comment #1

christian says ...

This is one of those films I'd always see in the video store and think, "Canadian Tax Shelter."

comment #2

MilkMan says ...

David Leland's Checking Out, starring Jeff Daniels, is a nicely calibrated black comedy about death. I personally feel that death should be treated with liberal doses of deadpan black humor, or, it should be looked squarely in the face. Sentimentality is for the weak. Rob Reiner is a malorkus.

Christian: Very funny. You should make a list of the Best Canadian Tax Shelter Movies. If you wrote a list like that I would read it and laugh.

Rob Reiner, Ron Howard, and Penny Marshall represent everything that's hideously mediocre about Hollywood.

Long Live Michael Lembeck! Robby Benson is an underrated genius! Bret Michaels made a huge mistake! Zoo touched my heart in places I didn't know I had! Cria Cuervos put me to sleep!

comment #3

Josh Massey says ...

Don't forget My Life. I can hear the Enya-filled trailer now.

comment #4

Edward says ...

We should also not forget the excellent "Wit" with the remarkable Emma Thompson and the fantastic Audra McDonald.

comment #5

christian says ...

"You should make a list of the Best Canadian Tax Shelter Movies."

I just might. I saw far too many in the 80's, either in the theater in my quest to watch Every Horror Film Ever Made or on HBO etc.

Here's a sample:

FUNERAL HOME - Great title for a scary film huh?
Nope. Made in Canada. People talk and talk about the scary Funeral Home. There is a retarded janitor. Nothing else happens. Cha-ching!

And just about every Donald Sutherland movie made in the 80's.

And don't forget, Michael Lembeck was the glam star of the Kroft's Supershow on ABC...

comment #6

corey3rd says ...

all of Cronenberg's early movies were tax shelter productions.

comment #7

George Prager says ...

HAWKS was a mainstay at my 7/11's video section (when 7/11 rented movies).

"And don't forget, Michael Lembeck was the glam star of the Kroft's Supershow on ABC..."

As KAPTAIN KOOL!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VjEIFR2ZHBI

P.S. Flatbush was played by Bert Sommer, who played at Woodstock and sang lead on a couple of Left Banke classics ("Ivy Ivy", "And Suddenly" and "Men Are Building Sand").

comment #8

Howlingman says ...

"all of Cronenberg's early movies were tax shelter productions."

This is a great website for those interested in the not so secret shame of my home and native land's efforts.

www.canuxploitation.com

I've had the pleasure to work for several of the Tax Shelter Era's more notorious producers -- they're still tryin'

comment #9

Craig Kennedy says ...

Milkman can we add Penny's brother Garry to that list of mediocrity?

comment #10

Craig Kennedy says ...

And thanks for your use of the word "malorkus" by the way.

comment #11

christian says ...

Garry Marshall is great as the hippie-hating cop in PSYCH-OUT.

comment #12

christian says ...

Great site that canuxploitation.com.

I loved HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME and MY BLOODY VALENTINE. Still pretty creepy today.

STARSHIP INVASIONS...Christopher Lee and Robert Vaughn...nuff said.

comment #13

Howlingman says ...

I'm a devoted fan of RITUALS, right down to the bootleg DVD. A very creepy (and largely unknown) movie that uses isolation to great effect.

comment #14

MoroccoMole says ...

Omigosh, I actually saw this movie at the 1989 USA Film Festival in Dallas -- it is indeed the same plot, and if memory serves, Hawks isn't half bad.

And if I've gotta pick a Canadian tax shelter fave, I'll go with TICKET TO HEAVEN, starring Nick Mancuso and Kim Cattrall. Great creepy cult movie about actual cults.

comment #15

Sarcastig says ...

There's also a German movie that mixes this idea with a kind of Thelma and Louise story, filtered through Tarantino style. It's called Knockin' on Heaven's Door, and while it's a weird amalgam indeed, it is worth checking out.

comment #16

christian says ...

i saw TICKET TO HEAVEN a lot on HBO. is that the one with james woods as the de-programmer? it was the first time i ever saw him and he steals the film. i should imdb, but i'm...lazy.

comment #17

MilkMan says ...

No Christian, that's Split Image (dir. Ted Kotcheff), w/ Danny Noonan. Has one of the worst Freeze Frame Endings of all time, but James Woods is very convincing as a sleazy de-programmer.

comment #18

christian says ...

Yes, that's right. I just love that my first exposure to James Woods was him spitting in a guy's face. Too apt.

comment #19

NDH says ...

'Hawks' is actually a pretty great movie, anchored by a fantastic performance from Timothy Dalton. The plot seems to be a direct inspiration for 'The Bucket List' and kudos to Wells for unearthing this little seen flick to point out the similarity.

comment #20

Spacesheik says ...

I saw HAWKS at the now sadly closed PLAZA cinema on Lower Regent street in London, it was a substantial British hit at the time and was playing at all the decent movie houses - Timothy Dalton's performance was lauded at the time.

Just because you guys are on this side of the pond doesn't necessarily mean this is reaks of a 'Canadian Tax Shelter' flick.

comment #21

christian says ...

"Just because you guys are on this side of the pond doesn't necessarily mean this is reaks of a 'Canadian Tax Shelter' flick."

It was a joke based on the fact that when I worked at Tower Video, tax shelter obscurities were abundant.

Anyway, I'm now dying to see this.
So we've come full circle.