It was an incredibly funny episode of sctv, but as a young philadelphian with hardly any exposure to canadian cinema outside of david cronenberg, i had no idea that the film that they were having a bit of fun with was one of the most iconic films in canadian history. The 1970 film goin down the road is a canadian classic. Don shebibs goin down the road feels at times like a film realization of studs terkels hard times, until you remind yourself that the movie is fiction and the time is now. Goin down the road is a key 1970 canadian film directed by donald shebib, co written by william fruet and donald shebib. It placed in the top three of the top 10 canadian films of all time lists compiled by tiff in 1984, 1993 and 2004, and was ranked no. With its abundant roadtrip scenery, the movie is not the least important as a. Writerdirector don shebib heads back down the road again.
The movie works on so many levels and it still speaks volumes even today. Apr 20, 2017 why goin down the road is the north star for canadian filmmakers open this photo in gallery. Pete doug mcgrath and joey paul bradley are two young maritimers travelling from nova scotia to try and get work in toronto, finding a city very different from their big dreams. Goin down the road is a key 1970 canadian film directed by donald shebib, co written by william fruet and don shebib. Goin down the road is a key 1970 canadian film directed by donald shebib, cowritten by william fruet and don shebib. Goin down the road is a key 1970 canadian film directed by donald shebib, cowritten by william fruet and donald shebib. Donald shebibs landmark 1970 drama goin down the road was a watershed moment in canadian national cinema, in part because it proved that there could be one. For atlantic canada, goin down the road is a bit of a legend, at least for the older generations. Jayne eastwood goes down the road again georgia straight. This movie is as timeless as a love story, as gutwrenching as a tearjerker and as poignant as a documentary. Paul lynchs 1973 sliceoflife film the hard part begins previously discussed in a profile of lynch on this blog may never have seen the light of day if not for donald shebib. Goin down the road follows the amusing yet poignant exploits of pete. The disc is nicely packaged with detailed booklet, and 2 commentary tracks by director don shebib, and movie critic of the toronto star. Pete has been living in vancouver, disconnected from his old life and friendships.
Leonard malton, in his movie and video guide wrote, goin down the road puts most hollywood blockbusters to shame. In the glorious days of tax shelters and government support for the arts, canadian films were free to be as unglamorous, gritty and downtoearth as the underdogs they. This week, some 40 years later, the movie considered by many to be the seminal english canadian picture will finally have a sequel. The film won canadian film awards for best feature film and best actors shared by doug mcgrath and paul bradley. A huge hit for the country, a critical success paraded around by the likes of ebert and kael, constantly referenced and parodied by canadian media, and among international success included a best director win at the taormina international film festival. Donald shebibs goin down the road, which opened yesterday at the carnegie hall cinema and 34th street east theater, has already won best canadian picture award at. Goin down the road down the road again 2 film collectors. Storyline the sequel to the canadian classic goin down the road 1970 picks up forty years later when pete is on the cusp of retirement from his job as postie. For 40 years canadian movie director don shebib kept his best known work, the 1970 classic goin down the road, at a distance, loathing and loving in. Why goin down the road is the north star for canadian filmmakers open this photo in gallery. Its about disgruntled young workers in a small town looking for a better life in the big city. It should be required reading in every film course in canada and elsewhere. On the verge of his retirement, pete receives a call from an acquaintance of his somewhat estranged best friend, joey.
Donald shebibs goin down the road canadian cinema geoff pevere on. Its based on a story by william fruet, who cowrites it with shebib. He was an indefatigable champion of canadian films and filmmakers, a voice for a nascent industry before it found its own voice. Christine ramsay, canadian narrative cinema from the margins.
The film is the sequel to shebibs 1970 film goin down the road. Oct 20, 1970 donald shebibs goin down the road, which opened yesterday at the carnegie hall cinema and 34th street east theater, has already won best canadian picture award at the toronto film festival and. Forty years ago, goin down the road opened in canadian theatres and introduced to moviegoers pete and joey, two hardlucked guys from nova scotia trying to catch a break in toronto. Oct 21, 2011 the sequel to the canadian classic goin down the road 1970 picks up forty years later when pete is on the cusp of retirement from his job as postie. Though the national film board nfb was establish in the late 1930s, it was only in the 1950s that its focus shifted from wareffort. Oct 16, 20 three years earlier, shebib directed and cowrote goin down the road, a downbeat tale of two drifters that is still considered to be the benchmark of canadian cinema. Hailed as a landmark film upon its release, goin down the road has long been regarded as one of the best canadian films ever made. Goin down the road 1970 in rural nova scotia, childhood friends joey paul bradley and peter doug mcgrath set off in search of a better life in the big city. Adding to the greatness of the movie were your songs. Actress cayle chernin, best known for appearing in the seminal canadian road movie. The sequel to the canadian classic goin down the road 1970 picks up forty years later when pete is on the cusp of retirement from his job as postie. Cayle chernin starred in goin down the road the star. Goin down the road 1970 at the media commons theatre. Down the road, renowned film critic geoff pevere provides an engaging account of how a film produced under largely improvised circumstances became the most influential canadian movie of.
They soon end up wistful and nostalgic about nova scotia though after finding out that toronto isnt as fun as theyd hoped. Goin down the road canadian movie database northernstars. In down the road again, pete resurrects the impala convertible from the first movie in order to drive his friend joeys ashes to the atlantic ocean. Geoff peveres new book, donald shebibs goin down the road is an essential companion to the classic canadian film. The main characters, peter and joey, strike out from nova scotia in search of dreams in the big city. The very notion of a canadian national cinema was relatively new when the film was released. Don shebibs goin down the road feels at times like a film.
May 18, 2017 itd be nice if there were properly restored prints easily findable because goin down the road is a just a good movie b an important document of toronto as it was evolving from the ol. Piers handling, the films of don shebib canadian film institute, 1978. It is often called the seminal canadian movie, but the making of socalled realist movies had been going on in quebec for some time. But as in any classic road movie, things never seem to work out as planned. On april 19, national canadian film day, tiff launched its canada on. Though once parodied on sctv, 1970s goin down the road is. Nov 12, 2010 for 40 years canadian movie director don shebib kept his best known work, the 1970 classic goin down the road, at a distance, loathing and loving in equal measure his now legendary, lowbudget. Bruce, i have always enjoyed watching the movie goin down the road.
Goin down the road 1970 r 1h 30min drama 3 february 1972 hungary two friends leave the picturesque yet rural province of nova scotia for the nightlife and culture of toronto. Why goin down the road is the north star for canadian. Goin down the road winds its way from canada the new. Nov 03, 2010 40 years later, sequel to classic buddy flick goin down the road is under way open this photo in gallery. Three years earlier, shebib directed and cowrote goin down the road, a downbeat tale of two drifters that is still considered to be. Goin down the road will be the first of many yearly tributes we will make to honour the memory of a great friend of canadian film and the princess gerald pratley. The nation and masculinity in goin down the road, canadian journal of film studies vol. Goin down the road, first released in 1970, with doug mcgrath, left and paul bradley. With its abundant roadtrip scenery, the movie is not the least important as a document of the eastern canada in which it was shot.
The canadian donald shebib between friendsripoff was only 28 when he made this sparkling road film drama. Down the road again is a 2011 canadian drama film written and directed by donald shebib. Donald shebibs documentarystyled 1970 film goin down the road. Also a episode of the pierre burton show in which don shebib is interviewed on how he got into film, the adventure and success of making goin. Cinema, goin down the road showed me, is big enough that it has. Down the road again picks up where the first movie left off, bringing us up to date on the fates of pete and joey, the working class guys from cape breton.
Pete doug mcgrath and joey paul bradley are two young maritimers travelling from nova scotia to try and get work in toronto, finding a city very different from their. Though once parodied on sctv, 1970s goin down the road. Oct 29, 2011 goin down the road is the quintessential cheap canadian movie. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies.
But it was shot in 35 mm with a full crew and a more composed style than the original, which is. Besides directly influencing such pictures as the hard part begins 1974, the rowdyman 1972 and paperback hero 1973, goin down the road was able to create a purely canadian film style and subject, combining social commentary, the travel narrative and documentary realism in a way that still affects the shape of canadian film today. Even pauline kael of the new yorker said the performances were so natural that it was hard to believe that they were acting at all. It tells the story of two young men from canadas maritime provinces who come to the big city, toronto, lured by the possibility of good jobs and good times. Bruce cockburn songs going down the road soundtrack.
It tells the story of two young men who decide to leave the maritimes, where jobs and fulfilling lives are hard to find, for the excitement and perceived riches of toronto. It tells the story of two young men from canadas maritime provinces who come to the big. The two roadgoerdowners in this film are nova scotia buddies doug. A charming yet realistic portrait of a very canadian experience, goin down the road is known as one of don shebibs finest films, and has landed on the toronto international film festivals top 10 canadian films of all time list for four decades in a row. With doug mcgrath, paul bradley, jayne eastwood, cayle chernin. Director don shebib on the toronto set of his movie down the road again.
Goin down the road is the canadian grapes of wrath. Why goin down the road is the north star for canadian filmmakers. Itd be nice if there were properly restored prints easily findable because goin down the road is a just a good movie b an important document of toronto as it was evolving from the ol. Goin down the road 1970 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Goin down the road is the quintessential cheap canadian movie. Two friends leave the picturesque yet rural province of nova scotia for the nightlife and culture of toronto.
In this study of goin down the road, renowned film critic geoff pevere pr. Goin down the road a watershed moment in canadian national. In a brief shot near the end ofgoin down the road, don shebibs classic 1970 account of dented canadiana, a man rolls over in a parking lot shebibs first movie is considered one of the most important canadian films ever made, and his name has been inextricably tied to it for close to half a century. This movie is as timeless as a love story, as gutwrenching as a. Any canadian who has left home for toronto can identify with this movie.