Often when we think of plays, rosy cheeks and jazz hands come to mind. While a great variety of plays exist, it seems the majority try to uplift and entertain, not scare the bejesus out of us. But the WildClaw Theatre wants us to expect the unexpected. This newly-formed company is dedicated exclusively to bringing true horror back to the stage, and wastes no time kicking off their mission with The Great God Pan - their inaugural show which opened Sunday night at the Athenaeum Theater in Lakeview. more ›

It's the classic costumes that we fall for, like this wonderful couple dressed as Father Merrin and Regan from "The Exorcist." The gleam in the noble priest's eyes tell us that he's been down this road before and can save the tortured girl, while Regan's glowing eyes shout, "Keep away!! The sow is mine!" If you're just getting a start on the day like we are - it's pretty quiet around these parts so... more ›

When Gary Huswit's documentary Helvetica screened earlier this year at the Siskel, it certainly brought all the typeheads out of the woodwork — it broke box-office records at the Siskel and is now the theater's highest-grossing film. Now you get another chance to see it if you missed it the first time around, but tonight and tomorrow is your your last chance. It's a fascinating examination of what it means to be modern (and post-modern),... more ›

The U of C students are back on campus this week, and luckily, no one has lit anything on fire yet. Perhaps because they're too busy bringing us another quarter of hard-to-find films and modern trifles through Doc Films. Like several film classes rolled into one, this semester explores the Women of Early Hollywood with films from former It Girl Clara Bow, America’s sweetheart Mary Pickford, Lillian Gish and Greta Garbo; the later works of... more ›

Some of our favorite stories are the ones where something truly extra-ordinary happens to an ordinary person. Movies like "The Exorcist" or "The Possession of Emily Rose" scare the bejeezus out of us; to watch a young girl turn into something more than human feels like an inborn, genetic nightmare, that both compels and repels us. But what if that extraordinary event is one that turns a girl into a full fledged miracle worker? What... more ›

How to piss off Chicago cops: Rename Monroe St. from Western to Oakley "Chairman Fred Hampton Way," after the violent Black Panther who urged followers to "off the pigs." Oprah says that money can't buy you love or happiness and then tells you all the expensive things you should buy. Some dude in Hegewisch, IL, settled down with his popcorn and was getting freaked out watching The Exorcist when the sky started falling in... more ›

After an unfortunate incident a couple years ago involving “pumpkin spice” punch and a too-easily-removed Superman costume, Chicagoist tends to avoid big Halloween parties. Instead, we hole up with a list of video horrorflicks the night before (All Hallow’s Eve Eve?). But there are a few cinematic options this week for those looking for a communal, fright night experience. Doc Films at the University of Chicago is eschewing scary for sci-fi this week. Invaders from... more ›