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Susan Walker InterviewMeet Susan Walker, Entertainment Reporter and Film Critic for the Toronto Star. This time, instead of critiquing, Susan has agreed to sit down with Wildsound’s Jules Ross and have an open and frank conversation about the biz. Here is a candid interview with a Movie Critic. Read on… How did you get into film critiquing? I was a warm body when they needed one. Actually, I mainly review dance. I’ve just always reviewed movies at The Star because there has always been a need for another critic. I’ll fill in for someone, or if we’re short staffed, they’ll come to me. This is my second round of critiquing actually. Back in the early 90s, I also did some reviews. What’s your preference: movies or dance? I don’t have one. How long have you worked at the Toronto Star? Since 1988. Before that I was the editor and publisher of a magazine. I have a background in writing. I came to The Star to book-edit. Nearly 20 years – that’s quite a run! Well people in the business tend to stay in the job. There’s nowhere else to go. Oddly enough, not many people want to go into the entertainment side. Most journalists want hard news, like crime, or business. So it’s kind of a specialized field. I think it’s because people don’t want to be critiquing movies and creating havoc. Really? I think of it as an open forum where people can give constructive feedback. I agree. When I review, I feel I have a responsibility to the audience. What’s the last movie that you’ve seen that’s left you moved? [Thinks for a moment] Away From Her. How could I forget?! I saw it 2 nights ago! Sarah Polley has a way of impacting people. Well I’ve seen her short, but this was her first feature and it was quite impressive. She talks about how she was nervous to direct people twice her age. Well I think she did a great job. She picked great material too. It’s an art to take a book and make it work on screen. But then again, there are movies that I’ve seen that are better than the book. Such as The Sweet Hereafter. Is there a book you feel would benefit from being made into a movie? Coureurs de bois. I’m sure the author will thank you for the plug! It’s a marvellous book! It’s by Bruce McDonald, set in the Gladstone before it was cleaned up. You can see everything so clearly. Before gentrification? Yes. That’s one of the North By North East venues. There’s so much going on! Between that and Luminato. What’s the hot ticket for Luminato? Eric Idol and John Du Prez’s Not the Messiah will be very good. Also Leneord Cohen will be here. What is the worst movie you’ve ever seen? Hmmm. A toughie. I don’t know. Have you noticed a change in the industry over the past 2 decades? Toronto is a bit of a boom and bust industry. I’ve seen the products become more sophisticated over the years. I think Sarah Polley is the best thing that happened to Canadian Cinema. Hollywood would never make that movie. I think that’s what Canadian filmmakers want people to be saying about their movies. If you ask most producers & directors why they stay in Canada, they’ll tell you it’s for the creative control. Bon Cop Bad Cop was a very funny film. It was well written with talented actors. That’s the kind of thing we need more of. I think we [critics] have an obligation to write about Canadian artists. Do you know there are only 2 papers in the US that still have book review section? NY Times is one of them. We don’t even have the section in The Star. Once could argue that without a book section the film industry looses a source of content. People just aren’t reading. Well – they do read magazines. (giggles) Are you concerned with whether people read your reviews? Not really. I write for myself. Mamet says that entertainers shouldn’t be concerned with their audience, but themselves. I imagine that some department must be concerned with it [how many people read my reviews]. Mamet wrote Oleana. It’s a wonderful play. Actually, it’s not. It kind of pissed me off. I found it misogynistic. But he has a great book on direction which talks about bringing meaning to the camera. He’s a smart man. Well he has had 30 years experience in the business. Glengary Glen Ross blew me away. Do you ever become numb to movies having seen so many of them? No there’s always more to see. You can catch everything on TCM. I don’t think it’s the greatest job in the world. I’m glad it’s not the only thing I do. It can get depressing, with the lack of good movies. I just met with Kevin Costner about his new movie Mr. Brooks. That was a very clever movie. You end up feeling guilty because you watched it and were entertained. That’s how I felt about Clueless. Imagine Jane Austin… …rolling in her grave. [We had a good laugh at that moment] Speaking of classic writers, most people wouldn’t think of reading Henry James novel. They would make good movies. Look [points out the window] they’re building a condo here… how many stories? 10! We’re on the 4th floor. Oh well, I’ll be gone when they ruin our view. The Star had the opportunity to buy that land and didn’t. Is there something you’d like to leave behind if you leave The Star? I’d like to leave the legacy that a woman reviewed movies. You go girl! To learn more about Jules Ross click on her website: www.julessite.com.
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