Chicago Film Archives Schedules Unique Outdoor Screenings

By Steven Pate in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 21, 2011 9:05PM

The Chicago Film Archives summer residency at the Dorchester Project (artist Theaster Gates' project space at 6918 South Dorchester) looks to be among the more interesting feats of film programming in a summer with no shortage of interesting things to see.

The first screening, "Chicago After Dark" on July 14, yields three films: Cry of Jazz, a 1959 documentary about Sun Ra, Nightsong, a portrait of the brief heyday of Chicago's Near-North 1960's folk club and nightlife scene (with revered locales such as The Fuickle Pickle, Mr. Kelly's, the Kismet Club, and the Tender Trap), and 1963 Northwestern student film on the subject of the Vice Lords, The Corner.

The second installment, on July 21, titled "Music and Movements," features footage from Maxwell Street Market rescued from a home movie collection with live musical accompaniment, Samuel Charters' documentary The Blues, a wrestling match between "The World's Ugliest Woman" Yulie Brenner and Rose Roman at Chicago's International Ampitheatre, an Underwater Ballet plucked from a collection of commercially produced Caterpillar Inc. films, and other musically-inclined shorts subjects.

The final program on August 4 will feature short films on the subject of the 1966 civil rights march through Cicero, excerpts from 1978's Ali vs. Spinks fight, and other shorts before David Rothberg's 1975 My Friend Vince, a portrait the titular hustler and friend of the filmmaker.

All in all, it's the sort of collection that could only come from the Chicago Film Archives and a unique chance to see some films you probably can't see anywhere else, along with peek at what is going on at the Dorchester Project.

The Chicago Film Archives residency at The Dorchester Project culminates with screenings on July 14, July 21 and August 4 at 6918 South Dorchester. The films will be screened outdoors at 9 pm and admission is free.