Film Code: [MIRAC]

    Miracle in Memphis: Elvis Gratton II
     
Elvis Gratton II: Miracle a Memphis

      Quebec, 1999, 103 minutes

      Director: Pierre Falardeau
      Cast: Julien Poulin, Yves Trudel, Barry Blake,
      Jacques Thériault, Gilles-Philippe Delorme Producer:
      Bernadette Payeur, Christian Larouche Associate
      Producer: Marc Daigle Screenplay: Pierre Faladeau,
      Julien Poulin Cinematographer: Alain Dostie
      Editor: Claude Palardy Music: Jean St-Jacques
      Production Company: ACPAV/Films Cinépix
      Distributor/Sales Agent: Lions Gate Films

      English-Canadian Premiere

      He was last spotted at the VIFF in 1986 in Elvis
      Gratton, Le King des Kings, but he returns
      triumphant in 1999. Grossing more than $1 million in
      its first four days of release, this summer's box office
      hit in Quebec is the return of Pierre Falardeau
      (October, VIFF 94) and Julien Poulin's cult classic
      creation, Elvis Gratton. After being dead for three
      days, he wakes, only the second person in two
      thousand years to do that. He's a godsend for
      business, but (un)fortunately his brain continues to
      register no activity. The miracle man is quickly
      transformed, and the "little guy from Brossard," is an
      instant international celebrity. His philosophy is
      American and his motto is ?Think Big!?

      Much debated, Gratton might be thought of as the
      quintessential Canadian federalist, yet in an era of
      globalization Gratton could just as well be any
      Liberal. Falardeau describes the film as both ?an ode
      to industrialized culture? and ?a documentary" - all he
      did after all was just document what was around him,
      and Molson even let Elvis have some beers. This is
      populist and wry political satire; with plenty of
      vulgarity and sight gags it is reminiscent of Chaplin
      and Tati - and yes, we hate to say it, even Benny
      Hill. Brendan Kelly states in Variety: ?It will almost
      certainly become one of the all-time top
      French-Canadian hits.? But he notes later that it will
      be incomprehensible outside Canada. It is a pleasure
      to be in on the joke
      Diane Burgess and Ken Anderlini

      Selected Filmography: Les Canadiens sont là (73),
      Elvis Gratton, le King des Kings (85), Le Party (89),
      Octobre (94)

      Preceded by:


      Insurrection (Rena Del Pieve Gobbi,

      British Columbia, 1999, 4 min.) A hand-painted film that
      works to foreground the viewer's subjective response

     
over that of the filmmaker. (K.A.) Print Source
       rena del pieve gobbi

      Screening 1:
           10/05/99 9:30pm Ridge 
      Screening 2:
           10/07/99 4:15pm VanCentre 1