Noir City Visits Chicago

User avatar
knitwit45
Posts: 4689
Joined: May 4th, 2007, 9:33 pm
Location: Gardner, KS

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by knitwit45 »

Nah, if you want a steak, you have to come to Kansas City...Chicago is still EAST of the Mighty Mississippi, and the best beef never crosses that river!!!!
User avatar
JackFavell
Posts: 11926
Joined: April 20th, 2009, 9:56 am

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by JackFavell »

Ha! You are right, but I have to say, traveling to the midwest last summer was like heaven as far as food went - then to have to come back to New England, well I'm too much of a lady to say what it was like. New Englanders like to torture themselves! Right out of Babette's Feast. :D
User avatar
ChiO
Posts: 3899
Joined: January 2nd, 2008, 1:26 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by ChiO »

the best beef never crosses that river!!!!
As Papa (from Oak Park, which is darn near Chicago, don't you know) might write: Isn't it pretty to think so.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
RedRiver
Posts: 4200
Joined: July 28th, 2011, 9:42 am

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by RedRiver »

I'll bow to NYC as to pizza.

I'll join you. The crust should never be thicker than the ingredients!
User avatar
JackFavell
Posts: 11926
Joined: April 20th, 2009, 9:56 am

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by JackFavell »

I think we can all agree, greek pizza is the best. :D
User avatar
ChiO
Posts: 3899
Joined: January 2nd, 2008, 1:26 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by ChiO »

That would be a deconstructed Greek pizza -- fresh bread, dipped in Greek olive oil, with a platter of roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, covered with Greek oregano and...Greek olive oil. Ahhh...I believe I see Helen (aka Eleni) coming home from Troy now.

For anyone who visits Chicago, I will special order our cousin's one-of-a-kind baklava cheesecake. Eat your heart out, New York-style cheesecake.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
User avatar
JackFavell
Posts: 11926
Joined: April 20th, 2009, 9:56 am

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by JackFavell »

YUM!
RedRiver
Posts: 4200
Joined: July 28th, 2011, 9:42 am

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by RedRiver »

Love the Art Institute. The Aquarium. The beach, of course. The Cubs, no doubt, will be sold out! That, in my view, is the city's number one attraction. A visit to Al Capone's gin joint, The Green Mill, is an historic way to hear some jazz. But Chicago is a blues town. Take your pick! Barbecued ribs at Carson's, Robinson's or The Fireplace Inn make a delicious dinner. And wander around till you find those out of the way bookstores. Just look in the alleys!

The improvisational flavor of Second City has left a footprint on the underground theatre scene. Most people think of Steppenwolf and The Goodman as Chicago's theatrical flags. I think of CANNIBAL CHEERLEADERS ON CRACK! I'm sure that long running midnight show has finally entered rehab. But I bet there's something along that line to be enjoyed.

My favorite thing to do in any city? Walk. Keep walking until you see something interesting. In this most American of American cities, it won't take long!
User avatar
ChiO
Posts: 3899
Joined: January 2nd, 2008, 1:26 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by ChiO »

I think of CANNIBAL CHEERLEADERS ON CRACK! I'm sure that long running midnight show has finally entered rehab. But I bet there's something along that line to be enjoyed.
Too bad you missed F*&# You, I Love You, Bye: The Rahm Emanuel Story at the Annoyance Theatre. It closed at the end of June. Any rumors that the Mayor changed the theatre's zoning and sent in the Board of Health are absolutely unfounded.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
User avatar
CineMaven
Posts: 3815
Joined: September 24th, 2007, 9:54 am
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Contact:

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by CineMaven »

:shock: Helen of Troy?!! :roll:
[u][color=#800000]ChiO[/color][/u] wrote:Excellent point, RR. Chicago hot dogs -- a meal on a bun! (And none of that sauerkraut -- or catsup!) And Hot Doug's -- the gourmet hot dog. Must also have Italian beef (dipped or dry, with sweet or hot). And Chicken Vesuvio. Note: Chicago pizza -- try if you must, but I'll bow to NYC as to pizza.
[u][color=#404000]knitwit45[/color][/u] wrote:Nah, if you want a steak, you have to come to Kansas City...Chicago is still EAST of the Mighty Mississippi, and the best beef never crosses that river!!!!
[u][color=#008000]JackFavell[/color][/u] wrote:I think we can all agree, greek pizza is the best. :D
[u][color=#0040BF]ChiO[/color][/u] wrote:That would be a deconstructed Greek pizza -- fresh bread, dipped in Greek olive oil, with a platter of roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, covered with Greek oregano and...Greek olive oil. Ahhh...I believe I see Helen (aka Eleni) coming home from Troy now.

For anyone who visits Chicago, I will special order our cousin's one-of-a-kind baklava cheesecake. Eat your heart out, New York-style cheesecake.
I see Troy Donahue eating your Greek with 'Eleni' Twelvetrees. :P

Okay. Okay...okay...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhkay! Let me get down to brass tacks.

I'm pulling rank here b'cuz my state...New York...was one of the thirteen original colonies. We're older than you guys. We've been doin' stuff longer. We invented ev'rything. Pizza, cheese-cake? That's our middle name. ( I never liked "The Big Apple." Too conducive to worms. )

Alright now, ya gotta give it up for New York City. The pizza at SLICE is great; on the vegetarian side since we're health-conscious. But if you order a "slice" ( or a pie ) they make it for you right there on the spot. They're not rolling that round cutty knife over some day old yeast to toss in the oven. Oh no mon frere, ma soeur!! Oooh, I wish I could post their menu. I now can't eat any other pizza. They pale in comparison to Slice's.

And as for cheesecake...you're kidding. You are kidding. JUNIOR'S is numero uno, hands down ( or hands up if we mug you. ) Junior's cheesecake is to die for. Creamy, moist, melts in your mouth. Your toes will curl...and your tastebuds will faint! And then they'll get up and dance the Rumba and Mambo ( a la Dorothy Malone ) right in your mouth. Look at those Junior's-eatin' taste buds go! People will think you're talking with your mouth full, when it's really dancing ( and smiling ) buds!

ImageImage

8) Ayyyyyy, it ain't braggin'...if it's true. 8)

I don't know what's going on west of the MIghty Mississip!! :) Come to NYC and have a good meal. We'll throw in a coupla comedy shows AND Rockefeller Center... I lay down the gauntlet.
"You build my gallows high, baby."

http://www.megramsey.com
User avatar
JackFavell
Posts: 11926
Joined: April 20th, 2009, 9:56 am

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by JackFavell »

Ha! You slay me Maven! Of course it's true! My mouth is watering reading your post.

It reminds me, just to bring two threads of conversation together, of the greek pizza place that was across from my apartment in college. Iven's. A complete hole in the wall. This old guy who owned the shop (it was always him there, no help, just the old man), well...I don't even know if he was Iven or not. He never spoke. He would start out rolling and flipping the dough, and then once it was on the stone he'd start adding olive oil, sauce, laying out the fresh veggies, feta cheese, olives, whatever you wanted, all by hand and all totally fresh. Then into the oven. It is still the best pizza I've ever had. I can taste the taste in my mind's eye to this day. It didn't matter if it was 2 in the morning, or 11 am, this guy was there putting together these perfect pizzas. I have tried to mimic his style, I don't know what made it so good. The crust was bubbly and crisp on the edge, with a flavor like none I've ever had, simply delicious. I've tried greek olive oil on the crust, cheese in the dough, all kinds of combos and I still cannot figure out what he did that was so special. It was heavenly. And in Wisconsin, of all places.

But then, I've never actually had New York pizza.
User avatar
CineMaven
Posts: 3815
Joined: September 24th, 2007, 9:54 am
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Contact:

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by CineMaven »

Dude at least you laughed. Thanx. As for Iven's Greek pizza ( was Iven Greek? ) the only way to recreate that taste is to get Iven over to Connecticut. He's probably STILL making pizza somewhere in the Continental United States...

Say...what about Mystic, Pizza??
"You build my gallows high, baby."

http://www.megramsey.com
User avatar
JackFavell
Posts: 11926
Joined: April 20th, 2009, 9:56 am

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by JackFavell »

Mystic Pizza is good! it went through a rough patch about the time the current owners' dad passed the business down to his sons (a little before the movie came out). The sons revamped the entire restaurant and the pizza got very good and has remained so. They are great guys, greek of course! it's a family owned small business, and my daughter is best friends with the granddaughter. They've known each other since they were in tumbling tots together, at nine months old. Hopefully, the pizza gene was passed down. :D
User avatar
ChiO
Posts: 3899
Joined: January 2nd, 2008, 1:26 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: Noir City Visits Chicago

Post by ChiO »

After a week's vacation in the glorious Southwest (of Canada), what's a poor boy do (who doesn't play in a rock 'n' rock band) except head to the Music Box to catch the end of Noir City 4.

Tuesday night:

Why do you make me do it? You know you're gonna talk! I'm gonna make you talk! I always make you punks talk! Why do you do it? Why?

SSO favorite and Nicholas Ray's follow-up (in terms of production, not release) to IN A LONELY PLACE (1950) is the incredible ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1952). In Act I, Ray provides the near-perfect film noir, using every convention and making them fresh. In Act II, he subverts every convention and provides a new outlook on how film noir can be visualized. What about that ending? Amazingly, Howard Hughes didn't ruin the movie for me with it (though it was done over the objections of Ray and screenwriter A.I. Bezzerides), but sometimes I do want to walk out immediately following Jim Wilson's drive into the Corrupt City as the voices are replaying in his head. If anyone wants to claim that this is Robert Ryan's greatest performance, I won't argue. Ditto for Ward Bond. And the soft side of Ida Lupino is a joy to watch. Ditto -- as to any side -- for Cleo Moore.

I was born rich. My father left me 4 million dollars. But I didn't drink it away, I didn't gamble it away, I didn't marry it away. I knew what to do with it. I've got exactly 22 and a half times that much now, and I'll have 50 times that much before I die. That's what everyone wants, isn't it? Well, I've got it. And I made it myself. Every one of my corporations - every single one - has a different staff, a different lawyer, a different accountant. Not one of them knows anything about each other. I run it all. Each one has his place, and he stays there. And why not? They're well paid. And that's what you've got to learn, Leonora. You're better paid than any of them. And you've got YOUR place: this house. And that's where you'll stay.

That Robert Ryan sure can deliver the sweet talk. Max Ophuls provides another SSO favorite and faux-romantic movie about a woman caught -- but this one is just entitled that: CAUGHT (1949). I recognize that I'm the outlier in these parts, but, while Smith Ohlrig (Ryan) is obviously a rapacious viper, to my eyes Dr. Quinada (James Mason) is a vile little snake-in-the-grass. On the big screen, his gleeful smile at the end, in combination with Dr. Hoffman's (Frank Ferguson) similar expression and Leonora's (Barbara Bel Geddes) vacuous smile, is even more sinister on the big screen than on a small or medium screen. What a swell double feature it would make with ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (Sirk 1955). If anyone wants to claim that this is Robert Ryan's greatest performance, I won't argue. Robert Aldrich is an uncredited associate director.

The only disappointment of the evening was the intro and outro to each of the films. I fear that relating the failings would lead me into a violation of the SSO Code of Conduct.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
Post Reply