– Location: Music Box Theatre, 3733 N Southport Ave
Stephen Frear’s “High Fidelity” is an overt homage to music, breakups, and how music gets people through breakups. However, the film also feels like a tribute to its setting, Chicago’s Wicker Park.
Based on the novel of the same name by Nick Hornby in 1995, it might surprise some fans to discover that the original narrative takes place in Hornby’s home of London, England and not Chicago. Despite that fact, the film transitions seamlessly into the trendy neighborhood of Wicker Park, and features many of its locations – most notably, the Music Box Theatre where our protagonist Rob revisits his second ex, a film critic named Penny, to discover what makes women always break up with him.
The Theatre has existed since August 1929, two months before the Great Depression began, and as such maintains the grandiose style of movie theaters that is more akin to today’s opera houses and Broadway theaters. Fitted with a massive neon sign and marquee, the Music Box describes itself as “a symbol of Chicago’s go-to venue for independent, foreign, cult, and classic films,” simultaneously showing high quality reissues of films (including “High Fidelity”) and new releases.
This story originally appeared on Giggster and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
