Chicago's Silver Screens, Clubs, Hotels Turn Spooky This Weekend
By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 26, 2012 9:20PM
Halloween is next Wednesday but the serious costumes will be donned this weekend with parties across the city. Movie houses, theaters, bars and hotels all are getting in on the spirit of the season and, if they can make a buck or three along the way, even better. Movie houses screen classic horror films; bands in clubs across Chicago become cover bands, and parties across the city make it easier for you to get into the Halloween spirit.
Here is a list of recommended film screenings, and parties for those of you who don't have plans this weekend.
Film
The fog rises off Camp Crystal Lake tonight and tomorrow when the Patio Theater screens Friday the 13th in beautiful 35 mm. The first movie in the franchise did solid box office numbers when it was released in 1980, but Gene Siskel hated it so much he urged his Chicago Tribune readers to write to the corporate offices of Paramount Pictures to kvetch about the movie. He also famously suggested writing letters to Betsy Palmer, who played Jason Voorhees’ mother in the film, but didn’t print her address; instead Siskel wrote, “I’m sure a letter sent to General Delivery (to Palmer’s Connecticut hometown) will get to her.” (6008 W. Irving Park Rd., 10 p.m., $5)
We’ve long been amazed by the Portage Theater’s annual transformation into the spookiest movie house in Chicago every Halloween, but the Logan Theatre is giving them a serious run for their money with classic horror movies every weekend in October. The Logan caps off their horror movie madness this weekend with screenings of Rosemary’s Baby (11 p.m.) and The Exorcist (11:30 p.m.) tonight, Saturday and Oct. 29. Each movie is scary in its own right and can lay claim to being among the scariest movies of all time. But the restored Rosemary’s Baby we saw last year at the Siskel Film Center, while still spooky at points, doesn’t hold up as well in large part due to the campy performances by Ruth Gordon and Maurice Evans. Mia Farrow’s performance as a woman who slowly realizes she’s carrying a demon seed is still powerful.
As for The Exorcist, there isn’t anything else we can say about the special effects sequences that still make our skin crawl. On Oct. 30 and 31 the Logan screens the original Halloween (10:30 p.m.). There was little gore in John Carpenter’s direction; he wisely evoked a sense of menace as opposed to the flood of blood and guts of the sequels and reboots in the franchise. Jamie Lee Curtis’ performance as Laurie Strode almost typecast her permanently as a scream queen. (2646 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
Music
We don’t know of any demand for a Hall & Oates Cover band this weekend, but Mark & Danny Rose (aka Dos Rose Bros) are filling that void anyway. Tonight they become Hall & Oates with a backing band that includes Chicagoist’s own Eric Hehr at Ace Bar (1505 W. Fullerton Ave.). Also on the bill are Glittermouse as R L Stine & The Pogs (doing 90s TV Show Themes) and Marina City as Green Day. Cover is $6 with a costume or $8 without.
Nothing against Hall & Oates, but Halloweekend at Martyrs is more up our alley. Tonight’s lineup features Vlad the Impaler as Black Sabbath, the Bon Mots as Bad Company, and Dolly Varden as Fleetwood Mac. That’s only half of the lineup. Saturday’s schedule is headlined by American Steel as Judas Priest, Phil Angotti as The Bee Gees and Tuffy UK performing PJ Harvey songs. (3856 N. Lincoln Ave., 8:30 p.m. each night, $10 in advance, $12 at the door.)
Parties
Let Adaptive Adventures’ “The Revengers’ Halloween Party 2012” take care of everything for you except the costume. This blowout on Oct. 27 includes music on three stages, an all-inclusive bar, costume contest and more. Buy tickets online here. (Atomic Imaging /Golan Studios, 1501 N. Magnolia Ave.)
Local bicycle advocacy group The Chainlink and Working Bikes Cooperative have teamed up for a Halloween party from 7 p.m. - midnight tonight at Working Bikes (2434 S. Western Ave). The $20 cover gets you Lagunitas beer; raffle prizes; a performance by Environmental Encroachment, Swimsuit Addition and The Racketeers; and a costume contest.
Once you’ve sobered up from Saturday shenanigans head over to the Drake Hotel’s Palm Court, where they’ll be hosting a Mad Hatter-themed tea party beginning at 1 p.m. There will be a hat contest and prizes will be awarded for the most creative and original hats. Cost is $36, $18 for children ages 4-12. Email Shaun.rajah@hilton.com for reservations