Hurry Up & Wait: Monarch Documentary

I can sum up my rollercoaster of a year in just a few headlines, despite being pretty quiet about the Monarch Theatre and my documentary over the last few months. Spurred on again by today's story in the newspaper about the cinema, I realized that this game of "hurry up and wait" is causing some confusion about what's happening. 

First, no, you didn't miss the release of the movie. 

Make no mistake, I'd love nothing more than to finally have news to share about the premiere, when it's happening, and how you can get your tickets to see the film. A year ago the expectation that this would be out in 2023 was not only incredibly realistic, I was also committed to that plan as contractually I knew it's when the film would be delivered. 

Unfortunately, a lot of the activity surrounding the Monarch Theatre and its reopening has taken considerably longer than expected, and contrary to some popular belief, this activity doesn't involve me at all. I'm watching from the sidelines just like everyone else. 

The 2 hour and 15 minute documentary about this historic, largely unknown movie house, "Your Cinema Needs You" was completed this summer following the long-anticipated news that the Monarch Theatre was finally going to be purchased. This was the final piece of the narrative puzzle that I had been waiting for. The film was then finalized, delivered to await distribution, and the plans were set in motion for a premiere that would reopen the cinema. 

This was roughly 3 months ago. 

I know better than anyone how unpredictable a timeline can become when a story is still unfolding. It's also why the wider distribution / streaming of the documentary has been put on hold until it can play in the Monarch Theatre first. The overwhelming local support to see this outcome is now seemingly shared by everyone connected to the documentary, including the new owners / operators of the Monarch. So, here we are. 

Put simply, I know it's taking longer than everyone thought, but as soon as the Monarch is able to confirm a timeline, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops.

Midnight Madness & Kitschy Thrift Shop Finds

Last night was Midnight Madness in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta, and over the last couple years, this has become one of my new favourite Christmas traditions. Mostly, it's an excuse to snack and shop, but in addition to a few great visuals (like the balloon glow) we've made a habit of using the event as an excuse to find thrifty treasures around downtown.

If you're wondering where all of your grandparents' kitschy gems ended up - last night I bought 'em all! I am a sucker for vintage books, film, travel souvenirs, photography, etc.

A few of my finds included more VHS, 45s, and 8 tracks. I also found a handful of location-based glassware, your grandma's spoon collection from around North America, and a handful of vintage travel guides - including the official photo book of the torch relay from the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, the guidebook from the Tower of London gift shop, and a 1966 travel guide of Pompeii (100% in Italian). And what did my total come to for all of these incredibly rare historic artifacts? A whopping $18 for the night. It was a lot of fun.

 

Plaza Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada

Opened in 1971, the Plaza Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada was originally called the Union Plaza after being built on the site of the former train station. At the time of its opening it was promoted as the largest hotel casino in the world, and became an immediate icon with its dominant position at the end of Fremont Street (and now the Fremont Street Experience).

Over the year's the Plaza Hotel & Casino has featured prominently in pop culture, from Biff's casino in Back to the Future: Part II to a memorable scene in the domed restaurant between Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone in Martin Scorsese's Casino - as well as in music videos from The Killers, The Weeknd, and U2. The Plaza remains an icon of Las Vegas, Fremont Street, and of the old school cool that makes vintage Vegas so much fun to revisit time and time again. 

Another Round of Las Vegas Travel Shoots

This month brought on another round of Las Vegas travel shoots following the success of a whirlwind visit that took place earlier this year. This latest shoot was more extensive in that we covered the entire Las Vegas Strip, starting from the iconic sign on the south end to the Strat on the north end, as well as each of the downtown casinos along Fremont Street. 

Las Vegas is such a fascinating place to document in that it has evolved so much in such a relatively short amount of time. Having visited countless times now, I have so much nostalgia for this city and love coming back and seeing what's new. The Sphere, Formula 1, Halloween, and more made the list this time. Early highlights also appeared on the Editing Luke instagram account, but you can expect lots of this new library will roll out online over the next year. 

 

Vintage Monarch Theatre Movie Ad Prints: Series 2

This second collection is a follow up to the first series of vintage movie ad prints created as part of the production for Your Cinema Needs You about the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Full details on this new collection here. Also, here.

 

Monarch Documentary: CBC News & the Homestretch

Earlier this week, Your Cinema Needs You was featured on the Homestretch on CBC Radio One following news of the Monarch Theatre's planned reopening. As part of this, CBC then ran a story about the documentary adding to a long list of features as plans for the premiere develop. Read the full story and listen to the clip from the Homestretch here.

One of Canada's Oldest Cinemas is Reopening

This week following the news of the Monarch Theatre's reopening in Medicine Hat, I did a follow up interview with the Calgary Herald about the premiere of my documentary, Your Cinema Needs You. The story was then picked up by the Edmonton Journal. Read the full story here.

 

Monarch Theatre Has Finally Been Sold

At last night's city council meeting it was finally made public that the Monarch Theatre has sold and is now on track to reopen! You can only imagine the barrage of messages I've already received asking if I knew about this, what this means for the documentary, and does this mean the movie premiere is finally a go? Original post here.

In short, for the better part of this year I was aware this deal was in the works. I finalized the documentary in July only after this outcome became certain, but was still at the mercy of the news becoming public before I could say anything. It's been a long, long wait, but yes, this outcome has fulfilled the ending I'd been holding out for for so many months.

While dates are yet to be determined and there are many more discussions to be had, I am thrilled to announce that we've already confirmed the grand reopening event at the Monarch Theatre will be the premiere for Your Cinema Needs You.

More details to come soon.

 

A Month of Travel Shoots Across Italy

The better part of this month has been defined by a series of brand new travel shoots across Italy. This time I was fortunate to have my dad along for the ride as we explored landmarks and attractions (largely) around Rome, Florence, Naples, and Venice. Stay tuned as these new photo essays are added to the Overseas Collection in the months ahead.

 

Vintage Monarch Theatre Movie Ad Prints: Series 1

Part limited-edition print release, part official merch drop for my upcoming documentary, today I released a collection of 10 cardstock prints featuring custom-restored movie ads from the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Created as part of the production for "Your Cinema Needs You", the soon to be released feature-length documentary about Canada's oldest surviving cinema, these prints feature stylized ads spanning the Monarch Theatre's history from the silent era up into the 1980s.

Each print is 5x7" and is printed on a heavy cardstock, matte laminated on the image side, and features the documentary film logo and description on the reverse. These prints were restored from uncovered negatives, were custom edited and stylized for "Your Cinema Needs You", and each one specifically references the Monarch Theatre and just some of the notable films that played there - because of this process, this collection does not exist anywhere else.

The collection of 10 prints is available for $60 and includes a free pop & popcorn enamel pin set in addition to free shipping. Full details for this flash sale are on the Editing Luke Facebook page as of today (while stock lasts).

Prints in series one include: Silent Era 1, Charlie Chaplin, Silent Era 2, Wizard of OZ, King Kong, Gone With the Wind, Mid-Century 1, Mid-Century 2, Jaws, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.