Time capsule of Societe Radio-Canada’s 1990s past
Back when the Canadian Broadcasting Channel/Société Radio-Canada had much more budget than today, their channel broadcasted so many TV series and movies. Content from the BBC, but also original productions. Such as this TV Movie. Une Nuit à l’École/School’s Out. Starring Jessica Barker and Vincent Bolduc, who have worked together several times. On a cultural show called Sur La Piste/On The Trail, on their podcast called Bain Libre, but also during the TV film Le Jardin d’Anna/Anna’s Garden; directed and written by Alain Chartrand, who helmed this production alongside Diane Cailhier; the screenwriter of this project she developed. The story of Sophie and Éric Charrons, two Montrealers who on the last school day before the Christmas holidays, find themselves trapped inside their school. All because Sophie forgot her Christmas Card she wanted to give to her parents. An incident that evolves through seventeen hours of snowstorms, locked doors, and fenced windows where the kids will attempt to leave the school. Making this adventure one that shall unite them during this difficult ordeal.
Released in 1991, just a year after Home Alone‘s success, this film came out at an excellent time frame. Taking advantage of the John Hughes classic to present on Canadian screens a very good production following the same kind of situation. Kids entrapped in a Suburban location during the winter holidays. In this case, an elementary school, though without any Wet Bandits gangsters trying to cause mayhem around. In sum, we have here a film that presents a plausible situation that could happen to any kid. Although if I were to play the nitpicky critic, it would be the story incoherence that the police did not try to check out the school if the kids might not be there. And regarding the School, how come there weren’t any janitor working around to clean up the place? Usually, even though the principal is gone, an employee will always be there to clean up the school even at late hours. Or if he is absent for other reasons, how come we aren’t given a proper explanation about this? Finally, with all the school’s lights blaring for several hours late at night, how come none of the neighbours, some of whom frequent the school and live opposite the street, took time to report this situation to the police and tell them to check out what is going on over there? And how come none of the kids thought of activating the fire alarms to signal the school and firefighters that somebody is still there?
As much as I appreciate this film for the story and the acting, and as much I can understand this is a family movie functioning on the imaginative premise of ingenious kids trying to survive on their own, the incoherences I mention sort of make you realize the importance of storytelling coherences. And although I am sure there might be some reason as for the snowstorm hampering any possible phone communication, I still find it weird that none of the police officers checked out the school first if the kids weren’t there by any chance. I mean if the father took time to drive there, why not the police? Again, it is small details like these which I noticed the first time I rewatched this TV movie after seeing it in 1991. Not on videocassette or the DVD as the film isn’t available for sale, but on YouTube. Which might not be the best platform in the eyes of some people, though it remains one of the best way for neglected TV classics to be seen again. Which is wonderful as for this film, there were even comments on YouTube from a Danish viewer who saw the film on her country’s channel years ago. Which is quite amazing to know that Canadian productions are appreciated worldwide.
In regards to its qualities, the best one would be Jessica Barker and Vincent Bolduc. The two main actors behind the Charrons kids, their acting is top notch and their performances are convincing. Indeed, both share an incredible chemistry with each other. Right from the start, you almost feel like they are really brother and sister and I think that this complicity is why Chartrand cast them again for his Anna’s Garden film, another movie that got incredible success for its story and which I hope to see again one day.
As for the production quality, it is interesting to learn on IMDB that the film was shot on 16 mm. And how the film was shot around the Outremont region in Montreal and the Charles Bruneau School. Using some great camera angles and great lighting to portray different moods to the school facility. Especially during a nightmare sequence Sophie experiences. With lots of smoke effects and hue-tinted lighting. Where a beautiful range of surreal characters wearing incredible costumes both terrify and impress her.
In the end, seeing this film brings back so many memories, but also makes me wish and hope that CBC/Societe Radio-Canada could return to that period. A time when its TV channels would show more diverse content than today. A nice dive back into a time period where Radio-Canada produced much more content than it does today; due to the various budget cuts of the government which Stephen Harper’s government initiatied and which the current dovernment of Trudeau hasn’t brought back yet.
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