King Vidor Silent Film Classic Screens at Occupy Chicago Tonight

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 30, 2011 7:24PM

Upon its release in 1929, King Vidor's The Crowd was considered a commercial failure. A silent film released on the onset of the sound picture era that dealt with a married couple and their struggles in a large city, the stark realism of The Crowd stood out among the escapist fare moviegoers were running toward at the onset of the Great Depression. But the innovative camera techniques employed by Vidor during filming wouldn't be replicated for another ten years; The Crowd eventually was chosen by the National Film Registry for preservation.

In this context it seems fitting that The Crowd will be screened for the Occupy Chicago protestors this evening as a reference point for the current economic situation across the country and as inspiration for the people who have marched outside the Federal Building for a week.

According to Cine-File, which listed tonight's screening, The Crowd is "the most contextually interesting screening in town."

The Crowd screens at 10 p.m. tonight outside the Federal Building, 230 S. LaSalle St. Do bring rain gear if you plan on attending; showers are expected.