The one thing I immediately noticed in Sam Wiebe’s book, Shot in Vancouver: Adventures in Hollywood North, is the lack of an index in the preview copy I received to read. When I’m trying to find out whether a certain movie or television production was filmed in town, at Terminal City, or somewhere else, having an index would come in handy. If that’s intentionally part of this book’s design, I hope the retail copy will be different. That’s because of the way he’s built the chapters, which move back and forth in chronology and purpose.
And along the way, the details he offers can make or break a section. That includes historical anecdotes about when Yvonne De Carlo made this city her home and why some Asian movies were filmed here. When downtown Vancouver was part of the Rumble in the Bronx set and the biggest running joke amongst fans during release was why are there mountains in the background? Even I looked at this chapter rather than to start on page one to see if that concern was ever addressed by the producers. Even today, there’s no official statement. Had this film historian sought an answer, I’d be pleased. But instead, all he wrote about is how this film helped certain talents begin their legacy.
What I found is why that film made North Vancouver-born Françoise Yip a household name rather than Stanley Tong, a director and stunt-performer, and why Jackie Chan took his stunts seriously. Amongst fans, these details are very well known.
Less well known is how TheCW created a block of superhero programming. It started with Smallville, which it inherited, and later morphed into an interconnected lineup of programs, which began with Arrow. The expanded universe was pretty much all filmed around the Lower Mainland, and that’s no easy task. With other productions including The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, what’s told is good but not deep. That’s because the entry I read for Superman and Lois doesn’t provide the deep dive I’d want as a fan. It might exist in the retail edition of the book, but for now, most of the information comes from media reports rather than interviews.
Thankfully, Wiebe has everything footnoted and identifies his sources. Readers can check them out to find the info they crave.
As I jump between chapters, regardless of how much or how little detail each entry offers, the number of productions made in Vancouver is quite overwhelming. That’s good! And for anyone in the know, I’m glad this film historian is covering longtime favourites like Highlander the Series, The X-Files, Stargate, and The Beachcombers. Had the book been limited to strictly Canadian productions, I’m sure it would be about 60% thinner. I’m glad this author knows his stuff and acknowledges nearly everything shot (if not fully made) in Vancouver.
Sadly, the preview copy’s table of contents does not offer a dedicated chapter on animation. I suspect that may be because it’s difficult to distinguish locally made works from joint productions. When Vancouver-based Mainframe Studios made ReBoot and Beast Wars way back when, they were the only major player at the time. This production house cut its teeth with these classics before moving into live-action.
Maybe I haven’t read far enough to find individual mentions of them in this book, and if they’re here, they’re buried. Over time, this company became Rainmaker Studios, which helped develop special effects for various local productions before transitioning to Mainframe Studios. It was during this time when they developed the short-lived series, ReBoot: The Guardian Code, and most viewers accepted it as TRON Lite (way before TRON Ares would be conceived).
To be fair, I got halfway through the 500-page book before writing this review. If it misses the boat on dedicated animation coverage, a proper deep dive into that industry could require a book of its own. I only say that because I know this town is home to many studios, like Atomic Cartoons (they produced many LEGO shorts for the company), Wild Brain (Monster High, Ninjago) and Bardel Entertainment (The Dragon Prince). When a lot of the production can stay in this area, voice over work included, that’s because a recording studio is most likely part of the business operation too.
As for Vancouver Island, I’m thankful my special corner of the world is acknowledged. That’s because of movies like the new Planet of the Apes trilogy (namely Rise and War), Bird on a Wire, and The Changeling. I’m still trying to find the entry for Sonic the Hedgehog because I remember the fuss local media made about the inconvenience to anyone using Highway 18. I know it’s in the book, but I haven’t found it yet. Gareth Edwards’s Godzilla made extensive use of well-known trestles near Goldstream rather than something fake built in Vancouver. Those are details I’d like confirmation of in a book, rather than having to dig up a newspaper clipping. And that’s exactly where an index would help.
Even though Wiebe’s coverage beyond Greater Vancouver feels a touch haphazard, he does a good job at least acknowledging what’s important. When he mentions X-Men 2, The Changeling, Bird on a Wire, and even Poltergeist, the TV series, I’m happy. That’s because Craigdarroch and Hatley Castle are mainstays for many Victorian-age movies. With Little Women in mind, even I couldn’t help but want to peek in. When Winona Ryder, Christian Bale, and Kirsten Dunst were in town, who wouldn’t want a chance to spot a celebrity?
When a book attempts to trace every production filmed around the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, I can’t resist comparing notes. And I can’t help but name-drop the works that matter to me while writing this review. Even I had to pause to soak in all the mentions. And honestly, I was not aware that the RoboCop remake was filmed at the Vancouver convention centre. I didn’t catch on until I rewatched the film. As for why I want to know it all, when I get together with pals for Jeopardy! or a Trivial Pursuit night, I feel well prepared after reading Shot in Vancouver!
3½ Stars out of 5
