Cinema Canada (Dec 1974-Jan 1975)

VANCOUVER Vancouver Production News Bulldog Productions, the company that brought Dogpound Shuffle to Vancouver last year is back with another feature to be filmed in Vancouver. (See below). The film is Kosygin is Coming, an Anglo American co-production being made under the Eady plan. The story is based on the novel by Tom Ardies, an American who now makes his home in Penticton B.C. The assassination thriller stars George Segal, with Val Avery and Denholm Elliott also in the cast. The producer is Jerry Bick, executive producer is Elliot Kastner. Cinematographer is Brian West. A British crew is working on the film along with members from I.A.T.S.E. The director is Lou Lombardo. Shooting began on November 12th and is scheduled for eight weeks. Boon Collins has reached a fine cut on his C.F.D.C. supported feature Sally Fieldgood and Co.; the film was edited by George Johnson. Elsewhere in town the independents are in action. Richard Patton has completed Night of Sahmain, which is a definitive statement on Halloween. Appropriately enough the film premiered on October 31st. The film uses a variety of colour processes, but what makes the film really work is the content: Monsters. From prehistoric dinosaurs to Halloween spooks, all delightfully and cleverly edited together. The narrative borders on the meaningful, only to be completely nonsensical at the next turn of phrase. The mock serious style makes it one of the funniest narratives around. The blending of humor, opticals and the bizarre makes the film entirely original. Another film nearing completion is Potlatch, an hour long documentary that includes dramatic reconstructions of the Potlatch trials. In the twenties Natives were persecuted for this ceremony and the potlatch was banned. The film is being produced by the Omista Society, of the Kwakiutl people. The aim of the film is to present a case for the reparation of Native artifacts. The film was shot in Alert Bay, Knight’s Inlet and the Victoria Museum over the summer. Cinematographer was Tony Westman, with Fred Easton, Zale Dalen, Richard Patton and B.J. Clayden on the crew. The scripting was done by Brian Stein, Tom Shandel is the producer, 18 Cinema Canada Sally Paterson is editing and Dennis Wheeler directed. Doug White and Ron Orieux of Edgewater films recently completed a documentary on learning problems. Ron is probably the only cameraman in Canada who has had an Eclair smashed by an elephant while shooting in the Yukon. Edgewater has been busy shooting footage for American and Eastern production companies, and it was while shooting a circus up North the elephant incident occured. Apparently his insurance covered such a contingency and the camera was repaired. Peter Rowe has just completed some commercials on B.C. tourism for Dunsky’s and is returning to Toronto. Pat Corbett was recently in Vancouver shooting a film on rape for C.T.V.’s Maclear. Out at Simon Fraser University new resident Guy Bergeron is producing six half hour films at the film workshop. Trapper Dan won the 1974 Canadian student film festival prize, and it is the third S.F.U. student film to win in four years, which speaks highly of the workshop approach to learning about film making. Guy will no doubt have some films ready for next year’s competition. — Peter Bryant Last squeeze production zaps B.C. Despite the multi-million Journey Into Fear, production has been scarce this year in the land of the Lotus, but it’s having an extra ‘squeeze’ in a feature under the Eady Plan. Sir Lew Grade of International Television Corporation under Bull Dog Productions is funding the film, budgeted at $1,800,000. The film is the brainchild of ex-Vancouver Sun writer Tom Ardies, who straddled his typewriter to ride himself to a more secure monetary base than that provided by the chain press, and came up with a novel “Kosygin is Coming’’, which has the potential of being a bestseller. It was good enough to encourage Sir Lew Grade to fund it and Executive Producer Elliot Kastner to oversee it. Kastner was the producer of last year’s Dog Pound Shuffle with Ron Moody — also lensed entirely in this ‘pinko’ republic! The feature deals with undercover work by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in its effort to prevent the assassination of the Soviet Premier during a trip to Canada. It has a cast beside Segal of Christima Raines, (Sunshine) Elliott Deham, (Duddy Kravitz), Gordon Jackson, (Upstairs-Downstairs), Richard Romanus, (Mean Streets). Ardies worked on the first draft of the script and is presently consultant. Production Supervisor is Colin Brewer, David Tringham is First A.D., Bob Grey is Production Manager, Mel Christian of Jerry Lodge Talent Agency is handling the local casting. There will be a cast of about fifty. Most of Vancouver’s acting hopefuls have been on a ‘cattle call’ route. Among the Canadian players are Wally Marsh, Hagen Beggs, Graham Jarvis and Alicia Ammon. Arnold Magolin penned the script. In all, local actors took time off from meditation, taxi driving and real estate to pursue the golden tiger! Despite all the flak from Toronto about production to be made in British Columbia, it seems as though independent foreign producers are skimming off the scenic attractions before the snow melts in the East. Apart from Kosygin is Coming, now rolling and utilizing all the attractions and otherwise of Vancouver, Victoria is next on the list. Victoria was the scene for much filming of Harry In Your Pocket last year, now Thomas Hedley, a former editor of the defunct Toronto Telegram, and an Esquire Editor, provides the impetus for Double Negative, with a budget of $2,000,000. Publicized as the most expensive feature to be shot in Canada, (which it is not, Journey Into Fear still holds that record: $2,500,000 and all Canadian dough,) their budget is $2,000,000. It is based on the book, ‘The Three Roads,’ by Ross MacDonald of California. Screen rights reputedly paid were $50,000, according to promotors Archie MacDonnell and Associates. Producer of Double Negative is Jerome S. Simon of Los Angeles. No leads have been settled at this time, and no local casting undertaken, although speculation is this will be done within a month. — Jack Ammon