By night I was thrilled to have an opportunity to watch two of Allan King’s earliest documentaries made during the 1950’s and 1960’s when he was living in Vancouver and working for CBC Vancouver.

Gyppo Logging
Allan King (Producer), Canada, 1957, 29 minutes
Gyppo Logging explores the lives of loggers who eked out a living by hand-felling some of the most inaccessible timber on the BC coast. Relying on sheer toughness alone, these men endured one of the most dangerous industries in the world. Their hard way of life resulted in a huge appetite for music, drink and dancing.

Portrait of a Harbour
Allan King (Producer), Canada, 1957, 28 minutes
Vancouver’s life as a port city is given an encompassing look in this remarkable glimpse of life on the waterfront. From the tugboat operators who ply the waters of Coal Harbour, to cannery workers shelling crab, to the Japanese sea captain inching his way into port, each scene is a gem. Together they create a bustling portrait of a Vancouver that once was.

On my way out of the cinema I was beyond ecstatic to see that the documentary On The Bowery will be screened here May 19, 2011. I extensively researched The Bowery during the time period of this documentary, including two trips to NY, thus I am made up to see this film restored and here on my doorstep for the viewing.