BRAND UPON THE BRAIN! world premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival in the historic Elgin Theatre. It has since been performed with live accompaniment at the 2006 New York Film Festival, the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival the 2007 Mexico City Film Festival, and the 2007 Buenos Aires Film Festival. It is scheduled to be part of the 50^th San Francisco International Film Festival at the Castro Theatre in May.

The Music Box Theatre opened on August 22, 1929, at a time when the movie palaces in downtown Chicago had seating capacities of around 3000 people. The Music Box, which sat 800, was considered an elaborate little brother to those theatres. Theatre Architecture Magazine noted in 1929 that the theatre "represents the smaller, though charming and well equipped, sound picture theatre which is rapidly taking the place of the 'deluxe' palace".

The theatre was built for a cost of $110,000. The entire building, which also included nine storefronts and 32 apartments cost $260,000. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon a local architect who was better known for his depression era WPA Post Offices and homes for the nouveau riche. The building was erected by The Southport Avenue Businessmen's Association and operated by Lasker and Sons, who operated several smaller neighborhood houses in Chicago.

The design of the Music Box was indicative of the growth of the motion picture. The grand movie palaces that preceded it were multiple use facilities with stage and film presentation capabilities. The Music Box had no stage and, therefore, could only be a film presentation house. When the theatre was built, sound films were a new technology, and the plans included both an orchestra pit and organ chambers in case sound films failed and silent film accompaniment was needed.

As Chicago Tribune Architectural Critic, Paul Gapp wrote (Arts and Books July 31, 1983) "the architectural style is an eclectic melange of Italian, Spanish and Pardon-My-Fantasy put together with passion." The actual style is called "atmospheric." The dark blue, cove lit ceiling with "twinkling stars" and moving cloud formations suggests a night sky. The plaster ornamentation of the side walls, round towers, faux-marble loggia and ogee-arched organ chambers are, by Hollywood standards, reminiscent of the walls surrounding an Italian courtyard. Overall the effect is to make the patron feel that they are watching a film in an open air Palazzo.

Daily Showtimes: 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM

Available either online at Moviefone.com and
Movietickets.com or at Box Office: $30.00

Tickets at the Box Office (the day of the event): $40.00

History of the Village East

City Cinema's beautifully restored Village East Cinemas was once the home of Yiddish theater. Legend also has it that Walter Mathau began his film career here, as a young boy working at the concession counter. It was built in 1925-1926 by developer Louis N. Jaffe for the actor Maurice Schwartz as a legitimate Yiddish-language theater.

Its past is still evident in the Moorish designs that adorn both the inside and outside of the theater. Yiddish writing outside the lobby and a large star of David in the dome of the main auditorium further infuse atmosphere into the historic building.

"Guy Maddin's latest astonishment-- has ransacked film history and his own delirious imagination to create a work like none other: a silently shot film about a man who, on revisiting his childhood home, hurtles unto a past where orphan children, coy lesbian lovers, and a mad scientist converge."

(10/7/06)

GUY MADDIN