UPDATE! Alright folks, the contest is closed. We've already got enough entries to fill a screening three times the size of the very large house that we have. Thanks to all of you who entered. Winners will be announced soon!!!
Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here. And today and for the next week, Chicago is the only place I'd want to be. I'll explain why.
Ever so often, choosing the alias Capone has its advantages, but never more so than right now. People often ask me how I selected Capone as an alias, and the truth of the matter is I gave it absolutely no thought. One of my pre-AICN writing job gave me cause to travel quite a bit. One of my more exotic trips was to Malaysia, where I was fortunate enough to meet and chat with some of the locals. In talking to some of the people I met on that trip (as well as subsequent trips to Hong Kong and Tokyo), the two things that people always knew about Chicago were the basketball stylings of Michael Jordan (this was the late '80s and early '90s, after all) and the gangsterisms of Al Capone. So when I wrote my first piece for AICN some 11 years ago, "Michael Jordan" just didn't have the same ring as a sign-off name that "Capone" did. I have a healthy fascination with gangsters and gangster films, sure, but really it was this reason I chose the name.
So last summer, the PUBLIC ENEMIES production pretty much took over areas in and around Chicago, including a location on Lincoln Avenue where the Biograph Theatre was located. Walking down that street during production was like entering a time warp--classic cars, restored store fronts, vintage costumes, the works. It was a bit of Old Hollywood right here in the Windy City. Needless to say, I love it when Chicago is featured so prominently on the big screen.
I also love that PUBLIC ENEMIES was directed by one of Chicago's favorite sons, Michael Mann, who gave me my first look at the city I would later call home in a fantastic caper film called THIEF. He also created one of the greatest television shows ever set in Chicago (at least for the first season), a short-lived bit of awesomeness called "Crime Story," which I watched religiously during college for its season-and-a half-run. Mann is one of the greatest directors of cinematic crime on film (and DV), and it's so great that he returned to the land of his birth to shoot this now-legendary tale.
Because of all of this, pretty much every day since I found out they were making PUBLIC ENEMIES, I said to myself and anyone else who would listen: I'm really want to screen this film about John Dillinger for an AICN audience in Chicago. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
We have the exclusive AICN screening of Universal Pictures PUBLIC ENEMIES, taking place Friday, June 19 at 7:00 pm at a theater in downtown Chicago (the exact location will only be given to contest winners). Yes, this is on a Friday, and yes, this is nearly two weeks before the film is set to open on July 1.
Here's how to secure a pass good for you and one guest; READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY OR YOUR ENTRY WILL GO RIGHT IN THE TRASH! Send me an email at capone@aintitcoolmail.com with the subject line "PUBLIC ENEMIES #1". In the body of the email, I need 1). Your Name; 2). Your Guest's Name (if you are not bringing a guest, please indicate as much); and 3). the Answer to the Following Question (read carefully): "Who is your favorite movie gangster, and why?"
Give me the name of said character, the movie they appeared in, and a reason why. I'll be judging these entries on originality, and I'll leave it at that. Keep your answer BRIEF--limit yourself to 75 words or less (no matter how tempted you are to go over the limit). Winners will receive an email from me with all of the screening details.
As for the winners' guest list, BOTH the winner and the guest must have their names on the guest list, and BOTH must show IDs at the screening check-in table. Simply telling me you'll have a +1 in your entry will not be enough this time. If your guest's name changes between the time you win and the date of the screening, you can let me know and I'll make the swap. But your name must be on the list to get in. No exceptions!
Good luck, everyone! Hope to see you there. And if you happen to see a representative from Universal Pictures at the screening, be sure to give them a hug; they made this happen.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com
