A Toronto Book Launch

Last Tuesday, author John Frankel launched his first novel at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club. The event was a great success, with proceeds from sales at the book launch going to the University of Toronto Schools.

I had the pleasure of being John's editor on the journey from manuscript to print, and this book was a joy to edit. Believe me. I don't always get an opportunity to spend entire portions of my day in the throes of laughter, but John is a witty and irreverent writer, capable of both scathing satire and profound wisdom. These are traits that I enjoy—in books as well as people.

The Independent Republic of Harvey Markson is a funny book. It is also cerebral and serious. John himself poses the question: Is it a satirical romp or a psychological thriller?

Why not read it for yourself:

Trafford Publishing
Amazon Canada

Torontonians can also contact Book City on St. Clair & Yonge.

Remembering TIFF 09: Life During Wartime - Solondz

I am not sure if Life During Wartime is still awaiting a distributor. According to Anne Thompson's Blog, posted on the 19th of September, it had not been picked up. I hope it does get wide distribution and soon because this is a very, very good film and one that needs to be seen. Personally, I think this is Todd's best. I have always enjoyed Solondz' work, but his latest film is a masterful stroke of droll comic genius that happens to also deliver a sobering punch.

That heavy-duty wallop strikes at the very end of the film—the last line and the last frame leave an indelible impression, like most prizefight punches do. It haunted me for days. And in true cinematic form, it brilliantly delivers that message with few words and a fleeting, heartwrenching visual that simply and beautifully exudes longing and loss.

Script, acting — not a note out of place, not a sliver of excess. This is a wonderfully conceived and executed film. It works on several levels—a comment on an entire nation's current social climate and a family tragi-comedy. So there is something here for everyone. Basically, you will take out of this film what you bring to the table in awareness or acceptance of this crazy contemporary fishbowl called 21st century North America. And since we are all swimming around for dear life in the same mess, there will be many an uneasy laugh of recognition.

Kudos to Solondz and here’s my favourite review of it to date, at Variety.

TIFF Will Keep You BUFF

First, before I write anything else, I have to say that next year I might consider going into training for a few months leading up to TIFF. Cinephiles and celebrity stalkers alike could probably benefit from some simple training routines to build stamina, endurance and speed, because the ten days of TIFF are tantamount to an extreme workout, for both body and brain.

For those of you who think we moviegoers are out-of-shape, lazy, pathetic, popcorn-inhaling zombies without lives of our own, think again. Nothing could be further from the truth!

You need stamina just to get through the first round of the fight: the endless queuing up! And that's just to get your schedule, programme book and order form.

Once you have spent a few sleepless nights pouring over the synopses of 370+ films, you have to rush back to line up again, just to drop off your precious choices.

You spend a few more sleepless nights praying.

Once you have found out which of the films you did or did not nab, you line up again to make exchanges or redeem "unfulfilled" vouchers.

By this time, you are really, really tired.

And then the festival kicks off.

Glamour is clearly for the red carpet crowd only. True TIFF-ites are a rugged group of individuals, dressed for comfort, armed with bags, snacks, water, and looking frazzled, unwashed and bleary-eyed. And that after only Day Two.

But rugged is the key word here, because it requires strength of will and strong legs to stand in those lines day in, day out - day after day for 10 days.
(Not to mention patience, bottled water and sunglasses. Occasionally, an umbrella.)

It requires muscles and elbow power to get your seat - you know, that perfect seat where no large head will loom to block out your view of the screen and where you will be able to sit in unobstructed bliss for about two hours without having to hear wrappers being crumpled or popcorn being munched.

It requires Olympic-athlete speed so that at a drop of a hat you will be able to sprint entire city blocks just to get to your next screening on time if the Q & A session happens to go longer than planned or the screening you were at was delayed.

You need to be able to whizz across town like a big-screen super hero because more often than not Toronto's midday traffic slows cabs, buses and cars to the speed of sludge. The subway or a good pair of shoes are your best bet. (Although I have been known to do this in high heels with remarkable results. Anyone on Victoria Street last Monday the 14th around 4:55 pm can vouch for that. I made it to the Winter Garden in time, thank you very much, and still had time to wave at Bono, Edge, Colin Farrell and Neil Jordan.)

Finally, the TIFF endurance workout requires the suppression of bodily functions and desires until you can find (a) a bathroom (b) Starbucks (c) a clean bathroom (d)another Starbucks (e) water (f) food. Any food. Anything. Crumbs start to look good.

So now that TIFF is over and I finally have a chance to take more than a passing glance in the mirror, I must say ... I'm impressed. Lookin' hot! I swear I've shed a bit of excess flab accumulated over the past year of sofa-entrenched DVD viewing. I feel fit, fine and ready for ...

but sadly, I have to wait until the TIFF Fall Games 2010.

I have, therefore, come to the conclusion that I want to look this good BEFORE the Fest opens next year. I figure that come May or June, I might get a gym membership. You know, do a little kick boxing, maybe some martial arts, some aerobics, get on a treadmill or two...

Because you can never be too fit for TIFF.

Based on the Book...

Hello and welcome to the very first Mad Poet's Corner blog. This inaugural blog coincides with the opening weekend of the Toronto International Film Festival. So the blogging - if any - this week is going to be about film, not so much about the written word.

That said, however, three of the four films I have seen thus far were all based on books: Creation was adapted from Annie's Box by Randal Keynes. The Vintner's Luck was a bestseller written by Kiwi author Elizabeth Knox. Oscar Wilde's famous novel provided the screenplay for Oliver Parker's remake, Dorian Gray.

With the screening of Bright Star (about Keats), a movie with a very well-known title, Leaves of Grass, and The Road, based on a Cormac McCarthy novel, it's safe to say that the world of letters still holds a good deal of fascination for filmmakers.

While much is debated about the merits and drawbacks of adaptations in general, I am intrigued by them. I enjoy seeing text spring to life visually. The sensitivity and creativity that is required to translate pages into screen images is inarguably commendable. Sometimes the efforts soar; other times they fall flat. Jon Amiel, the director of Creation commented on this very thing during the Q & A after the film. I believe he said that instead of calling them adaptations, they should be called "interpretations," as that is what they truly are. In fact, to be honest, even readers are "interpreting" as they read. A book will speak to each individual differently. So too a film.

So who am I to say that this or that has failed or succeeded? What is important in the end is the effort and the communication. The attempt to share a vision. For all of our stories are one - part of the human drama that goes on and on.

I like to think of the Toronto Film Festival not as a series of screenings of films from this part of the world or that, not as an opportunity to spot celebrities, not as fodder for film critics, but as a great conversation. A conversation played out in words and images among people who are hoping to understand the experience of being human a little bit better by sharing it and speaking about it. That we do this in dazzling, exciting and novel ways is a testament to the human spirit and the joy of creativity.

Be it book or film.