CIFF 2025: A Brief History of Chasing Storms
Tornado Alley isn’t just in Kansas or Oklahoma anymore. It’s still in both of those Great Plains states, and moviegoers are familiar with this from films such as 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” and 1996’s “Twister.” The term, also known as Tornado Valley, was first used in 1952 as part of a severe weather research project in the United States. It traced tornado activity from Texas all the way up to Minnesota. Although there doesn’t appear to be any set boundaries, as the pattern has evolved over the years, survivors have passed on their stories from one generation to the next. Now local Chicago filmmaker Chris Miller takes viewers on a road trip through “Tornado Alley” in his documentary “A Brief History of Chasing Storms”, and you can catch it this weekend and next weekend at the 61st annual Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF).
There are storm spotters and there are storm chasers, and there’s a big difference between the two. Miller’s film breaks down these terms, just as it explores the mythology and legends around the tornado in what is essentially a guided tour that crisscrosses the region of the American Midwest. Several towns are visited on the way, where we meet tornado-enthusiast inhabitants, as the history of recording tornadoes and other extreme weather conditions is examined. Miller’s interest in the subject started when his hometown of Newburgh, Indiana, was hit by a tornado back in 2005. The death and devastation from that event caught his attention, especially how it impacted the community and what had to be done to recover.
There are whole towns that revolve around a tornado incident from the past. There’s one that’s still commemorated in Woodward, Oklahoma. Emmense art murals can be seen along the Cherokee Strip, paying tribute to the impact a tornado had years ago. In some areas, the devastation from tornadoes even led to housing segregation and racial inequality (some of which was already simmering under the surface).
Miller meets some quirky characters along the way. One that stands out is a fellow named Matt, a storm chaser who has converted a taxi cab into a storm chasing vehicle. He and his vehicle have become icons in the subculture of storm chasers. There’s a stop in the town of Wakita in Oklahoma, which is where portions of “Twister” were filmed. Filming in the town became a big deal, with many locals who experienced a major hailstorm two years prior, in 1993, being used as extras. In a specific part of the town, leftover debris from that occurrence was discovered by film scouts, which was one of the main reasons Wakita was chosen for the movie. On the main strip, there’s even a store dedicated to all things “Twister”, a Twister Museum, with a section devoted to Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, complete with photos, newspaper articles, and behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the movie. Not bad for a film that’s 29 years old.
There’s talk throughout the movie about how Tornado Alley is shifting east, which may make some climate change naysayers roll their eyes or reassure supporters who worry if we’re prepared for the future. Miller delivers all of this in a series of informative and sometimes artful vignettes, ultimately culminating in a thoughtful document that ponders how subjects like colonization and capitalism impact the preparation and aftermath of these natural disasters.
RATING: ***
Check out “A Brief History of Chasing Storms” on Saturday, October 18th at 11:30 am CST at the Chicago Historical Museum & on Saturday, October 25th at the Gene Siskel Film Center at 12 pm CST. Click here for ticket info.
