# Does Canada have a "national epic"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947 "2007-09-12T18:41:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/61 "2007-09-13T14:52:55Z")
Just to add, more recently, Michael Crummey’s novel _River Thieves_ documents meetings between European settlers and the Beothuk in Newfoundland. There’s definitely a feel that something much larger than the described action is really taking place. There’s a great film hiding in there. And Joseph Boyden’s _Three Day Road_ follows two First Nations snipers into the First World War. It’s an ambitious novel, dealing, as is often the case in Canada, with culture clash on several levels and on more than one continent. It’s not always successful, in my opinion, but it has that epic feel and would make a great film. There are dozens of other novels I could point out. English Canada has far more luck with novels than film. I think it just comes down to money. Film is expensive; novels, by comparison, are not. If an English-language novel flops, nobody loses their shirt. If a ten-million dollar film flops, on the other hand, it’s somewhat more disastrous, even though the sum is laughable by Hollywood standards. The question is, How does Quebec manage it? Why does the province have so many financially (and often critically) successful films? To which I can only answer that Quebeckers love to read about themselves, and they love even more seeing themselves up on screen. A Quebec-made film with a certain amount of hype is almost guaranteed to break even, just in Quebec alone. Anything else is gravy. Sadly, such is not the case in English Canada (which isn’t really even “English” to any great extent). It’s actually a lot more complicated than that, but I’m boring myself. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/62 "2007-09-13T15:00:40Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Does _The Hockey Sweater_ count as an epic-ette? [/QUOTE] It should! ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LqU4fFujCqk/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/LqU4fFujCqk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/63 "2007-09-13T15:15:13Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] Have you ever heard the Avro Arrow story? [/QUOTE] [With Dan Aykroyd!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118641/) ---
**Author:** ![Onan\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ce73a5/32.png) [@Onan\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onan_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/64 "2007-09-13T15:24:16Z")
_Danger Bay_ was pretty epic. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/65 "2007-09-13T15:28:28Z")
_Slap Shot?_ ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/66 "2007-09-13T15:33:06Z")
[QUOTE=Lunar Saltlick] films such as _Jesus de Montréal_ [/QUOTE] Dammit, you got there before I did. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/67 "2007-09-13T16:45:27Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Seems like the railroad would be a good subject for said epic. [/QUOTE] How about [The Railrodder](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059631/) ? ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/68 "2007-09-13T19:53:36Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] Unless Canada recently annexed the State of New York, how is this Canadian? [/QUOTE] Clearly, I’m thinking of another book which I read around the same time… took place in BC. Sorry 'bout that. [QUOTE=mnemosyne] My step-cousin wrote this book 😃 [/QUOTE] Tell her, based on Canada Reads, that I really want to read it. Haven’t found it down here, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/69 "2007-09-13T19:57:39Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] _Titanic_ or the like [/QUOTE] James Cameron, if I recall correctly, is Canadian. Point in fact, lots of Hollywood types are Canadian. Hence the reason there’s no great Canadian films–all the good people go to Hollywood. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/70 "2007-09-13T20:24:52Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] Hence the reason there’s no great Canadian films–all the good people go to Hollywood. [/QUOTE] And William Shatner, too… ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/71 "2007-09-13T20:31:03Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] And William Shatner, too… [/QUOTE] In an odd reverse of extradition, Canada has refused to take him back in spite of numerous requests and our brief annexation of Nova Scotia. I meant to mention _JESUS OF MONTREAL_ earlier, incidentally, as by far my favorite of the Canadian films I’ve seen. (Lothaire Bluteau seems to be one good and working actor with no desire to leave Canada.) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/72 "2007-09-13T23:33:37Z")
[QUOTE=Onan the Barbarian] _Danger Bay_ was pretty epic. [/QUOTE] Pffft, that was just _Beachcombers_ lite. For epic, in the sense of a grand adventure taking place across the entire country, I nominate _The Littlest Hobo_. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/73 "2007-09-14T02:46:43Z")
Oh good god. Bryan Ekers, I am glaring at you while I rip out my ears. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/74 "2007-09-14T02:58:36Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] For epic, in the sense of a grand adventure taking place across the entire country, I nominate _The Littlest Hobo_. [/QUOTE] [sings] _Maybe tomorrow, I’ll wanna settle down Until tomorrow, I’ll just keep moving on_[/sings] Of course, if _The Littlest Hobo_ is epic, then I also nominate _Mr Dressup!_ ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/75 "2007-09-14T11:33:29Z")
I’ll see your _Mr Dressup_ and I’ll raise you one _Bobino_😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/76 "2007-09-14T14:03:41Z")
[QUOTE=detop] I’ll see your _Mr Dressup_ and I’ll raise you one _Bobino_😃 [/QUOTE] Hey, as long as we’re talking kids’ shows as being “national epics,” \* here’s one sure way to tell if someone over a certain age (30? 35?) is Canadian: “Look up. Wayyyy up.” If they can supply the next phrase, they’re definitely Canadian. And, how long will it take for someone to identify this one? - Though shared experiences they may be, I don’t think they’re “national epics,” but let’s have a little fun. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/77 "2007-09-14T14:16:42Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] “Look up. Wayyyy up.” [/QUOTE] … and I’ll call Rusty. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/78 "2007-09-14T14:21:53Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] “Look up. Wayyyy up.” [/QUOTE] If I remember it correctly the next line is: “And we’re on our way to the castle” I thought that it was what **LionelHutz405** had said, but then I found [this vidoe clip](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7723331295790120043&q=The+Friendly+Giant+opening&total=29&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0) of the opening. Granted it is from very late in the shows run. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/79 "2007-09-14T14:35:50Z")
Actually, in that clip he says ‘look way up’ twice. Right at the end of the clip he says it and then says’ ‘I’ll call Rusty’. We may have to call for a ruling from the judges on this important debate. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947/80 "2007-09-14T14:45:11Z")
[QUOTE=LionelHutz405] … and I’ll call Rusty. [/QUOTE] Wow! One post, 13 minutes. Well done, you Canadian you! 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-canada-have-a-national-epic/418947.md?page=5)