Hollywood North (2003)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Peter O'Brian

Writers:

Barry Healey (writer) &
John Hunter (writer) ...

Release Date:

12 January 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The camera never lies ... only the people behind it.

Plot:

A producer buys the film rights of a famous Canadian novel known as "Latern Moon" and plans the production...

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Canadian Expatriate | Nymphomaniac | Canada | Movie Business

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Matthew Modine	...	Bobby Myers
Saul Rubinek	...	Paul Linder
Alan Bates	...	Michael Baytes
Joe Cobden	...	Howard Atkins
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Sandy Ryan
Alan Thicke	...	Peter Casey
John Neville	...	Henry Neville
Lindy Booth	...	Molly
Fab Filippo	...	Frankie Candido (as Fabrizio Filippo)
Clare Coulter	...	Lindsay Marshall
Sandi Stahlbrand	...	Leslie Carrington
John Bayliss	...	Customs Inspector
Jennifer Tilly	...	Gillian Stevens
Audrey Lupke	...	Joanne Jennings
Kim Coates	...	Scott DiMarco

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, language and drug content.

Runtime:

Canada:89 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | Argentina:89 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A | USA:R | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Ballpark Productions Partnership

Trivia:

The character Lindsay Marshall is based on the well-respected Canadian author Margaret Atwood. The first film adaption of one of her novels Surfacing (1981) had similar problems as the movie "Road to Bogota" being made in this movie.

Quotes:

Lindsay Marshall: If God were Canadian, he would come down and destroy you and this production in a fiery apocalyptic rebuke!

Movie Connections:

References Wuthering Heights (1939)

Soundtrack:

A Million Vacations

The barbarian invaders

"Hollywood North" is an euphemism from the movie industry as they went to Canada to make movies because of tax breaks and cheaper costs in a civilized city like Toronto, in this case, later in Vancouver. Peter O'Brian, the director, probably saw a lot of the invaders from California that this movie seems to be the right way to deal with the arriving personalities trying to capitalize on the economics that Canada presented.

Needless to say, "Moon Lantern", the successful novel written by a Canadian author is turned into "Flight to Bogota", which has nothing to do with the original film. A great egotistical has-been, Michael Baytes, who is obsessed with what is happening in Iran, is offered the lead part, which turns to be a disaster.

The film seems to be saying that too many cooks have spoiled the broth, which seems to be the case with the ultimate product, which is saved by its producer, Bobby Myers. With the help of Sandy Ryan, who has been around making a documentary of the film being shot in Toronto, parts of the film are transformed into a cohesive movie at last.

The filming process is hilarious, and the acting, in general, is good.