If you've never taken a virtual Chicago Movies Tour with Kelli Marshall, you're in for a real treat! Kelli's contagious enthusiasm and seemingly endless knowledge of the film industry and Chicago's rich history always combine to offer an unforgettable experience. Her latest virtual tour offered the usual high number of fascinating tidbits and revelations surrounding the background and removal of three controversial Christopher Columbus statues. Like all of her well-organized presentations, Columbus Controversies - Chicago Statues and a Hollywood Makeover left me better informed and eager to learn more about movies and their connections to Chicago.

The tour is a fantastic dive into the production of The Wizard Of Oz and the toll the cocaine movement took on famous early twentieth-century Hollywood film stars. For those who like the dark details, the tour dispels many myths and discloses secrets hidden behind the studio's production of The Wizard Of Oz, and it exposes the dark backdrop that makes the movie such a vivid Technicolor success to audiences.

I did one of the Ferris Bueller's Day Off tours and found it an absolute delight. Clearly a lot of research has been put into crafting this tour; despite claiming not to be an art expert, she did a very credible job of relating the history of the paintings and how their use in the film helps to further character development. Though the tour touches on everything from Chicago history to fine art to film, the delivery is fun and enjoyable, with something for everyone. It's the best type of tour where you learn a lot, but you don't FEEL like you're learning. Note that there IS a lot of standing/walking and you move through the museum fast. However, she was extremely conscientious about the needs of her guests and was constantly checking not just on our comfort, but also to make sure that she moved her group through the museum without blocking/annoying any other patrons. I had a great time and will be back to check out her other tours!

This is one of the best tours I’ve ever been on! Some friends and I took the tour of Union Station film history and loved every second of it! I’ll definitely be going on another tour in the future :)