Extreme Documentaries Double Bill Feb. 16th

February 16th at the Mayfair Theatre, $10

The Man Who Skied Down Everest 7pm, New 35mm print, 1975, 88mins, 2.35 Cinema Scope

The Man Who Skied Down Everest, produced by Ottawa's own Crawley Films, is a monumental movie in more ways than one. Founded by Budge Crawley in the late 1940's, Crawley Films grew into Canada's largest independent film studio, and even rivaled the NFB for cinematic output. It produced everything from Canada's second animated feature film (Return to Oz) in 1962, to industrial films, tv commercials, feature films and documentaries. Based in Ottawa/Gatineau, with a studio in Old Chelsea and a branch office in Toronto, it produced over 5000 films and won numerous awards over its 43 year history, including the Academy Award for Best Feature Length Documentary in 1976 for The Man Who Skied Down Everest (the first Academy Award ever won by a Candian feature film).  This film follows Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura as he attempts to sky down the tallest mountain in the world. Very popular with both audiences and critics of the time,  this is a film that deserves being seen on the big screen.


Life Without Death, 8:45pm, New 35mm print, 2000, 83mins, 1.37

Ottawa director Frank Cole created an epic existential documentary with Life Without Death, a personal tale of survival set in one of the harshest environments imaginable – the elemental and unforgiving landscape of the Sahara Desert.  By attempting to become the first person to cross the Sahara on foot, Cole presaged the popular reality-based tv shows like Man Vs. Wild and Survivor Man, but it's closer to Lawrence of Arabia than anything comparable on reality TV. This film has gained a devoted cult following with good reason. Cole's chronicle of his struggle against the desert at the limits of human endurance is mesmerizing in its intensity and stunning in its stark and poetic visual-composition. In it, Frank Cole manages to confront the most basic realities of human existence in a herculean test of fortitude and will.  This is a documentary that stays with you long after you have seen it. 





For more on the films read John Yemen's preview here.

Whispering City + Scanners Jan. 19th at the Mayfair Theatre $10

7pm Whispering City, 1946, Directed by Fedor Ozep, 91mins, 1.37, mono, Rated PG, 35mm new archival Black and White print.

Whispering City is a film noir mystery set in Quebec City in the late 1940's.  Directed by Russian-born director Fédor Ozep (also known as Fyodor Otsep), English and French versions were produced with different casts at the same time (in French it was called La Forteresse).  A modest hit at the time, Whispering City very effectively uses Quebec City as a dramatic setting, taking advantage of the city's long history and imposing architecture to heighten the suspense and add visual interest. The film is also notable for its excellent musical score. Starring Mary Anderson (from Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat) and Paul Lukas (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Best Actor Oscar-winner from 1943's Watch on the Rhine).

For more on this Quebec Noir double bill see John's writeup in Unfolding.

8:45pm Scanners, 1981, 35mm print, Rated R, directed by David Cronenberg, the print is supplied by the Library and Archives Canada.

How best to describe Cronenberg’s tale of an underground organization of people with telepathic abilities bent on taking over the world? How about "mind-blowing"?

 

Title change for Jan. 19th SCANNERS!

Unfortunately Alliance Atlantis who told us a while back they had a 35mm print of Le Confessional has now told us they infact do not have one or own the rights anymore.  We had to make a quick change as the Mayfair is printing their January schedule early because of the holidays.  We will now be playing David Cronenberg's Scanners as the second show on Jan 19th at 8:45pm.

Scanners, 1981, 35mm print, directed by David Cronenberg, the print  is supplied by the Library and Archives Canada.

70MM DTS!

The Lost Dominion has aquired a DTS Cinema processor (XD10) and two 70mm DTS readers for the next 70mm Festival. We can now play new prints that only have a DTS track on them.  Films with DTS only inculde:  New prints of 2001, Cleopatra, Pattoon, Doctor Dolittle, etc...

The Silent Partner + Black Christmas Dec 15th at the Mayfair

Dec. 15th: Xmas Chills Double Bill, Mayfair Theatre $10

The Silent Partner, 1979, Directed by Daryl Duke, 106mins, 1.85, mono, rated R, 35mm original print


Christopher Plummer gets to play big, bad, and bold as the villain of The Silent Partner, a thriller set in late 1970's Toronto.  Using the Eaton Centre as a prime location, The Silent Partner also stars Elliot Gould as a bank clerk out to thwart Plummer's plans. Great fun, and more than a little shocking at times for its ferocious depiction of ruthless criminality. This film was written by Curtis Hanson, who later went on to direct L.A. Confidential, The River Wild,Wonder Boys and 8 Mile. A highlight of the Tax Shelter Years, this film was one of the more polished films of the era. Also starring Susannah Yorke. Watch for an appearance by John Candy.

Black Christmas, 1974, Directed by Bob Clark, 98mins, 1.85, Mono, rated R, 35mm original print

Director Bob Clark owns the distinction of having produced one of the most beloved Christmas movies of the past 40 years (1983's A Christmas Story) and also the scariest in 1974's Black Christmas. Both were filmed mostly in Canada. Clark is often credited as the inventor of the slasher genre that went on to great commercial success in the 1980's (Halloween, Friday the 13th etc), but that credit does him a bit of a disservice, conjuring up images of generic slice-em dice-em exploitation films with little artistic merit.  If Black Christmas belongs to the slasher genre, it is surely one of the best, and one that uses old-fashioned suspense to scare its audience and rather than excessive gore.  With an star-studded cast including Keir Dullea (star of Stanley Kubrick's 2001), Margot Kidder (Superman), Andrea Martin (SCTV), John Saxon (Enter the Dragon), and Argentinian beauty Olivia Hussey (Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet). 


For a more detailed preview of the double bill by John Yemen go here

Lest We Forget Double Bill Nov 10th @ the Mayfair

Canadian Army News Reels 7:00pm + Guy Maddin's Archangel 9:10pm
Mayfair Theatre, Nov. 10th, Ottawa, Ontario 

Canadian Army News Reels, 1942-46, 90mins, 1.37, Non rated, 35mm archival prints.


In honour of Remembrance Day, we are proud to present a series of rarely-seen Canadian Army Newsreels from the Second World War.  Some of you may recall a special screening of Casablanca at the Mayfair a couple of years ago that was preceded by a newsreel that film conservator Paul Gordon retrieved from Library and Archives Canada. The rapturous reception by the audience convinced us that Ottawans were ready for more.  The prints we are going to show have been fully restored (cleaned up, and re-printed from their original sound and film elements) and will give the audience a chance to experience the progress of the war the way the so many on the home front would have done at the time.  There's nothing quite like seeing a newsreel on the big screen to experience the real-life drama and struggle of war. We invite you to bring your Remembrance Day to life and join us in honouring our veterans and their sacrifice in this unique and moving tribute. We will be screening 8-9, 10 minute newsreels many that were only seen by Canadian troops and never to the general public back home.


For the complete DVD box set of the newsreels produced by the Canadian War Amps go here 



For a Toronto Star article on the War Amps News Reel box set go here


A a more detailed preview by John Yemen go here

 

Archangel, 1990, Directed by Guy Maddin, 82mins, 1.37, mono, rated AA, New 35mm print from the Winnipeg Film Group

Set in World War One, Archangel is a strange and atypical war movie brought to the screen by the king of arch-stylization, Winnipeg's own Guy Maddin. Filmed in the style of a silent film, Archangel is at once dreamlike and disturbing. Using the trope of amnesia to explore the horror of war, Archangel is about as far away from a standard war movie as you can get without floating into pure abstraction. Yet, it is precisely this lack of sense that makes perfect sense, because with war, after all, is the least sensible creation of the human mind. A worthwhile journey, for those prepared to enter the dream.

The companion booklet on the film by the Winnipeg Film group is here

Oct. 20th Ginger Snaps + American Psycho

Mayfair Theatre,  Halloween Double bill  $10

Ginger Snaps, 2000, Directed by John Fawcett, 108mins, 1.85, 35mm print, Rated R

A darker Canadian counterpart to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ginger Snaps, directed by John Fawcett in the year 2000, explores the darkness lurking in the Canadian suburbs where teenagers know that things are not all well. If you ever thought adolescence had a monstrous side, Ginger Snaps is for you. A tale of two sisters, and the things go bite in the night, Ginger Snaps is both an effective scary movie and smart social commentary, exploring the world of the modern teenager with a wit  seldom seen outside of the films of John Hughes. It's a biting wit, and to its credit, it's a film that's not afraid of the horrific underbelly of high school.  

American Psycho, 2000, Directed by Mary Harron, 101mins, 2.35 Cinemascope, 35mm print, Rated R

Bret Easton Ellis’s best selling novel is transformed by Canadian director Mary Harron into the first cult classic of the 21 century. Set in the 80’s world of big business Patrick Batemen (Christain Bale) takes no prisoners and whips out all competition in his strive for power and perfection in the corporate world. Mary Harron puts a female spin on the story and adds a lot of humour to this serial killer romp. 

 “The film regards the male executive lifestyle with the devotion of a fetishist. There is a scene where a group of businessmen compare their business cards, discussing the wording, paper thickness, finish, embossing, engraving and typefaces, and they might as well be discussing their phalli. Their sexual insecurity is manifested as card envy". Roger Ebert.

The cinemascope photography, shot in Toronto, also perfectly suits the film. The Director of Photography used the lowest speed film stocks and almost all the lights available to him on set to give the film a deep focus, sterile look. The end result is a film that is visually stunning on the big screen. Also starring Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon and Jared Leto.


For a more detailed review by collective member John Yemen go here.