STORIES FROM THE GRID: Orrington/Elgin

Being part of a series involving Chicago and its surroundings.

It was twilight and the young woman was walking south on Orrington, alone, wearing a very bulky winter coat. It was quite cold and so she also had on a black knit cap and a black scarf. She was on her way to the supermarket to pick out something for dinner.

A car rounded the corner, slowed down, and pulled up beside her. The window on the passenger’s side rolled down and a college kid, obviously inebriated, called out very loudly, “Hey baby, want to have some fun?”

Without turning her head to face the car the young woman shouted in her deepest voice, “Fuck you, I’m a man.”

At once the window quickly rolled up and the car drove off.  She continued on her way, a slight spring in her step.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 things about A SCANNER DARKLY

A Scanner Darkly [2006]

1. He uses the bug spray like deodorant.
2. Sign on the fridge: “TIME TO THAW WALT OUT!”
3. Toilet bowl in the bushes.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

And he came up to me and he said, “Eva Marie, you should not drink your coffee that way in front of all those people. Get Miss Saint a china cup and a china saucer for her coffee!”

A special screening of North by Northwest is coming up here in Chicago, so I was able to interview Eva Marie Saint. What a wonderful lady!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

3 things about GUN CRAZY

Gun Crazy [1950]

1. He licks his thumb before firing the gun.
2. They both look over their shoulders, at us, the audience. They sense that someone is watching them.
3. “Two people dead, just so we can live without working!”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

3 things about Luis Buñuel’s DEATH IN THE GARDEN

Death in the Garden [1956]

1. A huge snake, still writhing, covered with a swarm of ants.
2. “I’ll see them, but by the book.” The soldiers fire their guns to disperse the crowd.
3. He steps on her bootlaces and she trips.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 things about COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT

Colossus: The Forbin Project [1970]

1. “THAT IS TOO MUCH VERMOUTH.”
2. Her breasts are partially hidden by the wineglasses.
3. The bodies are left in plain view for 24 hours, then cremated.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 things about STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

Standard Operating Procedure [2008]

1. “If someone keeps jabbing their finger into your chest, eventually you do whatever it takes to get them to stop.”
2. The razor slowly, methodically shaves off the eyebrow.
3. “If we leave, they kill each other, they don’t kill us. If we stay, they kill us and they kill each other. That’s the end result of this whole fucking debacle.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 things about THE JAZZ SINGER

The Jazz Singer [1927]

1. “New York! Broadway! Home! Mother!”
2. Myrna Loy as a curly-haired chorus girl.
3. “Perhaps he’s fallen in love with a shiksa.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 things about YELLOW SUBMARINE

Yellow Submarine [1968]

1. Frankenstein’s cheeks puff in and out, then he blows up and turns into John Lennon, who says, “I’ve just had the strangest dream.”
2. The advancing dial skips from 1950 to 2000.
3. “Nothing is Beatleproof.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

3 things about BROTHERHOOD

Brotherhood [2009]

1. “You’re beautiful,” he tells the victim. Then his pals emerge from the shadows and begin beating the guy to a pulp.
2. I’m sorry, but you don’t wear an argyle sweater to your neo-Nazi initiation ceremony.
3. He jumps back into his car and peels away in reverse.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment