Friday, October 27
In the summer of 2005, a group of seasoned U of C filmmakers shot a wildly ambitious feature-length project entitled Crime Fiction. Over the next year and a half, they spent countless hours editing and promoting the film, which boasts not only the Herculean efforts of the Crime Fiction team, but also a professional cast with credits that include The Aviator, “The Daily Show,” and Steppenwolf. Now, it’s time for the much-anticipated sneak preview at the IFP Midwest Filmmakers Summit. The movie—the tale of a hapless novelist who scores a smash hit after his girlfriend is “mysteriously” killed—should be devilish fun. (Film Row Cinema, Columbia College, 1104 South Wabash Avenue, 8 p.m., $5)
For those who want to flee the city limits and see a legend in the process, it’ll be a good night to drive out to Hoffman Estates and catch Bob Dylan with Kings of Leon at the brand new Sears Centre. Even in an arena with 43 luxury suites, we imagine that Dylan will have no problem displaying his subversive wit. (Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates, IL, 7:30 p.m., from $37, also 10/28)
The Florestan Trio, one of the world’s very finest piano trios, will be performing a program of Mozart, Saint-Saens, and Shostakovich at Mandel Hall. The members of the trio are remarkable on their own, but it’s when they’re together that the magic really happens. (Mandel Hall, 8 p.m., $11 students, $35 general)
Rockefeller Chapel continues its annual Halloween tradition of silent horror classics and live organ accompaniment with Cat and Canary. The film—the story of a long-unopened will, a haunted house, and mysterious disappearances—has spawned two remakes and an entire genre of haunted-house imitators. (Rockefeller Chapel, 8 p.m., $8 students, $10 general)
Saturday, October 28
Humanities Day, an all-day showcase of the talents and research of the University’s humanities faculty, features talks for all tastes. Keynote speaker Michael Murrin will discuss the impact of Marco Polo’s tales of Asia on European romancers, while a slew of other scholars will lecture on everything from the Pilsen murals to King Lear. For all presentations, registration is requested. Find the complete schedule online at humanities.uchicago.edu/humanitiesday. (campus-wide, all day, free)
The University Symphony Orchestra plays its annual Halloween concert—in costume, of course—this time focusing on “Dangerous Women: The Femme Fatale.” See the members of USO dressed to the nines, interpreting those classic scary ladies Medea, Salome, and Dalia. (Mandel Hall, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., donations requested of $4 student, $8 general)
If you’re in the mood for a cappella, the Ransom Notes are holding their first concert of the year just in time to give it a double billing as a Halloween celebration. The group will sing a concert of new and “vintage” material and will be accompanied by Macalester College’s Scotch Tape. (Bartlett Arts Space, 8:15 p.m., $3 door, $2 advance)
Sunday, October 29
Raisin, the Tony-winning musical adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun, gives its curtain call on an acclaimed run at the Court Theater. If seeing Ernestine Jackson finish out her run as Lena Younger wasn’t enough reason to go, then the two-for-one deal on student tickets surely should be. (Court Theater, 5535 South Ellis Avenue, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., $10 student, $20 faculty/staff, from $36 general, also 10/27–10/28)
Monday, October 30
Like many Chicago jazz clubs, the venerable Jazz Showcase is facing hard times. Forced to relocate, the club needs to raise capital to continue its existence. Many of the Showcase’s friends have lined up to perform in a series of Monday night benefit concerts to keep the club swinging well past its January 1 eviction date. This Monday, Von Freeman, one of the great patriarchs of the Chicago scene, lends his masterful tenor sax in support. (Jazz Showcase, 59 West Grand Avenue, 8 p.m., 21+, $15)
The Chicago Society presents “Democracy on a Deadline: The Struggle for a Free Press,” a panel discussion and documentary screening focused on the creation and impact of the free press in both fledgling and established democracies. (Biological Sciences Learning Center, 6:30 p.m. panel discussion, 8 p.m. film screening, free)
Tuesday, October 31
After a weekend of buildup, Halloween finally arrives with an evening of events across the city. Doc Films presents two screenings of John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic Halloween. If you come in costume to the midnight screening, you get in free and have the chance to win Doc’s first-ever costume contest. (Max Palevsky Cinema, 7 p.m. and 12 a.m., $5)
Haunted houses are a rich Halloween tradition, and while many of the best lie outside city limits, Chicago has its share. The Chicago Park District has constructed its very own Haunted Sanitarium, which features 15 ghoulishly themed rooms and hundreds of spine-chilling thrills. (Theater on the Lake, 2400 North Lake Shore Drive, 7 p.m, $8 student, $10 general)
The Metro will be hosting its Annual Nocturna All Hallow’s Eve Ball, this time with DJ Scary Lady Sarah spinning the tunes. Come in costume and you’ll get a discount. (Metro, 3730 North Clark Street, 10 p.m., 18+, $10 w/ costume, $15 general)
For those who want to escape the Halloween craze for an hour or so, Professor Kojin Karatani of Kinki University in Osaka, Japan will be delivering a lecture entitled “Toward a World Republic: Beyond Capital-Nation-State.” The talk has nothing to do with Halloween and, perhaps, everything to do with the future. (Social Sciences 122, 4:30 p.m., free)
Wednesday, November 1
“Understanding Islam in the Modern World” seeks to engage the entire community in a conversation about current depictions and conceptions of Islam in Chicago, the nation, and the world. It’s an important and timely topic which will likely only grow more so in future years. (Hutch Commons, 7:30 p.m., free)
Thursday, November 2
’Round Midnight, Bertrand Tavernier’s flawed-but-vital portrait of an aging American jazz saxophonist in Paris, is a beautiful and oft-neglected film. While the movie has moments of pure shmaltz, Dexter Gordon’s lead performance hits all the right notes. It’s emotive and generous acting from a brilliant musician who, in his waning days, showed that his chops extended far beyond the tenor saxophone. (Max Palevsky Cinema, 9 p.m., $5)
