Most people know Paul Gross from his role in the short-lived TV show “Due South” as a Canadian Mountie on the trail of his father’s killer who — for reasons that don’t need exploring in this blog post — became the biggest secret crush of many women who in their late 20s continue to write erotic fanfiction about him to this very day. What people don’t know is that he’s a screenwriter and director as well, and his latest project has the very ambitious goal of making people become aware of the Canadian film industry via his new WWI-era film Passchendaele (pronounced “passion-dale”). (Source: Risky Biz @ Hollywood Reporter)
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: “Canadians make movies? I thought their film industry only existed to support U.S. projects that are too expensive to film Stateside?” And therein lies the problem. Because Canada is so close to the U.S. and we share a common language and heritage, oftentimes Canadians feel as if their voices and culture are being overwhelmed by ours.
Think of it like two guys who move into two side-by-side houses named Sam and Doug. At first things are pretty cool and they talk to each other as they mow their front lawns and sometimes they watch football games on alternating weekends at each other’s houses. Sam comes over to help Doug shovel his walk in the winter, and Doug sometimes watches Sam’s mailbox when he leaves on vacation in the summer.
Then one night, Sam comes home with a really hot chick named Holly Wood who likes to party hard, and eventually she moves in. At first Doug is a little annoyed when Holly invites everyone in her cell phone over for late-night parties, but since Sam still lets Doug come over to watch the football games on his 60-inch plasma TV he’s fine with it. That’s cool, because Doug has a new live-in girlfriend of his own, a sweet motherly sort of woman who makes him cookies. But then the girls start hanging out while the guys are at work, and Doug’s sweet motherly girlfriend starts thinking that she needs to start ratting up her hair like Holly does, and she has to start dressing like Holly, and she starts to curse and swear like Holly does.
And then Sam starts saying things that Doug can’t stand about nice people he knows, with Holly’s urging. And it’s Holly’s idea that whenever Doug comes over to watch the ball games, Doug has to chip in to pay for all the beer.
If you lived next to an obnoxious neighbor who was trying to impose his ideals on you and yours, wouldn’t that make you want to reject everything that American pop culture stands for, and explore your own identity as a Canadian?
Eric Lee says:
I’ve been reading along for a while now. I just wanted to drop you a comment to say keep up the good work.
TrishaLynn says:
Aw, that’s real sweet of you to say that. Thank you for the compliment, and I think I’ve gotten comfortably settled into my blogging groove.
Jacob Moore says:
I just wanted to say that, as a Canadian, I think you’ve humourously but accurrately grasped the relationship between my country and your own, at least in terms of culture/entertainment. Refreshing to see an American who’s actually aware of that dynamic.
As with Eric, I’ve come to really enjoy your posts. Keep it up!
Trisha Lynn says:
@Jacob: Thanks for the compliment.
I blame my Canadian friends, cousins, and the three separate visits I’ve made to your fair country (Vancouver once, Toronto twice) for my understanding of your country, as well as my perhaps not-so-secret crushes on Paul Gross, Nicholas Lea, and Chris Leavins for my understanding of your culture.
A. says:
Don't forget Paul's starring role in “Aspen Extreme”, which is still my favorite ski movie, by far.