FILIY1 RENEWS

Sands would indeed be shown, finally, Pearson's university days were REVIEWS and some nine months behind sched­ spent majoring in Political Science ule, on Monday night, September 12. and Economics. Whatever it is that OF 1977. he learned in the hallowed halls of For once, surrounding events and the University of Toronto, it seems advance publicity did not lead us down to have stuck. So much so that of all SHORT the well-trod garden path. The Tar of Canada's English-speaking film Sands is, indeed, a dynamic and im­ directors, Pearson i,s surely the most portant film, one that enlightens, sensitive to politico/economic is­ FILMS arouses - and raises a number of sues: he has insight, and a solid mea­ crucial moral problems centering on sure of mastery. That is what per­ our society and on the mass media. mits him to reduce terribly complex * * * issues to their main lines, and to ex­ The Tar Sands At one level, of special interest to press their dramatic tensions in d: Peter Pearson, sc: Peter Pearson, Peter aficionados of the Canadian cinema, terms that go straight to an audience. Rowe, Ralph L. Thomas, ph: Ken Gregg, The Tar Sands marks another high ed: Myrtle Virgo, m: Eric Robertson, l.p. A look at Pearson's television rec­ Kenneth Welsh, Ken Pough, Mavor Moore, spot in the career of Peter Pearson, ord shows just how successful he has p: Ralph Thomas, p.c. Canadian Broad­ who, when at his best, is one of our been when he allows the social issues casting Corporation, 1976, col: 16mm, Run- major film directors. It has become to be the warp and woof of the drama, ningtime: 57 minutes. abundantly clear that when Pearson that against and through which the works within the limitations imposed human characters play out their sto­ "Explosive, political drama, zero­ by television, the results verge on the ry- brilliant. Saul Alinsky, Best Damn ing in on powerbrokering by the in­ But Pearson also spent a few years Fiddler, The Insurance Man, Kathy ternational petroleum industry. The at that famed Roman film school, the dramatic story of negotiations and Karuks, and now The Tar Sands, are TV dramas of the highest order. Centro Sperimentale di Cinematogra- confrontations between major oil in­ fia. The experience, undoubtedly en­ dustries and the governments of Ca­ More accurately, they are television films of real merit. riching in helping him to master the nada, Alberta and Ontario, that cli­ essential skills, may well have sown max with the Canadian taxpayer put­ the seeds of future difficulties, or at ting up nearly two billion dollars to least of ambitions difficult to realize. ensure the development of the Atha­ Imagine a young man drinking deep basca Tar Sands. Provocative, con­ The Tar Sands was shown on nation-wide television on Sept. of the intoxicating glories of the Ita­ temporary drama." lian cinema of the '60's. Well, it is 12, 1977. By late September, So said the CBC publicity blurb. difficult to become a sort of WASP And then, to top things off, precisely the premier of Alberta, Peter Fellini, especially when surrounded because of its "explosive, political" Lougheed, had filed a suit by those Toronto critics. nature, the film could not be shown against the Canadian Broad­ Even if Paperback Hero did not try by the CBC TV network. casting Corporation charging to emulate the aesthetic opulence of That was last year. And it was a "damages to character and the Italians, still, in its focussing on shame, really, since the other four reputation". The suit was for the lost hero and his environment, segments of the CBC For the Record $2,250,000. No date has been and in its striving for certain aesthe­ series, of which it was a part (and tic effects, it failed to be convincing, which were written about in these set for the hearing. and it neglected precisely those areas pages, No 36), proved that television that give Pearson's films their great­ films can be intelligent, gripping, est strength. worthwhile. One could be pardonned, then, for Not so in The Tar Sands. With this looking forward to something special film we are more resolutely than when it was learned (almost by acci­ ever in true Pearson territory, where dent) that Peter Pearson's The Tar Pearson's two commercial fea­ the horizon stretches out to social, tures, Paperback Hero and Only God political, economic, vistas. The prob­ Knows, however, tell quite another ing is such that it is difficult to call fUm Credit Abbreviations: d. Director asst d Assis- story. Now is obviously not the time to mind any other fiction that has, in •""I Director, sc: Script adapt Adaptation dial Dialo to go into an analysis of the disparity any comparable measure, dared to 8* ph.: Photography sp ph eff. Special Photographic reveal issues, manoeuvrings, and Effects, ed.: Editor sup ed Supervising Editor sd that exists between Pearson's movie Swnd. sd ed.: Sound Editor, sd rec Sound Recording films and his TV films. But I can't motivations as clearly, and done it P des,: Production Designer ad Art Director set dec. resist trotting out a two-bit super­ as grippingly. *> Decorator, m.: Music, md.: Music Director cost "Mumes. choreo.: Choreography, l.p.: Leading Players ficial conjecture that may bear fol­ In any enterprise of this kind, to exec- p : Executive Producer p Producer assoc p lowing up. Quite possibly it has some­ Associate Producer, p. sup.: Production Supervisor p be sure, the script writing is of su­ J^.' Production Manager p.c: Production Company col thing to do with Pearson's divided preme importance. Full marks have Colour Process dist.: Distributors, narr : Narration cultural/academic heritage. to go to Pearson himself, and to his

November 1977/39 FILfTl REVIEWS fellow writers, Peter Rowe and Ralph Issues is one thing. But The Tar The Tar Sands was conceived as a L. Thomas, producer of the entire Sands would hardly be a richly hu­ movie made for TV - but by Mon­ For the Record series. Their com­ man drama if the human equation, day, Sept. 12 it had become full-fled­ bined skill and intelligence in boiling the characters in ' their perplexity, ged, lOO'V TV at its best, steeped in down an enormous amount of tricky, their conniving, or their anguish and immediacy and relevance. The living dangerous material into a clear and hope, were sacrificed to the dictates moment breathed controversy, and sharp "true fiction" is nothing short of a Thesis. Well, they are not; and the viewer knew it. Sure enough, next of remarkable. Clear-cut issues this is one of the great strengths in day Peter Lougheed announced that he emerge as a fascinating line-up of Peter Pearson's work. He always was suing the CBC for defamation of characters, some "real" and some feels for the individual. We are touch­ character! And a few days later, invented (but with their basis, we ed, we care for those living creations Shell Oil declared that it, too intends are assured, in "reality"), become before us. The great socio-economic to develop the Athabasca Tar Sands. organic parts of a pattern that ulti­ issues somehow are incarnated in These oil chaps do not scare easily. mately reveals who and where the these breathing, complex, recogniz­ The touchiness of the situation was power is in Canada. The focus is on able human beings. Pearson, in short, underlined by the CBC's ever-so- the Athabasca Tar Sands wheeler- seems to have pulled off that most discreet treatment of the Monday dealering, but the depth of field goes difficult of feats, striking the ideal night showing. Here in Montreal, for far beyond. balance between clear idea, and flesh- example, the Gazette and the Star did and-blood people. They become or­ not even have the preempting in their Motivations are dramatized, names ganically one. are named: the "real" Premier of daily listings. And the film was sus­ Alberta, Peter Lougheed (beautifully It is Peter Lougheed who elicits piciously short for an hour-long slot. played by Kenneth Welsh), and Frank Pearson's most sympathetic interest. Could someone have been at work Spraggins, the "real" negotiator for Lougheed, that is, and the fictional with the scissors on the most offend­ Syncrude, that amalgamation of Gulf character, Willard Alexander (beauti­ ing passages, as well as secretly Oil, Imperial Oil, and the rest, and fully acted by Ken Pough), who is a hoping that no one would watch the others, including Ottawa's Donald composite of the Lougheed advisers film? MacDonald. The script, with brilliant who were against the deal. One is But there was more. This viewer, succinctness, but never at the cost of made to understand Lougheed's am­ thanks to The Tar Sands, was actual­ sacrificing warm, human touches, bition and the tightrope he must walk, ly wafted back in time. I can remem­ structures back room plotting, pri­ his aspirations for Alberta, and his ber, in Quebec, back in the Old Days, vate conversations, and official round desire to create jobs, stimulate the before the Present Age of Enlighten­ table negotiating in a driving, smooth­ economy, and reap the huge oil pro­ ment, what happened around a very ly flowing narrative that never lets fits for his province. But one is ap­ few very special movies of some doc­ up in interest. palled at the growing recognition of trinal import. Likely as not, a Bishop another reality. Syncrude Canada But the final credit has to go to or a Cardinal would appear (on film) Ltd., and the multinationals who cons­ Pearson qua film director. There is before the movie, to tell us how to titute it, alone have the power and a basic artistic humility to his ap­ appreciate it, what was correct, what clout to take over the Tar Sands de­ proach; and no one will ever point to was not. Well, at least in the present velopment. Development, yes, and The Tar Sands as a brilliant exer­ instance, the CBC was not to be found money for the people, but only on cise in daring film form creativity. wanting. There was Barbara Frum, their terms. Their all-devouring cri­ Quite to the contrary; Pearson's film in her most earnest mode of high se­ terion is further profit for the share­ adopts a style that is by now all but riousness, explaining to us that this holders, and more monopolistic con­ done to death, very comfortable - film was a fiction, but based on fact, trol of energy for the oil companies. and maybe too comfortable and un- and revealing which characters were challenging for our TV viewing ha­ Pearson does not paint a gentle por­ real, and which invented, and so on, bits. It is neat, sparse, and it has trait of the oil negotiators. We see Barbara kept returning to the word been seen before. them in the bargaining sessions, at fiction, but always with reassurances times hearty and silken, at times bla­ about the film's essential veracity. However, what might be a tired old tantly ruthless. Their demands are Barbara, righteously and rightly be­ format comes to life because the outrageous to anyone who is not de­ loved of all us liberals, came back content is so important, so dramatic dicated to the ideal of immensely at the end, to guide us and warn us in itself, and so in-felt by the direc­ bloated self profit. And Lougheed, anew. tor. The Tar Sands formal structure who has played the game, is caught. One certainly cannot blame the all but disappears behind its own ano­ Concession follows upon concession, CBC, but the moral problems raised nymity. Its role is merely to reveal, as Syncrude obtains everything it de­ by this kind of film were by no means to make clear, to permit the central mands, and more - to the tune of solved by Barbara's interventions. screaming reality to touch the viewer. two billion dollars, new ground rules Like most of the viewers, I am no In that sense, the film is immense­ to ensure its profits, etc. expert on the Tar Sands question, and ly successful, never sacrificing the At the end, a beaten Lougheed, still I had no way of judging what was fic­ tone of objective but involved obser­ trying to hope to come out on top in tion, what was fact. I trusted the film vation to flashy, facile effects. In the long range, faces his TV audience because I trust Peter and Ralph - other words, Pearson is willing to to proclaim his hard fought "victory" and Barbara; and I happen to share play the role of reporter rather than for the people of Alberta. And we are their concern. But was I seeing the that of artist on his own aesthetic left - one hopes - wondering about truth? Was this an over-simplified, trip. All must exist only in function certain aspects of our society and its tendentious, but unfair hatchet job, or of the issues and drama of his film. power structures. was it a brilliant popularization of

40/Cinema Canada FILffl REVIEWS

the essential "truth" of the matter? These, however, follow a prologue The film itself gave the viewer pre­ Ruberg in which we have an inkling of the cious little freedom at that level. character of both Ruberg and the A good reportorial essay, say, or film, as Alar's sensitive lensing a good teaching situation, or a good d: Alar Kivilo, ph: Kivilo, ed: Kivilo, m: Sibelius (text and sound, Ao Loo), p: Harri shows us a small figure of a man ap­ "straight" documentary, can, by the Kivilo, p. asst.: Mark Tense, Lembitu Rist- proaching slowly through a pastoral very formats which they employ, do soo, Valve Kivilo, p.c: Alar Kivilo Pro­ scene of peace and lovliness, while a fine job of honest, objective explo­ duction Company, col.: 16mm, narr.: Ao underneath, the strains of Sibelius ration of a question, issue, situation, Loo, Eva Varangu, Velio Salo, running add to the holy reverential feeling, time: 28 minutes. making the nuances, revealing the and a respectful voice intones the sources, admitting where fact yields words of an Iroquois prayer concern­ to conjecture, and so on. But can a ing love and respect for the harmo­ drama, growing out-of this fascinating nies and balance of nature. mix of fact and fiction, respect the It's difficult enough to be a good Between this beginning, and the viewer, allowing him or her to de­ person, harder yet to show one in his final shots, in which we see Ruberg cide, at least up to a point? The form life time, and hardest of all to make skiing off into the distance while a used in The Tar Sands implicitly his worthy acts and excellent inten­ poetic prayer to "make me wise" is claims that it is re-creating the tions seem interesting to film au­ spoken, we are shown various scenes truth. That is the assumption shared diences who are continually excited of Ruberg's work and interests. by the storyteller and his audience. by all the various and fascinating as­ First, the leather painting. Here, And that audience's emotions were pects of evil. in a section that could easily stand being manipulated by events and peo­ Alar Kivilo and his father Harri alone, the bird sounds, forest sights, ple without any built-in guideline as have been wise, therefore, in show­ rustic life, and devotion to nature to where reality began and ended. ing us some of their fellow Estonian, create an atmosphere at one with the The moral problem remains: where Ruberg's, life, to begin their 28 mi­ artist, as he rubs blues and yellows is the media responsibility towards nute documentary with some intrigu­ into softened leather stretched over the viewer in all of this? ing shots of the man as an artist, stone. "Every rock has its own On the other hand - and here one making his highly original leather face," in Ruberg's words, "God has owns up to espousing contradictory paintings. filled them with meaning; beauty is positions - one wants to cheer, to congratulate the CBC and Thomas and Pearson for their courage and integrity. It is difficult to think of any other country in the world, capitalis­ tic or socialistic or whatever that would permit a national network to air a drama so critical of the real Power Centre of that society. True, television has at times played a ma­ jor role in reshaping mass thinking. One need but mention the U.S. and Vietnam, or Watergate. But almost always, TV is the dominant-system reinforcer. And particularly in the field of drama, it serves as a sort of kept lady of entertainment, whose job it is to lull the masses, preventing them from questioning the essential status quo. Above all it must not be critical of the wielders of real power.

The Tar Sands is a startling ex­ ception. It is a salutary call to con­ sciousness, and, ultimately, to con­ science. This drama really does dare to identify the people and the issues: there is no escape. And it asks the question that TV rarely asks: how long can we tolerate the amassing of Power, and the abuse that goes with !t> by groups such as Syncrude? The stakes could not be higher, and the WC, however hesitantly, has dared to take the gamble.

Marc Gervais Ruberg with Estonian Children

November 1977/41 FILIY1 REVIEWS IfrMECK] EDITING ROOMS CLASSIFIED 16mm & 35mm holy." And. as the work progresses For Sale: Eclair ACL brand new 400'mags, $1575 from what appears a hopeless mess /hr. each. Also ACL bodies. (604) 321-6005. to a deeply grooved, almost living TRANSFERS +stock reconstruction, or rather creation, of $15 Wanted: a rooted, branched and vibrant tree, Eclair ACL viewfinders wanted. Schmalz, we listen with openness to the simple 824 E 53rd Ave., Vancouver, B.C. (604) unsophisticated beliefs of Ruberg as SYNC-UP DAILIES 321-6005. he speaks of the greater artistic val­ ue resulting from the simpler and Wanted: Would Mark Harada please call Cinema more primitive handling of the work, Canada (514) 272-5354. or of the "late afternoon sun, which INTERLOCK blesses my work", or of the respon­ SCREENING Script Typist sibility of the artist for the feelings Experience in film and television. IBM he arouses in his viewers. electric. Pick up and delivery. Gwynneth But now the film progresses to Reid, 497-3391. Ruberg's other talent, and it is here NEG CUTTING Office Space Avialable: while we observe him teaching At the Mixing House, reasonable rent, mix­ marksmanship (for patience, disci­ ing theatre, music library, Steenbeck rentals pline, self control); or helping blind •MIXING on same floor. Call Deepak, 361-1437 children feel his paintings (he used Please bill "The Mixing House" to teach the handicapped); or in­ 43 Britain Street with George Novotny structing incredibly beautiful nursery Toronto, Ontario school children (Estonian-blond cher­ M5A 1R7 ubs, all); or demon-fire-lit at night, AT A REASONABLE COST leading young Estonians into an ex­ Attention Investors The Festival Screening Room Ltd., situated citing lesson about their country's The Mixing House in Peterborough, Ont., is an 18 month old mythology and ethnic rites; or finally, 43 BRITAIN STREET 16mm repertory cinema with 170 seats in a wintry-white fur-treed lovliness, TORONTO.ONTARIO M5A 1R7 which seriously seeks a modest capital working with water-colors on an injection from an interested investor. Su­ easel made of propped-up skiis, try­ TELEPHONE 416 3611437 perb location with enormous potential for ing to capture the crystal patterns of both artistic and financial success. Call frost, the sometimes overpowering Jamie Boyd (705) 743-8848. Sibelius, and the unrelenting goodness and dedication of all his acts, begin Wanted: to take their toll. Nagra Sn and accessories. Call Len 416- Is a sense of humor the work of 876-3121 the devil? Where is the man with For Rent: whom we erring, stumbling humans Steenbeck ST 928 (2 picture 8 plate) Radio can connect? We long for a tiny ac­ Mies. Heritage Productions 416-876-3121. cident, a joke, a trivial moment, or a hint of unstructured passion to al­ leviate the organized, productive, AUDIO LTD methodical worthiness of it all; something to connect us with the hu- dDlOTISiriG INDEX manness of the man, instead of just Main lab: impressing us with his humanity. 10251-106 St. Alpha Cine Service 7 Edmonton T5J 1H5 Nevertheless, it is a commendable Bellevue Pathe 38 first film, and since both father and ph. (403) 423-5081 Cine Audio Ltd. 42 son Kivilo are well aware that per­ Canadian Film Awards 20 haps it is a little overwritten, the 1027-6th Ave. S.W. 5 strains of Finlandia a mite overpow­ Calgary T2P0W1 Cine Sea ering, and the goodness perhaps just (403) 266-3310 Direction generale du cinema 13 a touch too unrelieved, the prospects Famous Players 23 for their next films are very good 2,15 indeed. " Color Neg. II (7247) Film House 22 They would like to capture the fla­ & Pos. (7383) Film Opticals vor of the life of other minority * 7239/40, 7252, 7242/41/56 Kingsway 6 groups in this vast mosaic nation. "B&W Neg/Pos Kodak 43 Learning from this first experience * Complete Post-Production in which, with a tiny budget ($7000), M.C.A. 7 Services and the donated services of Estonian The Mixing House 42 friends, they have produced a profes­ * Editing Facities, MS Art Services 22 sional, marketable and sincere film, featuring 22 they should in fact be perfectly Clean Air Neg Cutting Room Ontario Arts Council equiped to do so. * Equipment Rentals Proparms Ltd. 6 Natalie Edwards Sonolab 44

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