Today feels like the appropriate moment to bring you a Friday Films selection that symbolically bridges the relationship between the country of Canada and this here United States of American.
With Thanksgiving being next week, and Canada’s Thanksgiving Day having just taken place a few weeks ago, why not celebrate this delicate balance with a little something I like to call…
Canadian Vacation.
The back-story:
In the summer of 2003 we were attending a family reunion in upstate New York. Katie’s family had gathered in from all over the country, and we were visiting Church History sites. On this particular day, several of us ventured over to Niagara Falls. (Not officially a Church History site.)
I brought the video camera, as tourists are wont to do.
As we were getting out of the car Katie commented, “You know we’ll never actually watch any of this video footage. Video of water falling? BO-RING.” Then she got an idea. An awful idea. Katie got a horrible, awful idea.
"Let’s make our little tour of Niagara Falls into a movie!” she said. “Like, a movie with a plot and dialogue and craft services and everything!” And then she enlisted her family members, who know just as well as I do that when Katie is in her "creative zone," you don't mess.
The story:
The plot (if you can call it that) was made-up on the spot. (But according to reviews, it is still better than Jack & Jill, the most recent Adam Sandler rubbish.)
My character is a giddy, naïve tourist who becomes completely enraptured with Canada, He greets everyone he meets, tries to speak the language, and wants to become a Canuck.
UNTIL…the fateful moment he rides the “Maid of the Mist” boat, and actually brushes up against the Falls. He gets nervous, then nauseous…then decides that he absolutely hates Canada.
Well, he can’t get back to America too soon, and actually gets emotional when he does. But are his touring days over for good?
Closing Remarks:
Why haven’t I posted this video before now? Well, because. Because I’m a little self-conscious to show it to you, quite frankly. Because we only shot each scene one time. Because I don’t know who was on wardrobe that day, but my shirt is no less than 9 sizes too big. Because the story line is a bit weak. And because I only recently found it, going through old family videos.
Please enjoy Canadian Vacation. Eat your heart out, Chevy Chase.
4 comments:
The talents in the Craig family will never cease. OH CAN-ADA!
Having starred - yes, everyone else who was in the movie, I said STARRED - in one of Katie Scorcese's movies, I know how Sundance Film Festival she can get when she's in the zone. She says you barf on Canada, then dude, you freaking BARF on Canada. You sell it. Eat at Carl's Jr. first if you must, but when she hollers, "Action!" you best be casting up your guts, as my erudite mother always says.
Haha! You seriously have no shame. Rock on!
I enjoyed readingg this
Post a Comment