwest again, but the presence of both Eva Marie Saint and Robert Osborne make our non-attendance at the Music Box's free screening on Tuesday, March 30 unthinkable. It's part of The TCM Classic Film Festival; the bulk of the festival takes place in LA (naturally) but Chicago is lucky enough to be part of the roadshow arm. more ›

With the 28th edition of Reeling, Chicago's very own Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival already gaying up movie screens all over the city, Chicagoist thought we'd take a closer look at a few of the titles being screened for you queer cinephiles out there. First up: Pornography: A Thriller, a film directed by David Kittredge, playing Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Landmark Theater. more ›

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Valentine's Day is nothing but a pre-fab holiday designed to get consumers to spend money on crap for each other ... especially if you're single. Instead of battling the hordes for a good table at a restaurant this evening, why not just order out from Art of Pizza, rent a movie and enjoy a few hours of twisted romance with one of these: more ›

Earlier this year when we interviewed ME-TV's Neal Sabin, he let drop that cult fave series "Night Gallery" would soon be part of the weekly line-up. True to his word, the early 70's horror anthology show created by Rod Serling is now on every Sunday from 5 to 6. That's two half-hour episodes back to back. It's part of the channel's "chill" new Sunday evening schedule. "Night Gallery" is followed by a full hour of... more ›

In addition to their Annual Christmas Show, the Music Box continues its Cary Grant Centennial Celebration and wraps up its Bergman Directs! series this weekend (What’s with that exclamation point? Does this mean we can expect Bogart Acts! or Janusz Kaminski Cinematographizes! sometime soon?). Both events feature perfect films for those who enjoy romance pictures that are just a little off-kilter. more ›

Chicagoist has been knocking itself out keeping you informed about today’s election and providing you with opportunities to party with like-minded folks of every political persuasion. But let’s face it: voting is hard work. You’ve been downloading ballots, checking the Chicago Bar Association website to see which judges to retain and weighing heavy policy matters for months! You need a break, hoss. Or maybe you’re one of those folks who thinks all politicians are crooks so what’s the point in voting? Well Chicagoist isn’t here to pass judgment on you, Eeyore. Whatever your reason, allow us to present some hideouts if you’re looking to avoid all of tonight’s election craziness: more ›

Indie-rock haven Pitchfork is good for something besides their cynical reviews: they also break pertinent music information. And today, they revealed the most pertinent tidbit of them all – the track listing to the Wicker Park soundtrack. (How's that for sarcasm, Pitchforkers?) As dreamy as star Josh Hartnett is, Chicagoist isn't really looking forward to this film, which, as we pointed out a while back, sounded better when it was called Vertigo and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The trailer hasn't given us much more faith: it understandably played to laughs and jeers when Chicagoist saw it with a local audience before Anchorman. We just can't in good faith support any movie that misuses Chicago locations, let alone such Chicago locations. more ›