The next entry in my screening series with the Music Box, based on my book “The Film That Changed My Life,” will be:

Sunday, February 19

Who is coming? What are we showing?

Director Steve James (“Hoop Dreams“) will show the film that changed his life, Barbara Koppel’s “Harlan County USA” and his own latest documentary, the Oscar-buzzed “The Interrupters.”

Stay tuned for official showtime and ticket sales.

(I’ll be doing most of my events and interviews in February).

First, listen to me talk about the project with the amazing Mare Swallow on the Chicago Publishes podcast.

Then, take a gander at the new (very pink) cover:

It’s official; winter is starting. Ug.

But, good news. Flattering news, actually.

Poetry Magazineasked me to write an essay for its section, “The View From Here,” about how poetry has impacted my life. Past essayists include: Alfred Molina, Daniel Handler (aka, Lemony Snicket), Christopher Hitchens, Lynda Barry, Lili Taylor and various other folks in the world of arts and letters.

My favorite essay in the section, the one that inspires and scares the shit out of me, comes form Neko Case.

It’s called “My Flaming Hamster Wheel of Panic About Publicly Discussing Poetry in This Respected Forum.”

Read it, it’s amazing.

Folks: Here are some photos from the Music Box Theatre event.  Thanks again for coming!

Next month, on Oct. 16, the Music Box is having me back from the second installment of “The Film That Changed My Life” movie series, based on my book of the same name.

This time it’s THE GODFATHER.

Kimberly Peirce (director of BOYS DON’T CRY) will be present the film with me, then do an on-stage Q&A about THE GODFATHER, which she calls “the quintessential American movie.” After THE GODFATHER, Peirce will introduce a screening of BOYS DON’T CRY.

Event details
What: THE FILM THAT CHANGED MY LIFE: THE GODFATHER
Where: The Music Box Theatre, 3733 North Southport Avenue, Chicago, IL
When: Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3:00pm
Info: http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/features/film-that-changed-my-life-godfather

Ticket information:
Single feature: Advanced tickets to “The Godfather”: $15
Single feature: “The Godfather” + a copy of Robert K. Elder’s book, “The Film That Changed My Life”: $32 Double feature: Advanced tickets of “The Godfather” and “Boys Don’t Cry”: $18
Double Feature: Advanced tickets to “The Godfather” and “Boys Don’t Cry” + Robert K. Elder’s Book: $35
Single feature: Advanced tickets to “Boys Don’t Cry”: $10

Buy Tickets: http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/features/film-that-changed-my-life-godfather

About the series
A veritable who’s who of accomplished directors, The Film That Changed My Life: 30 Directors on Their Epiphanies in the Dark (Chicago Review Press, January 2011) includes interviews with everyone from Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney, who expounds on the virtues of the surrealistic film “The Exterminating Angel,” to Danny Boyle, who raves about the visceral genius (and madness) of “Apocalypse Now.”  A movie guide for seasoned film lovers or those recently drawn to the silver screen, The Film That Changed My Life will inspire a whole new generation of film aficionados. For more info on the book, please visit http://filmchangedmylife.com

The new book cover for “It Was Love When: Tales from the Beginning of Love” is up on Amazon now. It goes on sale in December, but Amazon is taking pre-orders now.

But, the John Waters event was amazing.

Click here for some photos.

More soon.

Director John Waters (“Hairspray,” “Pink Flamingos”) is coming to Chicago one week from today to present “The Wizard of Oz” with me at the Music Box Theatre.

It’s the first in the series “The Film That Changed My Life,” based on my book of the same name. Waters will introduce the film, then I’ll interview him on stage after (spoiler alert!) Dorothy ends up back in Kansas.

Below is a postcard with more details, but full info for the Saturday, June 11, event is here. It starts at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets can be bought here. Hurry, they are almost gone!

Hope to see you there!

Rob

**

“The Film That Changed My Life” Series presents…

THE WIZARD OF OZ featuring John Waters in person!

Hosted by Music Box Theatre and Robert K. Elder

Director John Waters will host a screening of THE WIZARD OF OZ at the Music Box Theatre on June 11 to kick off the new series “The Film That Changed My Life,” based on Robert K. Elder’s book of the same name. Waters will appear live to introduce the movie and have a post-film discussion with Elder.

Waters says that a single line from THE WIZARD OF OZ —“Who would have thought a good little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness?”—inspired his life. “I sometimes say it to myself before I go to sleep, like a prayer,” Waters says in the book.

Waters and Elder will sign copies “The Film That Changed My Life” and Waters’ book “Role Models” following the screening and Q & A.

DATE OF EVENT
Saturday, June 11, 5:30

TICKET INFORMATION
$22 in advance (available on-line and at the box office)
$27 day-of
(Assigned seating)

ABOUT JOHN WATERS
John Waters is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and visual artist best known for his cult films, including Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, and Cecil B. DeMented. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

ABOUT “ROLE MODELS”
Here, from the incomparable John Waters, is a paean to the power of subversive inspiration that will delight, amuse, enrich—and happily horrify—readers everywhere.Role Models is, in fact, a self-portrait told through intimate profiles of favorite personalities—some famous, some unknown, some criminal, some surprisingly middle of the road. From Esther Martin, owner of the scariest bar in Baltimore, to the playwright Tennessee Williams; from the atheist leader Madalyn Murray O’Hair to the insane martyr Saint Catherine of Siena; from the English novelist Denton Welch to the timelessly appealing singer Johnny Mathis—these are the extreme figures who helped the author form his own brand of neurotic happiness. Role Models is a personal invitation into one of the most unique, perverse, and hilarious artistic minds of our time.

ABOUT “THE FILM THAT CHANGED MY LIFE”
A veritable who’s who of accomplished directors, The Film That Changed My Life: 30 Directors on Their Epiphanies in the Dark (Chicago Review Press, January 2011) includes interviews with everyone from Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney, who expounds on the virtues of the surrealistic film The Exterminating Angel, to Danny Boyle, who raves about the visceral genius (and madness) of Apocalypse Now. A movie guide for seasoned film lovers or those recently drawn to the silver screen, The Film That Changed My Life will inspire a whole new generation of film aficionados. For more info on the book, please visit http://filmchangedmylife.com/.

ABOUT ROBERT K. ELDER
Robert K. Elder is the regional editor for Patch.com in Chicago. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Salon.com and MSNBC.com. He has taught courses in journalism and film at Northwestern University, Columbia College Chicago and Facets Film School, and has published several books including John Woo: Interviews and Last Words of the Executed. Robert lives in Chicago, IL.