[Reellife] First Feature made on the West Coast

[dave olsen]

Today (Friday), Saturday, Sunday will showcase the First Feature Film made on 
the West Coast and the oldest surviving feature made in so-called Canada.

The film is called /In the Land of the Head Hunters/ and displays the wealth of 
the Kwakwaka'wakw who "star" throughout.

The story is more than lame and in my opinion ridiculously Hollywood and overtly 
racist, but the images are breathtaking.

Seeing real villages and real people living 100 years ago is more than a treat.  
It shows how they lived through their clothing, buildings, and boats, all of 
which are stunning.

This film, like all film, was fabricated from the mind of a civilized person (in 
this case Edward Curtis), but he didn't have the resources like they do today.  
So he filmed real people with their usual clothing and ways of living, something 
we could do well to learn from.  More surprisingly, he also filmed ceremony and 
the costumes are literally out of this world!

The score is completely out of place of course, given that it was performed in 
1914 by Vancouver's Turning Point Ensemble.  It, too, is enjoyable for what it is.

If you'd like to see what life was really like here on the coast, check this 
out.  On December 7th, the centenary date, it plays at Vancity Theatre at 7pm 
(with special guests) while the previous two nights it plays at the Cinematheque 
at 6:30pm.

Tonight and Saturday at the Cinematheque also has /The Bitter Ash/ at 8pm (with 
a 4:30 screening on Saturday, too).  This 1963 feature was shot in Vancouver for 
a mere(?) $5,000 by then-student Larry Kent.  It was banned from many theatres 
because it has a partially nude scene (imagine!).

For nostalgic Vancouverites and cinephiles, this is a must-see, as it is shot on 
location all around Vancouver.  Given the era and the absence of digital 
technology, this film is truly a monumental achievement.

Best of all, there are a few sequences of dialogue that point-blank challenge 
the system...perhaps that was the real reason for the banning?!
-- 

Warmly,
dave/
//
Parenting with an Open Heart: a seminar series for all Parents, Caregivers, and 
Parents-to-be: for info and session dates, please visit/ 
/http://humanpowered.wordpress.com <http://humanpowered.wordpress.com/>

Movie and Theatre lovers who know a saner world is possible may enjoying reading 
and sharing their thoughts on Reel Life, Real Ideas: Movies and more... 
<http://reellife.wordpress.com/>

Hit by a car at 60 km/h (40mph), a pedestrian has an 85 per cent chance of being 
killed; at 50 km/h (30mph) s/he has a 45 per cent chance of being killed, while 
at 30 km/h (20mph) the risk falls to 5 per cent. Source: British Parliamentary 
Advisory Council on Transport Safety (1996) //_Taking Action on Speeding_//

If you are expecting a baby soon...
...read Ina May Gaskin's insightful book, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, packed 
full of birth stories and her experience of helping deliver over 2,000 babies!
...consider Natural Infant Hygiene (aka Elimination Communication) and reduce 
the expense of diapers (and much more)...check out http://www.diaperless.org and 
http://www.natural-wisdom.com

Did you know that in Scandinavia...
--> there are laws protecting children from all forms of spanking and bullying, 
even from parents
--> these laws do not imprison or punish parents but instead raise awareness 
(http://www.empathicparenting.org)
--> the elderly are able to remain at home thanks to programs that provide free 
meals, free transportation, and free care/

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