{"product_id":"action-the-october-crisis-of-1970-us-import-blu-ray","title":"Action: The October Crisis of 1970 (US Import BLU-RAY)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-qa=\"message-text\" class=\"c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-qa=\"block-kit-renderer\" class=\"p-block_kit_renderer\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i-vqnPwmCHo?si=8Nb9WeQB8IudP0xR\" title=\"YouTube video player\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUS Import\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA gripping account of the crisis that shocked Canada.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn October 1970, the long-brewing tension between French and English Canada explodes onto the world stage after a group of Québécois nationalists violently kidnap two prominent political figures, holding them ransom and issuing a now-famous manifesto. With a nation on the brink, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau responds by invoking the controversial War Measure Act, suspending civil liberties in Québec, jailing hundreds without trial, and unleashing the Canadian Armed Forces on the streets of Montréal. As tensions mount, local and federal leaders are forced to reckon in real time with shocking acts of political violence and unprecedented abuses of government power. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA masterclass in urgent historical filmmaking by National Film Board veteran Robin Spry (One Man), Action: The October Crisis of 1970 is a bracing portrait, expertly synthesizing a dizzying, watershed moment through archival material, news reports, and first-hand, on-the-ground footage. In league with the great political documentaries of the ‘60s and ‘70s – and complemented here by its companion film, Reaction: A Portrait of a Society in Crisis – Action remains a riveting account of the upheaval that shook Canada to its very core.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-qa=\"message-text\" class=\"c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-qa=\"block-kit-renderer\" class=\"p-block_kit_renderer\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\" class=\"p-rich_text_block\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value=\"{\u0026quot;1\u0026quot;:2,\u0026quot;2\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;A rock n' road movie about a girl who learns to drive\\n\\nAt loose ends with life in Toronto, Ramona (Highway 61’s Valerie Buhagiar) is abruptly dispatched to the wilds of Northern Ontario by her mercenary record promotor boss (eXistenZ's Gerry Quigley) to retrieve The Children of Paradise, a wayward rock band that has disappeared mid-tour. There’s only one problem: she doesn’t know how to drive. Armed with only a Walkman and the clothes on her back, she embarks on a journey that quickly introduces her to a cavalcade of oddball characters, including a cab driver with ties to Elvis, a film director in search of a muse, a singer who’s lost his voice, and an aspiring serial killer (Last Night’s Don McKellar) determined to make it big. With the help of this motley crew, Ramona hopes to push beyond her limits and mount a rock n' roll show for the ages.\\n\\nOne of the defining films of the Toronto New Wave, Roadkill immediately turned heads in 1989 with its freewheeling punk rock style – and a memorable appearance by the one and only Joey Ramone – launching the careers of director Bruce McDonald (Pontypool), star Buhagiar, and co-star\/screenwriter McKellar in the process. Boasting a now-legendary soundtrack full of local talent (and the Ramones), this first installment in McDonald’s iconic road movie trilogy (which also includes Highway 61 and Hard Core Logo) is a wickedly funny and enduringly hip DIY joyride. Buckle up!\u0026quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"\\\"Larry Kent was a heroic figure for me... I loved him on the spot.\\\" – David Cronenberg    \\n\\nWith a dead-end job and a potentially pregnant girlfriend jeopardizing his freedom, Des (Cathy’s Curse’s Alan Scarfe) spirals into bitterness, misanthropy, and fantasies of violent crime. While visiting a sick friend one afternoon, he crosses paths with the similarly jaded, even suicidal Laurie (Lynn Stewart), a young parent working as a waitress to provide for her child and struggling playwright husband (Philip Brown). Desperate to recapture a sense of vitality – and raise money for rent – this troubled couple invites Des and a group of local beatniks over for a hedonistic party that culminates in a series of shocking acts of violence and betrayal.    \\n\\nMade for just $5,000, The Bitter Ash is the first feature from celebrated independent filmmaker Larry Kent, a cinematic trailblazer cited as a key influence by countrymates David Cronenberg and Atom Egoyan. Playing like a Canadian answer to John Cassavetes’ Shadows, this first entry in Kent’s seminal Vancouver Trilogy (followed by Sweet Substitute and When Tomorrow Dies) also flirts with the frank sexuality and other provocations of ’60s exploitation cinema, which led to a series of censorship battles, dooming the film to decades of obscurity. CIP is thrilled to resurrect this groundbreaking classic with a new 4K restoration.   \"}' data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":5053,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"7\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"“Larry Kent was very important to me. Those early\\nfilms were so ahead of their time.” – Atom Egoyan\\n\\nBusy navigating his final year of high school, brainy aspiring teacher Tom (Waiting for Caroline’s Robert Howay) is determined to land an elusive scholarship, but his hard work is constantly interrupted by his real obsession: pursuing the opposite sex. Before long, he develops a romance with former classmate Elaine (The Boy Who Could Fly’s Angela Gann), who persistently declines his sexual advances. This inspires Tom to consider other options, including his good-natured study buddy Kathy (Carol Pastinsky). But when they take their friendship to the next level, shocking complications threaten to derail Tom’s future, inspiring his friends to take drastic action.\\n\\nIn the wake of The Bitter Ash and the censorship battles it inspired, director Larry Kent returned with this more playful – but no less provocative – sophomore effort. An intoxicating blend of carefree sex comedy and unsparing coming-of-age drama, Sweet Substitute plays like a hedonistic reimagining of the same year’s Nobody Waved Good-bye aimed at the exploitation film market. A surprise success in the U.S. (under the title Caressed), it set the stage for Kent’s next leap forward with When Tomorrow Dies, the third and final entry in his celebrated Vancouver Trilogy.  \"}' data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003edirected by: Robin Spry\u003cbr\u003estarring: Robin Spry, Pierre Trudeau, René Lévesque, Robert Lemieux, Jean Drapeau, Robert Bourassa, John Diefenbaker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value=\"{\u0026quot;1\u0026quot;:2,\u0026quot;2\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;A rock n' road movie about a girl who learns to drive\\n\\nAt loose ends with life in Toronto, Ramona (Highway 61’s Valerie Buhagiar) is abruptly dispatched to the wilds of Northern Ontario by her mercenary record promotor boss (eXistenZ's Gerry Quigley) to retrieve The Children of Paradise, a wayward rock band that has disappeared mid-tour. There’s only one problem: she doesn’t know how to drive. Armed with only a Walkman and the clothes on her back, she embarks on a journey that quickly introduces her to a cavalcade of oddball characters, including a cab driver with ties to Elvis, a film director in search of a muse, a singer who’s lost his voice, and an aspiring serial killer (Last Night’s Don McKellar) determined to make it big. With the help of this motley crew, Ramona hopes to push beyond her limits and mount a rock n' roll show for the ages.\\n\\nOne of the defining films of the Toronto New Wave, Roadkill immediately turned heads in 1989 with its freewheeling punk rock style – and a memorable appearance by the one and only Joey Ramone – launching the careers of director Bruce McDonald (Pontypool), star Buhagiar, and co-star\/screenwriter McKellar in the process. Boasting a now-legendary soundtrack full of local talent (and the Ramones), this first installment in McDonald’s iconic road movie trilogy (which also includes Highway 61 and Hard Core Logo) is a wickedly funny and enduringly hip DIY joyride. Buckle up!\u0026quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"\\\"Larry Kent was a heroic figure for me... I loved him on the spot.\\\" – David Cronenberg    \\n\\nWith a dead-end job and a potentially pregnant girlfriend jeopardizing his freedom, Des (Cathy’s Curse’s Alan Scarfe) spirals into bitterness, misanthropy, and fantasies of violent crime. While visiting a sick friend one afternoon, he crosses paths with the similarly jaded, even suicidal Laurie (Lynn Stewart), a young parent working as a waitress to provide for her child and struggling playwright husband (Philip Brown). Desperate to recapture a sense of vitality – and raise money for rent – this troubled couple invites Des and a group of local beatniks over for a hedonistic party that culminates in a series of shocking acts of violence and betrayal.    \\n\\nMade for just $5,000, The Bitter Ash is the first feature from celebrated independent filmmaker Larry Kent, a cinematic trailblazer cited as a key influence by countrymates David Cronenberg and Atom Egoyan. Playing like a Canadian answer to John Cassavetes’ Shadows, this first entry in Kent’s seminal Vancouver Trilogy (followed by Sweet Substitute and When Tomorrow Dies) also flirts with the frank sexuality and other provocations of ’60s exploitation cinema, which led to a series of censorship battles, dooming the film to decades of obscurity. CIP is thrilled to resurrect this groundbreaking classic with a new 4K restoration.   \"}' data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":5053,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"7\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"“Larry Kent was very important to me. Those early\\nfilms were so ahead of their time.” – Atom Egoyan\\n\\nBusy navigating his final year of high school, brainy aspiring teacher Tom (Waiting for Caroline’s Robert Howay) is determined to land an elusive scholarship, but his hard work is constantly interrupted by his real obsession: pursuing the opposite sex. Before long, he develops a romance with former classmate Elaine (The Boy Who Could Fly’s Angela Gann), who persistently declines his sexual advances. This inspires Tom to consider other options, including his good-natured study buddy Kathy (Carol Pastinsky). But when they take their friendship to the next level, shocking complications threaten to derail Tom’s future, inspiring his friends to take drastic action.\\n\\nIn the wake of The Bitter Ash and the censorship battles it inspired, director Larry Kent returned with this more playful – but no less provocative – sophomore effort. An intoxicating blend of carefree sex comedy and unsparing coming-of-age drama, Sweet Substitute plays like a hedonistic reimagining of the same year’s Nobody Waved Good-bye aimed at the exploitation film market. A surprise success in the U.S. (under the title Caressed), it set the stage for Kent’s next leap forward with When Tomorrow Dies, the third and final entry in his celebrated Vancouver Trilogy.  \"}' data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1973 \/ 87 min \/ 1.33:1 \/ English DTS-HD MA 2.0\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-qa=\"message-text\" class=\"c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-qa=\"block-kit-renderer\" class=\"p-block_kit_renderer\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\" class=\"p-rich_text_block\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value=\"{\u0026quot;1\u0026quot;:2,\u0026quot;2\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;A rock n' road movie about a girl who learns to drive\\n\\nAt loose ends with life in Toronto, Ramona (Highway 61’s Valerie Buhagiar) is abruptly dispatched to the wilds of Northern Ontario by her mercenary record promotor boss (eXistenZ's Gerry Quigley) to retrieve The Children of Paradise, a wayward rock band that has disappeared mid-tour. There’s only one problem: she doesn’t know how to drive. Armed with only a Walkman and the clothes on her back, she embarks on a journey that quickly introduces her to a cavalcade of oddball characters, including a cab driver with ties to Elvis, a film director in search of a muse, a singer who’s lost his voice, and an aspiring serial killer (Last Night’s Don McKellar) determined to make it big. With the help of this motley crew, Ramona hopes to push beyond her limits and mount a rock n' roll show for the ages.\\n\\nOne of the defining films of the Toronto New Wave, Roadkill immediately turned heads in 1989 with its freewheeling punk rock style – and a memorable appearance by the one and only Joey Ramone – launching the careers of director Bruce McDonald (Pontypool), star Buhagiar, and co-star\/screenwriter McKellar in the process. Boasting a now-legendary soundtrack full of local talent (and the Ramones), this first installment in McDonald’s iconic road movie trilogy (which also includes Highway 61 and Hard Core Logo) is a wickedly funny and enduringly hip DIY joyride. Buckle up!\u0026quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"\\\"Larry Kent was a heroic figure for me... I loved him on the spot.\\\" – David Cronenberg    \\n\\nWith a dead-end job and a potentially pregnant girlfriend jeopardizing his freedom, Des (Cathy’s Curse’s Alan Scarfe) spirals into bitterness, misanthropy, and fantasies of violent crime. While visiting a sick friend one afternoon, he crosses paths with the similarly jaded, even suicidal Laurie (Lynn Stewart), a young parent working as a waitress to provide for her child and struggling playwright husband (Philip Brown). Desperate to recapture a sense of vitality – and raise money for rent – this troubled couple invites Des and a group of local beatniks over for a hedonistic party that culminates in a series of shocking acts of violence and betrayal.    \\n\\nMade for just $5,000, The Bitter Ash is the first feature from celebrated independent filmmaker Larry Kent, a cinematic trailblazer cited as a key influence by countrymates David Cronenberg and Atom Egoyan. Playing like a Canadian answer to John Cassavetes’ Shadows, this first entry in Kent’s seminal Vancouver Trilogy (followed by Sweet Substitute and When Tomorrow Dies) also flirts with the frank sexuality and other provocations of ’60s exploitation cinema, which led to a series of censorship battles, dooming the film to decades of obscurity. CIP is thrilled to resurrect this groundbreaking classic with a new 4K restoration.   \"}' data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":5053,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"7\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"“Larry Kent was very important to me. Those early\\nfilms were so ahead of their time.” – Atom Egoyan\\n\\nBusy navigating his final year of high school, brainy aspiring teacher Tom (Waiting for Caroline’s Robert Howay) is determined to land an elusive scholarship, but his hard work is constantly interrupted by his real obsession: pursuing the opposite sex. Before long, he develops a romance with former classmate Elaine (The Boy Who Could Fly’s Angela Gann), who persistently declines his sexual advances. This inspires Tom to consider other options, including his good-natured study buddy Kathy (Carol Pastinsky). But when they take their friendship to the next level, shocking complications threaten to derail Tom’s future, inspiring his friends to take drastic action.\\n\\nIn the wake of The Bitter Ash and the censorship battles it inspired, director Larry Kent returned with this more playful – but no less provocative – sophomore effort. An intoxicating blend of carefree sex comedy and unsparing coming-of-age drama, Sweet Substitute plays like a hedonistic reimagining of the same year’s Nobody Waved Good-bye aimed at the exploitation film market. A surprise success in the U.S. (under the title Caressed), it set the stage for Kent’s next leap forward with When Tomorrow Dies, the third and final entry in his celebrated Vancouver Trilogy.  \"}' data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003eAdditional info:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-qa=\"message-text\" class=\"c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-qa=\"block-kit-renderer\" class=\"p-block_kit_renderer\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\" class=\"p-rich_text_block\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRegion A Blu-ray\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScanned and restored in 2K from the 16mm interpositive by the National Film Board of Canada\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAudio commentary featuring writer and film programmer Justine Smith\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAudio commentary assembled from archival interviews with director Robin Spry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTensions and Contradictions (2025, 16 min.) – New interview with professor Zoë Druick\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaking Action (2025, 15 min.) – New interview with NFB curator Marc St-Pierre\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlternate French language audio track\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaction: A Portrait of a Society in Crisis (1973, 58 min.) – Spry documentary exploring a sampling of English-speaking Québec’s perspective on the October Crisis\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBooklet featuring a new essay by film critic\/professor Tom McSorley and an essay by film journalist A. Ibrányi-Kiss\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReversible cover artwork\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnglish SDH subtitles\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Canadian International Pictures","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44655789179080,"sku":"CIP-035","price":45.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0598\/8486\/3688\/files\/ActionBD.jpg?v=1748982460","url":"https:\/\/videomatica.com\/es\/products\/action-the-october-crisis-of-1970-us-import-blu-ray","provider":"Videomatica Ltd (since 1983)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}