TVO Media Education Group, owner of public educational television broadcaster TVO, previewed an episode of For the Love of Movies Thursday night at Hot Docs Cinema. The five-part weekly docuseries, starting March 28, mines the vaults of the iconic Saturday Night at the Movies! which ran for nearly 40 years.
The iconic Toronto-made show, created and hosted by the late Elwy Yost, screened classic films from silent era through to modern masterpieces, then delved into them with interviews with actors, directors, costume designers, and others integral to movie-making.
The free event was followed by a Q&A with comedian/actress Aurora Browne (Baroness Von Sketch Show) who narrates the series; TVO’s Lyn Rowett, lead producer; and Thom Ernst, the last host of Saturday Night at the Movies!. Rowett also introduced Risa Shuman, long-time producer “who was with Elwy almost from the start,” who told some stories from the audience.
Yost, who died in 2011, was the host for 25 years, starting on March 30, 1974, beloved by Hollywood for his knowledge and enthusiasm. Shelagh Rogers then took over for a year, Johanna Scheller for two years and, finally, Ernst in 2006. The final broadcast was on August 31, 2013, cancelled due to budget cuts.
“I had the honor and pleasure of making this,” said Rowett, during the Q&A. “I started at TVO on a different show, and people were talking about this Saturday Night at the Movies! and all these incredible interviews, and I was like, ‘What is this?’
“And then, I heard someone in the documentaries team mention that it was Elwy’s 100th birthday, and I was like, ‘I could make a little video for that, if anyone was interested’ because I thought if I do that I’ll have to have a look at this magic archive that I’ve heard so much about.
And I did, and it was beyond amazing. I could not believe what was there and what this small company in Ontario had managed to achieve. I was like, ‘Everyone should see this.’”
She said she went to John Ferri, TVO’s vice-president, programming & content; and Elizabeth St. Philip, director, programming development, with the idea of this docuseries, and was greenlit.
The Hot Docs audience was treated to the full screening of the Hollywood Glamour episode about costume design — featuring such legends as Bob Mackie and Edith Head — and then eight minutes of the comedy episode, Canadians Are Funny, Eh?, with John Candy, Martin Short, Mike Myers, and Catherine O’Hara.
The other four episodes are: Canadians Are Funny, Eh?, which features John Candy, Martin Short, Mike Myers, and Catherine O’Hara; War and Hollywood, examining epics; Fear on Film, the horrors genre with Vincent Price, Roger Corman, and David Cronenberg; and The Directors, discussing strategies and choices.
For the Love of Movies will be available weekly, starting March 28, at 8 p.m., on TVO Today, YouTube channel, website and Smart TV app.
Asked by Now Toronto if TVO would ever resurrect the show, Rowett said, “It will depend on how well this show does and what the appetite is, adding, “It is now a very different time. Now, movie stars and behind-the-scenes people, they all have their own YouTube channels; they have their own Instagram; and there is a lot more access to their information. They can curate it themselves,
“But, never say never. There’s still so much to be learned. And the film industry is in Toronto. It’s just like you don’t even have to go to Hollywood anymore. I mean, it would be nice, So, who knows? is my answer to that.”
