Once again, Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest will present the holiday classic, Elf, at the Lake Theatre on Saturday, December 3. This year’s film begins at 10 a.m. Free tickets can be picked up at either Community Bank location (1001 Lake Street, Oak Park, or 7777 Lake Street, River Forest).
In anticipation of the big event, here are some fun and surprising facts about the movie:
- While walking through the Lincoln Tunnel in his elf costume, Will Ferrell caused several minor traffic accidents among surprised and gaping motorists.
- Will Ferrell’s jumpy reactions to the laughing clowns were genuine. The very last jack-in-the box was controlled remotely by the movie’s director John Favreau off-stage.
- Will Ferrell suffered from bad headaches throughout the filming due to lack of sleep and the large quantity of sugary foods he had to consume on camera.
- The design for Santa’s Workshop as well as the elf uniforms in the movie directly replicate the designs used in the original Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) animated TV special. In addition, most of the animals in Elf’s North Pole are made to look like the models from Rudolph’s original stop motion animation.
- The elf, Ming Ming, who appears briefly at the beginning of the film, is played by Peter Billingsley, who starred as Ralphie Parker in the classic holiday film A Christmas Story (1983).
- The outside of Gimbels is a digitally altered view of the 34th Street Macy’s, a reference to the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street. Gimbels, now closed, was once Macy’s main competitor.
- Will Ferrell’s brother Patrick plays a security guard at the Empire State Building.
- The apartment that Buddy’s father (James Caan) lives in is the same apartment building (exterior shot) where the character Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) lived in the 1984 film Ghostbusters.
- The lead role was originally offered to Jim Carey.
- The film’s Director, John Favreau, made a cameo appearence in the movie as the doctor.
Prior to the movie, Community Bank will be accepting donated gifts on behalf of Parenthesis. Attendees are asked to donate diapers (all sizes) and winter clothing items for children, ages newborn to 8-years-old. All donated gifts should be new and unwrapped. Parenthesis is a nonprofit organization located at 405 South Euclid Avenue, Oak Park.
This is the eighth consecutive year Community Bank is presenting a holiday film classic at the Lake Theatre. Last year over 500 guests attended the event, which is quickly becoming a community favorite. For more information and details about this presentation of Elf, visit www.cboprf.com.
