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Our movie and media Calendar appears every Friday\/Saturday on <\/em>C-U Blogfidential<\/span><\/strong> and caters to the downstate region anchored by Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!<\/strong><\/p>\n 11\/22: Chase Todd (writer\/director, THE EXORCISM OF CHASE & SHEP, Chase & Shep, Villa Grove\/Savoy, IL) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said<\/strong><\/p>\n With an Oscar the Grouch<\/strong>-level hrumph<\/em>, we\u2019ll keep this Report<\/strong> to a minimum and get on with the rest of our week. First and foremost, the non-jolly green Muppet\u2019s spiritual brother will be terrorizing select visitors at the Phoenix Savoy 16<\/strong> in Savoy<\/strong> this coming Tuesday, December 5<\/strong>, when the Krampusnacht Freeky Film Festival<\/strong><\/a><\/span> presents its fifth annual round of shorts culled from rambunctious productions made around the world; organized by Champaign Movie Makers<\/strong> head Thomas Nicol<\/strong>, the program will begin at 7 p.m.<\/strong> sharp and you can find visual hints at what to expect via the project\u2019s Facebook<\/strong> page<\/a><\/span>. And then, once the end credits roll on an unexpected holiday perennial (NATIONAL LAMPOON\u2019S CHRISTMAS VACATION<\/strong>) and an even more unexpectedly endearing piece of uncanny valley animation (THE POLAR EXPRESS<\/strong>) at the Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in<\/strong><\/a><\/span> of Gibson City<\/strong> this Saturday, December 2<\/strong>, the area\u2019s drive-ins will power down for the winter as their owners bundle up; we talked about the virtues of open-air viewing experiences<\/a><\/span> in an article from earlier this year recognizing the 90th anniversary of a distinctive industry throwback. And finally, various levels of passes have gone on sale today, Friday, December 1<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, at the Virginia Theatre<\/strong> of Champaign<\/strong> for the next Roger Ebert\u2019s Film Festival<\/strong> that will be billed as a 25th anniversary event, given the first iteration of the late film critic\u2019s repertory nirvana for aficionados took place in April 1999 at the same location; promoters are asking \u201cEbertfest<\/strong>\u201d fans for suggestions to book in 2024, unusual for an event that is dependably tight-lipped in what is curated behind-the-scenes<\/span><\/a> until the titles are announced mere weeks before show time, and your wildest screening dreams can be sent in by writing ebertfest [at] yahoo [dot] com<\/strong>. We wouldn\u2019t sit idly on those thumbs-up votes if we were you.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History<\/strong><\/p>\n 45 Years Ago<\/strong> \u2026 December 2-6, 1978:<\/em> A pair of boxing matches are staged for camera by the television unit of Paramount Pictures<\/strong> on the University of Illinois<\/strong> campus for the \u201ctelefilm,\u201d FLESH AND BLOOD<\/strong>. According to several recent articles in the Urbana Courier<\/span><\/strong>, these scenes will depict fights at venues in Las Vegas<\/strong> and New York City<\/strong> while featuring several well-known actors including Suzanne Pleshette<\/strong> (THE BOB NEWHART SHOW<\/strong>), John Cassavetes<\/strong> (MIKEY AND NICKY<\/strong>), and Tom Berenger<\/strong> (LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR<\/strong>). Hundreds of extras have been hired by a local employment agency to fill portions of Assembly Hall<\/strong>, outfitted by the production\u2019s art department with a newly-installed ring, and take their seats between Monday, December 4<\/strong>, and Wednesday, December 6<\/strong>, as set decorators redress the space to resemble either the Las Vegas Convention Center<\/strong> or Madison Square Garden<\/strong>. (Vol. 99 No. 340, December 5, 1978, p.1, 3) The brief stop in south Champaign <\/strong>follows major on-site shoots in Chicago<\/strong> and other suburban cities by Paramount and veteran small-screen actor\/director Jud Taylor<\/strong>, a regional shift from the main Brooklyn<\/strong> locale of the source novel by prolific journalist Pete Hamill<\/strong>. Student writers Sue Geraci<\/strong> and Janine Toman<\/strong> would recount their visit in the UIUC Illio<\/span><\/strong> yearbook<\/a><\/span>, painting a picture of a worn-out company who faced challenges getting themselves and their gear downstate that possibly contributed to a hectic experience. (\u201cMovie Greats,\u201d Vol. 86, summer 1979, p.124) FLESH AND BLOOD<\/strong> eventually aired in two parts as a CBS-TV<\/strong> \u201cmovie spectacular\u201d on October 14<\/strong> and 16, 1979<\/strong>, critically acclaimed for its gritty air<\/span><\/a> \u2013 Academy Award<\/strong> nominee Vilmos Zsigmond<\/strong> (THE DEER HUNTER<\/strong>) photographed the story \u2013 and lauded for depicting a complicated triangle<\/span><\/a> between wounded human beings: the nascent con-turned-boxer Bobby Fallon (Berenger), his emotionally needful mother Kate (Pleshette), and his absentee father Jack (Mitchell Ryan<\/strong>) who makes an ill-timed return during Fallon\u2019s rise on the circuit. Denzel Washington<\/strong> (CRY FREEDOM<\/strong>) and Kristin Griffith<\/strong> (INTERIORS<\/strong>) appear in early roles as Bobby\u2019s best friend and love interest, respectively. [R]<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers<\/strong><\/p>\n @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong> @ Golden Corral, Springfield, IL<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area<\/strong><\/p>\n @ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL<\/strong> @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong> @ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong>
\n12\/3: Bryan Wendorf (programmer\/artistic director, Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL)
\n12\/3: Greg Woods (publisher, The Eclectic Screening Room<\/span>, Toronto, Canada)
\n12\/6: Andy Due (producer\/performer, Rubber Chicken Films\/RL3 Productions, Charleston, IL)<\/p>\n
\nKrampusnacht Freeky Film Festival* (12\/5, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nCentral Illinois Film Commission* meeting (12\/7, 6 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nANIMAL (in Hindi with English sub), DREAM SCENARIO, GODZILLA MINUS ONE (in Japanese with English sub), THE SHIFT (faith film), SILENT NIGHT, FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY\u2019S*, THE HOLDOVERS, THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, THE MARVELS, NAPOLEON, SALTBURN*, TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (animation), WISH (animation) (12\/1 on), RENAISSANCE (Beyonc\u00e9 concert film) (12\/1-12\/3, 12\/7), THE ABYSS \u201cspecial edition\u201d (12\/6, 6 p.m.), THE BOY AND THE HERON (anim\u00e9) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub) (12\/7 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nDREAM SCENARIO, GODZILLA MINUS ONE (in Japanese with English sub), THE SHIFT (faith film), SILENT NIGHT, THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, THE MARVELS, NAPOLEON, SALTBURN, THANKSGIVING, TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (animation), WISH (animation) (12\/1 on), RENAISSANCE (Beyonc\u00e9 concert film) (12\/1-12\/3, 12\/7), TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR (concert film) (12\/1-12\/3), KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON* (12\/1, 12\/4-12\/7), The Metropolitan Opera: Die Zauberflote<\/span> (The Magic Flute<\/span>) (12\/2, 12:55 p.m., recorded early 2023), HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (2000) (12\/3, 1 & 7 p.m.; 12\/6, 7 p.m.), Flashback Cinema: ELF (12\/3, 3 & 7 p.m.; 12\/6, 7 p.m.), Max Lucado\u2019s \u201cBecause of Bethlehem\u201d (filmed Christmas concert performance) (12\/5-12\/7, 7 p.m.), Waitress<\/span> (filmed stage performance) (12\/7, 7 p.m.) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nIllini Union Board presents \u201cFall 2023 Weekend Films\u201d feat. THE EQUALIZER 3, Pine Lounge, 1st floor (12\/1-12\/2, 7 p.m.; free w\/i-card)<\/p>\n