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Dann Gire goes ape over 1933's classic 'King Kong'

CFCA to show the best planet of the ape film

How tall did the actual gorilla in 1933's original classic monster movie “King Kong” stand? Why does this black-and-white, old-school visual effects motion picture still rank as the greatest creature feature ever committed to celluloid?

Good questions, and I will answer them and all others when I host a Chicago Film Critics Association showing of Willis O'Brien's masterpiece at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the Elk Grove Theater, 1050 Arlington Heights Road, Elk Grove Village.

(O'Brien didn't direct the movie; he created the stop-motion animatronic figure that wound up fascinating generations of moviegoers.)

Admission costs $5. The movie is sponsored by Classic Cinemas' Classic Film Series curated and conducted by CFCA members. Go to classiccinemas.com.

Hollywood Blvd. becomes Brewery Lane?

There won't be any draft-dodging when “Beerfest,” a 2006 hops-inspired film from the Broken Lizard comedy troupe, highlights a day of beer-themed entertainment at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Hollywood Blvd. Theaters, 1001 W. 75th St., Woodridge.

From 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., beers from more than 15 brewers will be featured at the Blvd, which probably should be temporarily renamed “Brewery Lane Theaters.” A beer pong tournament was just added this week. Tickets cost $40. Go to hollywoodblvdcinema.com.

Note: At the end of “Beerfest,” a screen crawl warns viewers not to try the drinking stunts performed in the movie because “You will die.”

Filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow sets up a scene for "The Hurt Locker," shot in Amman, Jordan. She is one of 14 female directors to be discussed during Dann & Raymond's Movie Club in Arlington Heights.

Dann & Raymond Club presents one for ladies

Since the start of the Academy Awards 89 years ago, only one woman has won the Best Director Oscar, Kathryn Bigelow for her military drama “The Hurt Locker.” Why?

Join me and film historian/novelist Raymond Benson at Dann & Raymond's Movie Club as we present “The Great Female Directors” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights. Clips from films by such directors as Bigelow, Ida Lupino, Barbra Streisand, Alice Guy Blache and Lina Wertmuller will be shown.

By the way, this will be the opening of our 10th year at the library. Free admission! Go to ahml.info.

<i> Daily Herald film critic Dann Gire's column runs Friday in Time out!</i>

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