TheJohn HughesCinema opened up two weeks ago in Chicago. It is part of the Alamo Drafthouse cinema chain, which has 372 seats, Cinionic SP4K laser projectors, and 7.1 Dolby surround sound among its six theaters. The John Hughes Cinema also features a replica of the Frye’s Ferrari crashing through a window.For many Chicagoans,Ferris Bueller’s Day Offrepresents a special place in John Hughes' filmography.Many of his filmswere set in the Chicago suburbs of Shermer, which as Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) discovered inDogma, doesn’t actually exist. On the other hand, Ferris Bueller featured several real-life and iconic locations in the city.Among many other examples was the Sears Tower (as some Chicagoans still call it). The Art Insitute of Chicago. Daley Plaza, with Alexander Calder’sFlamingostatue in the background. The same scene also featured the Von Steuben Day parade, an actual parade, though it shouldn’t be taking place during the movie’s time frame. There was also Wrigley Field, which is close to where the new theater is now located.Hughes had this to say about the city in aninterview:
“Chicago is what I am. A lot of Ferris is sort of my love letter to the city. And the more people who get upset with the fact that I film there, the more I’ll ensure that’s exactly where I film. It’s funny–nobody ever says anything to Woody Allen about always filming in New York. America has this great reverence for New York. I look at it as this decaying horror pit. So let the people in Chicago enjoy Ferris Bueller.”
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What Else to Know About the Theater
During the day before the cinema’s opening, there was a ceremony where Hughes' son, James Hughes, revealed a plaque with the following inscription:
“Director John Hughes has left an indelible mark on our collective consciousness with witty, charming and heartfelt films likeSIXTEEN CANDLES,THE BREAKFAST CLUB, andPLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES. InFERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, he perfectly captured the mischievous and carefree spirit of youth through one teen’s epic day playing hooky, cementing Chicago as a cinematic playground in the process. Because of his incalculable influence on cinema, as of Thursday, January 26th 2023, this Alamo Drafthouse Cinema shall hereby and forevermore be known as the John Hughes Cinema.”
The theater is now open at the Addison and Clark development on 1025 W. Addison St. A standalone cocktail bar and Video Vortex is also there, featuring a video library of VHS, DVDs, and Blu-rays people can rent. But, of course, if they stick around to see a movie on the big screen, they’ll have to obey the theaters' strict “no talking and no texting” policy unless they want to be asked to leave.
