BeatRoute Magazine AB Edition November 2018

TONTO WEEK
rock opera and star-studded documentary put the famed synthesizer on center stage at NMC
SEASON’S BLEEDINGS
isolated, bleak, cold...sounds like November
was born and raised in a small city in Northern Alberta. The
I winters were long and cold – I’m talking snow drifts taller than
me and temperatures hovering close to -40 degrees. Not only
was that isolating in and of itself, the closest city was a five hour
drive away. November still remains the most dreadful month of
the year for me – the formal introduction to the onset of winter.
Cold, monochromatic, bleak... This is the palette I envision when
describing this month. It became quite clear that there was only
one viable option in terms of sub-genre – And it is trademarked
by banishment from sunlight and nourishment from human
blood.
Salem’s Lot (1979)
Stephen King is just the (forgive the pun) king of everything.
With his impenetrable tales of terror allowing space for Tobe
Hooper to direct, little room is left for error. Truth be told, I
dodged this one for years having been intimidated by its lengthy
runtime due to its initial release as a television miniseries. On
top of the lengthy runtime, it burns slowly – another thing I’m
inclined to avoid. In hindsight, I deeply regret my avoidance. Hell,
I can’t even say that it would benefit from being cut and edited,
every frame serves a purpose. Worth mentioning, too, is the
hefty handful of nightmarish scenes that have haunted me since.
For those of you still not convinced, hear me out – the third
act is one of the most effective pay offs to-date. Don’t make the
same mistake I did.
The Phantom of the Paradise is a cherished
cult film of mammoth proportions. A
big star of the film is the unique modular synthesizer
TONTO, an invention which joined
different types of synth technology into one
machine to allow musical experimentation
unlike ever before. In 2013, Studio Bell acquired
Tonto for their working musical instrument
collection and the famous synthesizer
was moved to Calgary to be restored for use.
In conjunction with the Alberta Electronic
Music Festival, Studio Bell is celebrating the
completion of TONTO’s restoration with
TONTO week, a series of events which include
a rare screening of the cult film that helped
make TONTO famous.
The Phantom of the Paradise is many
things at once: a mind-bending horror film,
rock opera, tragedy, love story, comedy and a
cautionary tale for us mere mortals. There’s a
reason why the movie ran almost constantly
for a year in Winnipeg after it first opened and
has earned permanent die-hard cult status
around the world: it’s a damn good film.
Legendary director Brian DePalma both
wrote and directed the story, drawing from
the classic tales of Faust, The Phantom of the
Opera and The Picture of Dorian Grey. Rod
Serling of the surreal TV show The Twilight
Zone narrates an eerie introduction explaining
how the music mogul Swan seeks the music
to open his new rock palace “the Paradise”
with: “..this film is the story of that search, of
that sound, of the man who made it, the girl
who sang it and the monster who stole it.”
Winslow Leach is a brilliant composer. Swan
steals his masterpiece cantata and sends him to
jail on false charges. Leach escapes from prison
and is horribly injured and believed dead after
he tries to destroy the pop-music pressings of
the music swan stole from him. Things heat
up when a lurking phantom kills the Paradise’s
opening act “Beef” in a horrible onstage spectacle.
The story get even stranger after that.
The diminutive Paul Williams (who also
plays Swan in the film) wrote the music
and lyrics for the soundtrack at the height
of his song-writing career and each tune is
quite successful on its own. Blistering rock
performances by Swan’s musical incantation
“The Undead” leave more than a few people
chopped up afterwards. The chanteuse Phoenix
sings a hauntingly beautiful love ballad
after Beef is cooked alive onstage. Immediately
an instant star, Phoenix is seduced by Swan
which creates a love-triangle that doesn’t end
well at all.
Don’t be thrown off by the movie’s campy
1970’s aesthetic or apparent simplicity, this
is a film lover’s film of the highest order with
strong visual symbolism and a rich sub-text.
It’s a dark parody and venomous critique of
the star-making schemes of greedy producers
and well worth seeing on the big screen.
Love and death, hope and despair, doom and
redemption all await the viewer in this unique
rock and roll horror phantasy.
And if that wasn’t enough, TONTO week
is rounded off with a matinee screening on
Nov. 18 of I Dream of Wires, an acclaimed
feature length documentary that explores the
resurgence of the modular synthesizer. Trent
Let the Right One In (2008)
I’m typically not a fan of minimalism in film; I long for excessively
aesthetic sets more often than not because I’m a glutton. That
being said, this Swedish vampiric tale is an exception to my general
ruling. Let the Right One In, like most within the sub-genre,
is deeply romantic at its core. Following a young bullied boy who
happens to find solace in a peculiar 12 year old night dweller
is extremely touching, even despite the girl having been 12 for
an unknowable amount of time. Emotions aside, the parasitic
disease on display is nothing but primal and ruthless. Images of
a child maliciously mauling vulnerable adults ignites feelings of
both awe and disgust. Lavish gore and extreme fatalities shine
through the monochromatic palette of the cinematography like
diamonds in the rough.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
If all cinema is art, then Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the Monalisa. I
have yet to experience a film so intricately designed – so aesthetically
beautiful in every single frame. Perfected sets right down to
the most minute detail are only the tip of the iceberg, for no area
of this masterpiece was neglected upon creation. Ringing true
to the 1897 novel that largely established vampire-lore, the story
flows effortlessly, accentuated by awe-inspiring creature design
and practical effects. Truly frightening at times while maintaining
a deeply erotic atmosphere, this is the epitome of true gothic
horror to me.
Salem’s Lot
by David Daley
Reznor is among the featured musicians who
explain their passion for the Moog synthesizer
and why it’s unique sound is a permanent
ingredient in music today and always will be.
The Phantom of the Paradise screens at 7:00
pm on Nov. 17 at Studio Bell, and I Dream of
Wires screens at 11:00 am on Nov. 18 at the
King Eddy. TONTO Week runs from Nov. 14 to
18. All other TONTO Week events can be found
at: www.studiobell.ca
By Breanna Whipple
FILM BEATROUTE • NOVEMBER 2018 | 15