Thrift Item of the Moment

Juicer

I could easily become obsessed with collecting old pressed-glass juicers. I’m afraid I’d have dozens in no time because they’re quite common and inexpensive. They really appeal to me as sculptural objects (and I also like to use them to squeeze citrus fruits). I’ve been resisting, but I had to have this one because it’s very deep and holds lots & lots of juice (unlike the one I’ve been using) – and it’s beautiful.

Thrift Item of the Moment

Collapsible Christmas Tree

It’s been years since I’ve had a Christmas tree. This one appealed to me because it folds down nothing and takes no time to set up.

And it looks a little odd and ramshackle, but in an endearing way, like it was drawn by Dr. Seuss.

15 bucks at the Sally Ann. Including the garland and some stray tinsel.

I also bought these beauties to add to my collection of vintage tree ornaments. I’ll post a picture closer to Christmas when I have the tree decked out.

Record Cover of the Week

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? A fistfull of soundtracks:

Various: Brewster McCloud

Early 70’s weirdness from director Robert Altman.

Piero Piccioni: More Than A Miracle

Sophia Loren & Omar Sharif in a fairy tale for grown-ups.

Henry Mancini: Oklahoma Crude

Faye Dunaway as a proto-feminist in Stanley Kramer’s 70’s western.

Happy birthday and bon voyage

More scenes from a film festival

I’m overdue for another report from the film festival which ended last weekend.

Keriann studies her options

One of my favourite parts of the EIFF is the Sobey’s Lunchbox Shorts, held every lunch hour during week.

MJ rocks the funky specs

For ten bucks you get a 45 minute program of short films from around the world plus lunch provided by the sponsor – perfect for people who work downtown.

The lunches are awesome – a choice of 5 or 6 really substantial sandwiches, a cookie (turtle was the best) and juice or water. It made me wish they gave out sandwiches before the evening movies too. In fact, now I want a sandwich with every movie I see.

The films? They were pretty good too. In fact, I’d say there wasn’t a real stinker in the bunch, which is a rare feat. My favourite was called Chili & Cheese: A Condimental Rift. Despite the unpromisingly clunky title it was a lovely little character piece about a former physician turned convience store owner, his employee and a troublesome customer. Nicely detailed, shrewdly observed, with nuanced performances – well done!

I also enjoyed The Wednesdays, about an elderly couple who take ecstasy to help get them through hump day, Multiple Choice, a comedy with a very effective punchline, and Trolls, which has to do with what 9-year-olds imagine sex is about (something to do with collecting points).

I was less impressed with Gone Fishing, which won the grand jury award for best short film (and awards at other festivals). I though it was overly slick and inauthentically nostalgic, the way tv commercials for anything “old fashioned” are.

Keriann suffering the zombie-like effects of film festival overload

There, now I’ve reviewed the washrooms and sandwiches at the EIFF. My work as a critic is done.

Scenes from a film festival

Director Dilip Mehta, actor Don McKellar and programmer Tony King at the Q&A following the opening night gala Cooking With Stella.

Torn between attending the afterparty or seeing Not Quite Hollywood, a documentary about “Ozploitation” movies (Australian exploitation movies of the 70s, like the Mad Max films), I was swayed by the lure of free Indian food and the sponsors’ wine, beer and Irish whiskey…

…not to mention the opportunity to meet and chat with triple threat Canandian film icon Don McKellar (actor/screenwriter/director, and now a Tony award winner to boot).

Ukulele cover band The Be Arthurs.

The Empire Theatres complex has been renovated since last year’s festival. The lobby area is a bit monochrome and subdued but sure beats the old 80’s brass and glass shopping mall ambience it used to have.

The auditoriums have been converted to stadium seating with great sightlines and comfy new seats…

…with lots of legroom.

The absolutely spotless washrooms look like they could be aboard Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 orbiting space station.

The appropriately named hand dryers sound like jet aircraft taking off, especially when several of them are going at once.

So after 3 days I’ve seen 6 features and a program of short films – and I’m reviewing a bathroom.

Bye Bye Blues Blues

Watched Anne Wheeler’s fine Bye Bye Blues in Churchill Square last night. It was an unseasonably warm fall evening, very pleasant for sitting outdoors watching a movie.

It’s just wrong that this 20 year old film hasn’t had a dvd release. C’mon Canadian producers & distributors, get your shit together. And EIFF get your shit together too – show movies in their proper aspect ratio (end of rant).

The Culling XIX: Back to School

Having finished soundtracks, I’ve moved on to school bands and choirs. Here are half a dozen cuts that have charmed me and will charm you too, I hope:

Tiffany: Beatle Medley (1975)
Not the Tiffany that sang I Think We’re Alone Now, this Tiffany is an all girl group of singers from Spruce Avenue School in Edmonton.

Viscount Bennett Combined Senior Mixed Chorus and “Grad” Choir: This Guy’s In Love With You (1970)

From Viscount Bennett School, Calgary.

The Action Singers: Jesus Christ Superstar (1971)

A group of 14 to 19 year olds from Lang and Milesone, Saskatchewan.

Crossroads: Me and Bobby McGee (1971)

From Holy Cross High School, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The Jug-a-Lugs: I’m Satisfied (1973)

I like the giddy false starts. These kids are from Coronation School, Coronation, Alberta. Besides the Jug-a-Lugs, this album has numbers by The Norfolk Avenue Singers, The Lovin’ Roomful (love that name), The Half Fast Jazz Band and Toot Sweet.

PITCH: That’s The Way God Planned It (ca. 1974)
PITCH (People In The Crowd Harmonists) and SPICE (Spreading Peace In Crowds Everywhere) were young musicians from St. Albert, Alberta. Our House was an “opera” performed by PITCH comprised of pop songs such as Father and Son, The Sound of Silence, I Can See Clearly Now and others.

Listened: 2,922
Loved: 2,438
Lumped: 484

Philately & bowling

Hmmm, my second stamp post in just over a month – I think I may be turning into a stamp geek. I just had to share Canada Post’s beautiful new 5-pin bowling stamp with you. It’s in a set with some other sports Canadians invented (yes, basketball was invented by a Canadian – look it up). Here’s their blurb:

Five-Pin Bowling
When members of the Toronto Bowling Club complained about the weight of the standard ten-pin bowling ball, Thomas F. Ryan, the club’s co-founder, introduced a smaller ball and had his father whittle down five pins to match. He devised a new scoring system and introduced his game in 1909. This year, five-pin bowling, now the number-one participant sport in the country, celebrates its 100th anniversary. Note that on the first day cover, a bowler holds the coveted goose prize.

I’m surprised to learn that five-pin is Canada’s number one participant sport – seems to me that five pin lanes are getting to be almost as scarce as drive-in movie theatres, with only a handful remaining as 10 pin lanes dominate.

Record Cover of the Week

A trio of Canuck soundtracks.

Music of the N.F.B.

Brilliant 2 LP set of electroacoustic-ish music from National Film Board of Canada films. Cover drawing by Norman McLaren.

Michael Conway Baker, The Chieftans: The Grey Fox

François Dompierre: Les portes tournantes