Geddy Lee at Massey Hall
While the impending arrival of the Toronto International Film Festival has Roy Thomson Hall preparing to welcome that festival’s Gala Presentations, that’s not the only connection we have to cinematic endeavours around here-Massey Hall has film traditions of its own worth sharing.
Known more commonly as a favourite music venue in the city, Massey has also taken a turn or two in the cinematic spotlight. Not too long ago, for instance, scenes from The Time Traveler’s Wife, an adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name, were filmed outside the Hall, and included the familiar red doors of the old Box Office entry and the adjacent alleyway.
Working in the building when a shoot is happening can be fun and exciting, but also sometimes a bit confounding. As a colleague of mine explained when her office was in the background for the filming of The Corruptor (an action movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Chow Yun-Fat) a few years ago: “they drove past my window a dozen times shooting out their car window at the bad guys….it was a little distracting having all that gunfire going on.”
Most recently, Massey Hall didn’t just hover in the background but was featured as a star performer, this time in the City Sonic project-a series of stories about artists, filmed in the locales where their musical lives were transformed. The short film Geddy Lee at Massey Hall-about he of RUSH fame, and directed by Bruce McDonald-will make its world premiere as part of TIFF’s Live In Concert Film Series at Yonge-Dundas Square in just a few days time. (The screening is on September 13 at 12 p.m.) It’s a charming bit of convergence: a movie about music, featuring Massey Hall, playing at the festival which every year turns the music hall of Roy Thomson into a movie theatre.
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