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Twenty years ago, Calgary was just another city suffering under the recession of the eightiesa city surrounded by some very pretty country. Today, with an "if you build it, they will come" pioneer-like attitude, Calgary has become a major player in the international film industry.
Although the movie Crossfire Trail is a wonderful Western movie that takes place in Wyoming, it was actually filmed in Calgary, as are many other films these days. Not that filming on foreign soil is setting a precedent in any way: between 1960 and 1975 nearly 600 Westerns were filmed outside of the States, most of those coming from Italy, Spain, Yugoslavia and Germany.
But here in the new millennium, what exactly is the attraction in terms of all these "runaway" productions going to Canada recently?
According to an industry spokesperson, "It isn't just the exchange rate."
Apparently, the Canadian government rewards studios for filming there. What is especially troubling about this is, often times, that money doesnt go directly to screen to make a movie better. Instead, according to an industry spokesperson, it often ends up in the studio's pockets.
This leaves one to wonder if this practice speaks to the current state of international business ethics, or whether it is simply a gut-honest glimpse into the global world of competitive bidding.
Granted, it's a complicated issue. But from a simplistic point of view, it would seem that at a time when many American filmmakers are striving to improve the integrity of the Western through historical accuracy, studios are losing that credibility when it comes to assigning location.
As Canada's film industry burgeons into what has become known as the "Hollywood North" phenomenon, the Canadian government actively entices more and more studios to film there, in record numbers, by offering generous tax breaksincentives somewhat similar to those offered by film commissions here in America.
However, combine Canada's ultra-attractive tax breaks with the favorable exchange rate, and the deal quickly becomes too tempting for profit-minded studio execs here in the States to turn down.
So off to Calgary went our Westerns: The Unforgiven, (Universal, 1992), followed by You Know My Name (TNT, 1998), The Virginian (TNT, 1999), High Noon (TNT, 1999), Purgatory (TNT, 1999), Crossfire Trail (TNT, 1999); Texas Rangers (Miramax,1999); The Regulator (Icon), and the list goes on.
And it looks like the Canadians must be laughing all the way to the bank.
According to a press release issued by the City of Calgary on February 24, 2000, "The [film] industry injected about $200 million of production activity into the local economy in 1999. Film production in Calgary translates into approximately 2,000 jobs." Another report source estimates "the movie and TV industry will spend one billion dollars in British Columbia this yearmost of that by American productions."
Of course America hasn't been left out in the cold completely. Over the last decade or so, other movies of the genre have been filmed within the western states. Some of these projects include All the Pretty Horses (Miramax, 2000) which was filmed in New Mexico and Texas; American Outlaw (Warner Brothers, 1999) filmed in Texas; The Horse Whisperer (Touchstone Pictures, 1998) filmed in Montana; Two for Texas (TNT,1998) filmed in Texas; The Hi-Lo Country (TNT, 1998) filmed in New Mexico and Colorado; Last Stand At Saber River (TNT,1996) also filmed in New Mexico; The Good Old Boys, (TNT, 1994), filmed in Texas; and Conagher (TNT, 1991) which was shot in Colorado.
Not to be overlooked is the boom year of 1994 for Westerns in New Mexico, where Buffalo Girls (TNT), The Desperate Trail (TNT), and Wyatt Earp (Warner Bros.) were filmed. Additionally, in 1993, Arizona also reaped economic benefits by acting as location host to three feature length Westerns plus one Western television series.
But that was then, this is now.
Although Wyoming is recognized as a prime location for many commercial shoots, as well as a location for many Independent filmmakers, and although the state is regularly scouted as a possible site for major film productions, the fact remains that not a single major motion picture has been shot in Wyoming in over four yearsthe last major movie filmed there was in 1996, a non-western.
So while it is commendable that but a handful of studios hold faithful to our beloved Westerns and readily assume the responsibility of feeding the publics desire for themfor which the public is indeed deeply gratefulmaybe its time we ask the studios to go the full distance, all the way, one hundred percent.
In other words, perhaps the time has come for studios to heighten the standard of realism in today's Western films: Should a story take place in Wyoming, then seek out the plains of Wyoming to grace the screen, let her mountains capture our hearts, let the color of her sunsets leave us breathless.
And in return, let Wyoming reap the economic rewards. Imagine what would happen if Wyoming had the ability to invest in its own future by creating a full-service production facility. Who knows, in an odd twist of fate, maybe Wyoming could turn into the next Calgary.
There is no denying Calgary has a rich cowboy heritage of its own. The point is, so do we.
So if the American film studios wish to pass along anything to future generations, it should be expected of them to care enough about this countrys cowboy heritage to take a pro-active part in it (as well as this countrys economic well-being) by passing along the legacy of the American West in film todayas it is reflected and played out upon the diverse landscapes of our native soil, smack dab in the land of the legendary Old West.
Let this stand as a call for a return to valuesnot only as it applies to what goes to screen, but also as it applies to what goes on behind the scenes. And if for no other reason, consider doing it out of respect for the cowboy way.
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Copyright ©2001 Taylor Sophia Fogarty.
American Western Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
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