No Ordinary Fool

Bold. Funny. Wistful.

Bold. Funny Wistful.

Bold. Funny. Wistful.

Winnipeg.

Winnipeg.

Winnipeg.

A working man’s town.

The heart of the heart of Canada.

Guy Maddin is trying to escape. Must escape. Escape Winnipeg. Escape his mother. But how? The train! That’s how! However, he needs to stay awake. In a city of sleepwalkers. Must stay awake.

It is not easy. There are mystic forces. Mystic forces that run through the city. Brought them all here. Here to stay. The forces run through the river. Even below the river, some say. The buffalo. The settlers. All brought here. Brought to Winnipeg.

But Winnipeg is changing. Gone is the old ice hockey stadium. Its smells of sweat, urine, and breastmilk. All gone . Gone too are its legends. Gone is the old horse track. It burned down. The fleeing horses froze. Only their heads left visible. Tourist attraction for a time.

The municipal baths with swimming pools on three floors. Unique place. Only one floor used now. The smallest park in the world. Gone. The Manitoba Sports Museum. Every building it is housed in goes bankrupt. Why?

Who will protect the girls from Bolshevik rapists? Why was the city once renamed Himmlerstadt? What will happen next on Ledge Man?

Must escape. Escape Winnipeg. Again. But this time for good. Again.

Just need to stay awake long enough to do so.

Mother is watching! Her psychic sense tells her everything!

How to leave mother?

Perhaps re-create childhood scenes! Attempt to understand them. Bring in actors to play the siblings as they were then. Move back into the old house. See if that helps. Help to escape Winnipeg.

Winnipeg. Covered in ice and snow. Portrayed in black and white. A paean to silent cinema. A pastiche! Yes, a pastiche! A city’s history uniquely portrayed with love and deadpan humour.

There is no film like it. Perhaps this is because it is not a film. Rather, a poem!

A visual poem.

A fantastical poem.

A magical poem.

Escape while you can to go see it.