Chicago is My Home

15
Aug

Scoop: Four-Story Building to Be Imploded in ‘The Dark Knight’

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Film

At 4:36 p.m. on Tuesday, I received a report with loads of juicy information about upcoming “The Dark Knight” filming. This exclusive information comes from a person with the alias “Secret Scoop”.

Warning: The following can be considered spoiler information.

Hi, Adam. “Secret Scoop” here with more “The Dark Knight” filming information.

They are currently filming in the IBM building downtown, which is the HQ of Wayne Enterprises. They will be there for a week.

Production is running a little behind (so my source says) and they might be filming here a bit longer than planned.

A CTA bus crash on Wacker Drive might be re-staged.

Here is the biggest information of all. Mark Aug. 29, 2007 down on your calendars. They will implode a four-story building on the former Brach Candy factory site.

I have been told this will be a day shoot. A typical building implosion does not have any flames. This will be different.

They will load the building with large amounts of gasoline and other flammable material for a huge explosion and ultimate implosion of the building.

This explosion/implosion will then be added to a CGI building for the film.

Also, the Angelina Jolie movie (“Wanted”) will be shooting on Lower Wacker for the next several days (at least). There will be a high-speed chase scene.

As for the veracity of this information, “Secret Scoop” is the same person who I published on July 24, 2007. The scooper correctly predicted the semi truck flip.

9:29 a.m. update on 8/15/07: A reader wrote it after having done some more research. First, here is an image of the Brach Candy site as captured by Microsoft Virtual Earth:

Also, the reader found a story by ABC 7 Chicago published on Oct. 19, 2005 about the Chicago Fire Department investigating an extra-alarm fire at the plant on Chicago’s west side.

“The building was abandoned since 2001 when the Brach Co. closed after 76 years of business,” the story said.

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09
Aug

Gwyneth Paltrow to Appear in Chicago on Aug. 17 to Pump Endorsement

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Celebrity News

Gwyneth Paltrow will appear in Chicago at noon on Aug. 17. This time, it’s not for filming. She’ll be in the Windy City working her endorsements.

The trip is designed to ring up Estee Lauder sales at Macy’s on State Street for her new Pleasures Delight perfume, according to Bill Zwecker at the Chicago Sun-Times.

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08
Aug

Angelina Jolie Arrives in Chicago to Film ‘Wanted’; Brad Pitt Comes Along

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Celebrity News, Film

As reported here and here in late July, Angelina Jolie arrived in Chicago at Midway Airport this week via private Million Air charter jet from Los Angeles to begin filming the final scenes of “Wanted”.

Angelina Jolie in Chicago filming Wanted

Angelina Jolie on set in Chicago filming “Wanted”
Photo credit: James Ambler of Splash News
She used three SUVs (one just for luggage) to transport to the Peninsula in downtown Chicago, which is the hotel where many junkets are held with film critics.Jolie is scheduled to work in the Windy City for several weeks.

To help thwart paparazzi, most meals will likely be taken into her set trailer or back to her hotel. She’s a fan of running on Chicago’s lakefront, too. “Wanted” is a thriller about a gang of assassins.

The Peninsula, by the way, is where Jennifer Aniston stayed while filming “The Break-Up” in 2005. Along with Jolie and her kids, Brad Pitt and mother Jane Pitt are in town as well.

“Wanted,” which also features Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy, is scheduled to open on March 28, 2008.

8:23 a.m. update on 8/9/07: Bill Zwecker at the Chicago Sun-Times appears to be covering this story closely. On Aug. 9, he published an updated report.

While this version repeats a good amount he already wrote on July 31, he does add that the Peninsula suite Jolie is shacking into goes for $7,500 per night when it’s not discounted.

Zwecker also mentions some new filming location information:

Those locations [include] both Upper and Lower Wacker Drive (along the Chicago River from Lake Michigan to Franklin) and parts of Lake Street under the [train] tracks (just west of there).

While the exact filming schedule is kept quiet, it is known that scenes with Jolie, McAvoy and Freeman will include both daytime and late-night filming.

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07
Aug

Chicago Film Race on Aug. 11 Calls For Original Short Films in 12 Hours

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Film

The Film Racing 2007 Tour will stop in Chicago on Aug. 11 to challenge the creative juices of local talent. Participants are charged with creating an original short film in under 12 hours for a chance at cash and prizes.

The process is designed to make you think quick. Themes will be dished out at Gold Star Bar at 1755 W. Division St. in Chicago a single minute before the 12-hour clock begins. The registration deadline is Aug. 9.

Films will be presented on Aug. 15 at a juried screening. To enter, filmmakers are charged $75 per team. More information is available here at FilmRacing.com.

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04
Aug