In this week’s newsletter, I write about Emmanuelle in Ontario, and how Just Jaeckin’s erotic film was at the onset of Ontario’s most heavy-handed era of film censorship. open.substack.com/pub/thedownt...

This week’s newsletter looks at the history of The Bloor Theatre. No no, not that one. The one across the street, which we’ve known as Lee’s Palace since the mid-‘80s.
open.substack.com/pub/thedownt...

This cut deep.

For the Toronto Star, I write about Ed Conroy new book, ImagiNation: The Golden Age of Toronto Kids’ TV. Although the book spans 50 year of important programming, this here ‘80s kid spills lots of ink on Today’s Special & some of the difficult themes they tackled.
www.thestar.com/entertainmen...

RIP Peter Watkins.

Across Canada, indie cinemas are re-emerging in rural areas the major chains have left behind. But their survival is far from certain, as owners fight uphill battles with studio demands, the economy, moviegoing marketplace & regulations built for another era.
www.cbc.ca/arts/for-sma...

Want to read about a Toronto theatre whose owner was nearly killed by competitors, played a role in bringing foreign films to neighbourhood cinemas & later played a brief but pivotal role in shaping Toronto’s punk scene? Learn more about The King Theatre:

open.substack.com/pub/thedownt...

Thanks Norm! Emmanuelle meets Government Regulators — together at last!

Film classification is fading in Canada. But in B.C., it is alive & well, much to the dismay of exhibitors, distributors & industry advocates who spoke to me, calling the current system parochial, archaic & out of step with modern film exhibition. My latest for @theglobeandmail.com