Does Canada have a "national epic"?

[Sampiro]

@severus

In contrast, while the United States is also quite diverse culturally, I think there is more of a sense of shared memory.

Albeit most of them shared “false memories”.

[Hypnagogic_Jerk]

Maybe, but they are no less real to those who grew up with them. And stories built around these memories, true or not, will resonate with the people.

[Baffle]

It’s quite clearly the ‘Heritage Moments’ series. “I smell burnt toast!” has been etched into every single Canadian’s consciousness.

[Mindfield]

@Baffle

It’s quite clearly the ‘Heritage Moments’ series. “I smell burnt toast!” has been etched into every single Canadian’s consciousness.

Moreso than the haunting flute that underpins the Hinterland Who’s Who shorts? I think not!

[xnylder]

@severus

I submit that Canada is far too diverse culturally and in terms of its relationship with history to have a true “epic” historical film that would ring the same to many people. I mean, I’ve seen or heard of a few Canadian historical movies, but I’m quite sure that they wouldn’t mean anything to a majority of Canadians. In contrast, while the United States is also quite diverse culturally, I think there is more of a sense of shared memory.

I’m with Severus. I can think of several film and TV shibboleths for Quebec that would leave the rest of the country scratching their collective heads. The aforementioned “Bon Cop Bad Cop”, “Les Boys”, “Aurore l’enfant martyre”, “Les belles histoires des pays d’en haut”, and especially the children’s series “Passe-Partout” all illustrate Quebecois culture (for better or for worse), but the rest of the country, not so much. (Which reminds me of “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz”, but I’ll stop now.)

[jayjay]

Red Green…

[Hypnagogic_Jerk]

@Mindfield

Moreso than the haunting flute that underpins the Hinterland Who’s Who shorts? I think not!

I want to point out that I have never heard of Hinterland Who’s Who (what is it, by the way?), while I have seen some of the Heritage Moments, including the one Baffle was referring to.

@xnylder

I’m with Severus. I can think of several film and TV shibboleths for Quebec that would leave the rest of the country scratching their collective heads. The aforementioned “Bon Cop Bad Cop”, “Les Boys”, “Aurore l’enfant martyre”, “Les belles histoires des pays d’en haut”, and especially the children’s series “Passe-Partout” all illustrate Quebecois culture (for better or for worse), but the rest of the country, not so much. (Which reminds me of “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz”, but I’ll stop now.)

Right, although I’m not sure if any of these movies and shows are exactly to the level of what Sampiro is looking for. Passe-Partout might have had the same impact in Quebec Sesame Street had in the US, it’s not a “national epic”. I was trying to find an example of a Quebec film that could be the cultural equivalent of Gone with the Wind, and didn’t think of anything. Maybe I just didn’t think hard enough. On the other hand, I’m sure we can think of a book that reaches this level, if only in the early 20[sup]th[/sup] century roman du terroir.

I find it interesting, though, that Mindfield named Atom Egoyan as a Canadian filmmaking legend, but not Denys Arcand. I think the title applies to him as well.

[Gorsnak]

@severus

I want to point out that I have never heard of Hinterland Who’s Who (what is it, by the way?)

Hinterland Who’s Who is/was a series of 1 minute shorts about Canadian wildlife that used to play in much the same spots as Heritage Minutes do now.

[Hypnagogic_Jerk]

@Gorsnak

Hinterland Who’s Who is/was a series of 1 minute shorts about Canadian wildlife that used to play in much the same spots as Heritage Minutes do now.

Oh, yeah, I’ve seen this before. (Mindfield will be happy to learn that the flute sound is in fact how I recognized it. ;)) I don’t remember what it was called in French though.

[psychonaut]

Degrassi Junior High

[ralph124c]

Read “THE CREMATION OF SAM McGEE”-that’s a real canadian epic!

[RickJay]

@Mindfield

Although it has improved lately, Canada’s “legacy,” if you want to call it that, within the movie industry is … well, not Hollywood. It’s barely even Bollywood. Unless you consider shows like The King of Kensington or Anne of Green Gables

There’s the answer to the question. The “Anne of Green Gables” miniseries in unquestionably, as it stands, our national epic, at least for English Canada.

For Quebec, it’s probably “Les Boys.”

I’m not sure which side is unlucky.

[solkoe]

I’ll start with the novels.
Two of the best that I have ever read include the already mentioned The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordechai Richler and Fifth Business by Robertson Davies.

[Kent_Clark]

Having seen a number of productions by the esteemed National Film Board of Canada in various high school classes, I vote for Phoebe .

[xnylder]

@RickJay

There’s the answer to the question. The “Anne of Green Gables” miniseries in unquestionably, as it stands, our national epic, at least for English Canada.

For Quebec, it’s probably “Les Boys.”

I’m not sure which side is unlucky.

Perhaps the ultimate Canadian epic would combine these two…

ANNE (in earnest voice): “You see, Marilla, all it takes to win at hockey is mental toughness - la dureté mentale!”

[Strinka]

I think the real question here is which city gets the +100% Great People birth rate?

[Colibri]

This thread is about to take an epic trek over to Cafe Society.

Colibri
General Questions

[Sal_Ammoniac]

How about Maria Chapdelaine? Written by a Frenchman, naturally.

[GingerOfTheNorth]

For books, “The Stone Angel” or “The Stone Diaries” or perhaps “We Were The Mulvaneys”.

Damn, I miss my CanLit. I can’t even buy a danged Max Haines book down here.

I have to add, the CBC each year does “Canada Reads” to vet out the best in new fiction in Canada, and declares a winner. This year it was “Lullabies for Little Criminals”

[RickJay]

@GingerOfTheNorth

or perhaps “We Were The Mulvaneys”.

Unless Canada recently annexed the State of New York, how is this Canadian?