TIFF 2009 – Day 10 (THE WHITE STRIPES: UNDER THE GREAT WHITE NORTHEN LIGHTS)

…And all is right with the world again.

Given that it was my only screening of TIFF 2009, this film had a very high “better not suck factor” for me. I’m happy to report, that it made for a great night all around.

The movie itself is spotty. It won’t be mentioned amongst the best rock docs, nor the best concert films. While it contains some stunning photography, and many poignant moments, it wanders too far off the path that it has set for itself. It bills itself as a documentary of Jack & Meg’s cross-Canada tour, but more than half of the stops they made on that jaunt are either omitted completely or only given a quick nod. It won’t win the band many new fans, but for the existing fan base, it’s quite a treat.

Speaking of the fan base, they were out in force last night, blanketing the seats of The Visa Screening Room in red, white, and black. They clapped, they cheered, the welcomed their heroes to the stage, and were rewarded by a film rich with original snapshots. Speaking of those snapshots, the best for me had to be a scene where Jack and Meg play for an Inuit elders group at a seniors center in Nunavut. Both the elders and the band seem equally fascinated by the other, and it’s a rare moment of true camaraderie.

I’m not entirely sure whether this movie will get any sort of theatrical release, so getting to see it on a big screen in such a gorgeous theatre was worth the ticket price alone. Not to mention getting the full power of The Elgin’s sound system behind Meg & Jack performing “Hello Operator”, “Icky Thump”, and “I’m Slowly Turning Into You” (to name but a few of the tracks).

Perhaps the best moment of the night though, came during the Q&A. Director Emmett Malloy was answering a question about his use of some CITIZEN KANE footage in the film, when Jack White busted onstage from the wings. Jack grabs the mick from Emmett and yells “I’m gonna let you finish! I’m gonna let you finish! But Orson Welles was one the greatest directors of all time man!!”. Let it not be said that Jack White doesn’t have a sharp sense of humour.

I couldn’t have asked for a whole lot more for my only teaspoon of TIFF 2009. I watched artists I love, in my favorite venue, got a unique memory or two, and saw that TIFF audiences don’t change all that much from year to year. As for the rest of the festival, I’m actually happy that it’s all over. Despite not sitting through screenings, I still find myself rather tired after running from pillar to post for ten days. Though I’ve kept a brave and optimistic face, I’ve also realized how much I missed not being a deeper part of it.

That said, I’m sure the first announcements of TIFF 2010 will arrive before I know it.