When looking for a great theater environment to discover a classic on the big screen, there’s few places better than the Gene Siskel Film Center.
Named after one of Chicago’s most respected film journalists, it’s only natural that the movies selected for screenings would come from a place of equal parts respect and passion for the craft.
As a repertory theater, a type of venue which regularly plays older films, curators at the Siskel choose movies to bring back to the big screen every month. Each set of movies follows a new theme and set of criteria — no two are alike, making every curation a surprise.
For the month of January, the theater rostered movies perfect for cozying up and spending an entire winter day in the warmth of the cinema. The “Settle In” collection brings together movies renowned for their extensive runtimes, with its shortest movie shown being 317 minutes.
Witness the work of documentarian Frederick Wiseman in his 358 minute “Near Death,” or Peter Watkins’ 873 minute “The Journey,” a story of nuclear pacifism that took 3 years to shoot.
If you managed to grab a ticket to the “Godfather” trilogy on January 11 – a 583 minute endeavor – you deserve a medal and a seat at the Family’s table.
All tickets to “Settle In” screenings come with bottomless popcorn, bottomless coffee, and multiple intermissions.
Longer movies are an important part of film history, and are largely underrepresented in theaters due to their bulky runtimes.
“I think there’s something to be said in favor of it, just because there’s kind of the social aspect that keeps us a little more engaged,” said theatergoer Dan Meyer. “At home after two and a half hours, you might start checking your phone or thinking about chores. I like that forced double down. You get to engage with the best.”
Oftentimes, the minute count exceeding 100 would scare away everyday theatergoers. But as it turns out, the opposite is true for an environment like Gene Siskel.
Audiences consistently go in droves to see the curations of colossal runtimes. The theater’s Director of Programming, Rebecca Fons, stated how it’s become an annual event due to its high demand and popularity.
“We started the program in 2023, and our screenings almost all sold out,” Fons said. “The next year was the same, and this year, our first two screenings have also sold out. As long as the audience keeps responding, we’ll keep presenting Settle In.”
Past inclusions for the “Settle In” collection include movies from all around the world. 2024 showcased Wang Bing’s “Dead Souls,” a 507 minute documentary about Chinese labor camp survivors. 2023 highlighted“Sátántangó,” a 450 minute story about a Hungarian village and the effects of communism.
If you’re not up for running the gauntlet just yet, there’s plenty of movies with friendlier runtimes just around the corner.
Screenings of new releases are mixed in with the collections, producing a blend of movies perfect for an afternoon off, seen on the theater’s monthly updated digital calendar.
“If you’re a person who doesn’t want to see [long movies] at home, yeah, go see one,” said theatergoer Marcela Okeke, on her way to see “All We Imagine As Light” (2024). “The way that we watch movies has changed so much. If I’m watching a movie that I’m not going to see in the theater, then I might even watch it in increments, throughout a couple of days.”
Not only are there consistent screenings of international releases, but accessible collections are always just around the corner.
February 7 starts the annual series “Festival of Films from Iran,” including 10 acclaimed classics like Abbos Kaistromi’s “Close Up” and the animated “Persepolis.”
A week later, on February 14, the Siskel will premiere the “Persistence of Memory” catalog, with 10 movies about recollection and unreliable narrators. Catch Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” or Ingmar Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries” in a packed theater, or take a chance on something unknown.
The recent collection ‘Cinema Unbound’ – which featured the collaborations of directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger – used 4K digital restorations fresh off the desks of editor Thelma Schoonmaker and director Martin Scorseese.
A special visit from Schoonmaker before a screening of “The Red Shoes” made it clear that older movies are a necessity for younger audiences.
While every movie in the world is available to watch online, seeing it with a live audience remains the best way to find a new favorite movie. Take a chance, see something new to you.
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