Why the Max Headroom Hack is Still So Creepy

On a chilly November night in 1987, Chicagoans watching the 9 p.m. news on WGN were met with a disturbing sight. They saw a person in a rubber mask bouncing in front of a spinning metallic background over some garbled sound. Two hours later, Doctor Who fans saw something similar on WTTW. Someone had hacked into the stations’ broadcast signals. But to this day, we have no idea who did it…or why. The new film “Broadcast Signal Intrusion” was inspired by the real-life Max Headroom mystery. It stars Harry Shum Jr. and was directed by Jacob Gentry. Ahead of the film’s theatrical release tomorrow, Shum and Gentry tell us why the incident remains fascinating for internet sleuths and why the videos are so unsettling.

Guests: Harry Shum Jr. — Actor/Producer, “Broadcast Signal Intrusion"

Jacob Gentry — Director, “Broadcast Signal Intrusion”

“Broadcast Signal Intrusion” is out in select theaters tomorrow. It’s also one of the virtual offerings from the Chicago Film Festival, available through Sunday.

A little bit of news, y’all:

A public viewing for the late historian Timuel Black will take place today in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.

The Chicago Public Library is screening Halloweentown I & II Saturday in the East Side neighborhood.

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