Chicago 10 – DVD Review

Film, Reviews

Available at Amazon.com

“Anyone who calls us the Chicago Seven is a racist. Because you’re discrediting Bobby Seale. You can call us the Chicago Eight, but really we’re the Chicago Ten, because our two lawyers went down with us.” — Jerry Rubin

The late ’60s were a tumultuous time in American history. The Vietnam War had been raging on for well past the point of citizen acceptance, the rift between the rich and poor were growing rather than receding, and civil rights issues were at an all time high. Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. were assassinated within the span of two months. The latter of which incited a massive riot in the black community of Chicago. All of this culminated in one of the most publicized riots we’ve ever seen in this country, right outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

The film uses the court transcript from the trial of the Chicago 7 and finds a way of using it as the inciting incident to showcase the events leading up to the court case. To do this director Brett Morgan chooses to animate rather than re-enact the events. Presumably so that it wouldn’t distract the audience as he cuts back and forth from archival material.

Speaking of the material used in Chicago 10, it was quite surprising when we see some very candid footage. recorded before the groups even converged in Chicago. Super 8 film appears to have been running both before and even during their time in the Windy City. It really shows how smart the protesters were. They knew how to use and manipulate the media in ways that would leave even todays news pundits awestruck.

What started out as seeking permits for both a civil, peaceful protest by the moderate anti-war group MOBE and a “Festival of Live” concert permit, which would be a week long celebration in Lincoln Park by the Yippies, quickly turned into something much bigger. MOBE was a very organized group of protesters. Their main aim was ending the war, and they knew how to coordinate a mass protest while keeping it under control. Where as the Yippies are the exact opposite and the two of them combined were the perfect mixture to create mass hysteria in Chicago and worldwide attention via television networks.

After the city continuously stalled on the proceedings, both groups grew tired and restless. When they still followed through on their plans to enter the city during the week of the convention, the city’s police force grew. It’s no wonder that violence only escalated as the week went on, the mayor had his force on 12 hour shifts, creating an expectedly stressful environment. Although make no mistake, this was a police riot.

Given how many modern parallels can be pulled from this almost 40 year old event, it makes sense for director Brett Morgan to insert a lot of modern day anti-war music from known artists like Rage Against the Machine and Eminem. At times it drives home the point a bit too hard; as if Morgan doesn’t have faith in the audience to draw the comparisons themselves.

Chicago 10 plays at its most powerful when actual footage from the event is all cut together. Especially the final act, which gives an uninterrupted view of the riot. Showing in uncomfortable detail the violent actions to which the police of Chicago resorted. The overall spirit of the protesters shows how perceptive the participants were when they began chanting that the whole world was watching.

This time in American history saw a large shift with the advent of television becoming a huge medium worldwide, and they used that to their advantage. While the convention was widely publicized by the mass media, they quickly became the eyes and ears of America as the protests outside the convention doors escalated. The Chicago 7 themselves even used tactics like this to pay their legal fees. Raising money from public speaking events that they would make after spending the day in court. Flying around the country in time for the next days trial.

As something now planned for a trilogy, I’m certainly looking forward to what Morgan and his team put together, and the story about these guys is simply fascinating. Certainly engaging enough to warrant a few more films to tell their stories.


Quite a bit of the animated material contains an intentional layer of artificial grain over the image that tries to creat some connection with the other footage used in the feature. It’s all done to give the film its own unique aesthetic that works well with the older material. The video presentation captures that well, with no transfer imperfections that weren’t otherwise intended affects. Since most of the other material appears to be shot on super 8 or tape, there is an expected level of grain and softness to the image. There are also varying degrees of quality on the other archival footage used throughout the movie.

With a film like this, many would expect the 5.1 track to be a front channel affair that only occasionally branches out to the other speakers. Instead there is hardly any point in the feature that doesn’t keep sound coming from all angles, creating a very affective mix. The one downside being that the songs can at time over power, even at times drowning out, the characters talking.


Chicago 10 Video Remix Contest Winner (1:52) appears to be a fan-made trailer of sorts mixed together from promotional material. Overall the video is actually quite poor and after viewing you’ll probably be wonder how bad the others were in order for this one to win a spot on the DVD release. The only other feature on the DVD is a collection of Previews (9:56), all non-anamorphic, for Son of Rambow, Shine a Light, American Gangster: The Complete Second Season, The Kite Runner, and An Inconvenient Truth. Very disappointing.


Your overall enjoyment will most likely depend on how much you enjoy the way the director chose to present this story. If you’re able to get past the stylistic choices, there is more than enough here that will make you both laugh and think. The lack of special features is a let down, but it’s most definitely a film worth seeking out as a rental at the very least.

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Participant Productions Presents Chicago 10. Written and Directed by: Brett Morgen. Running time: 90 minutes. Rating: R. Released on DVD: August 26, 2008. Available at Amazon.com.

Currently residing in Washington D.C., John Charles Thomas has been writing in the digital space since 2005. While he'd like to boast about the culture and scenery, he tends to be more of a procrastinating creative type with an ambitious recluse side. @NerdLmtd