Radiant City (2006)

Directors:

Jim Brown
Gary Burns

Writers:

Jim Brown (writer)
Gary Burns (writer)

Release Date:

30 May 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

An examination of the nature of modern suburbia.

Plot Keywords:

Suburbia | Urban Sprawl | Twist In The End

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Hong Cheng	...	Hong
Kyle Grant	...	Kyle
Amanda Guenther	...	Tina
Daniel Jeffery	...	Nick
Mikeala Jeffrey	...	Nicole
James Howard Kunstler	...	Himself
Bob Legare	...	Evan
Jane MacFarlane	...	Anne
Curt McKinistry	...	Ken
Chantal Perron	...	Singer / Dogwalker
Karen Planden	...	Karen

Runtime:

93 min | Canada:86 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Company:

Burns Film Ltd.

Quotes:

James Howard Kunstler: Eighty percent of everything ever built in North America has been built in the last 50 years. And most of it is brutal, ugly, depressing, unhealthy, and spiritually degrading.

A Doc For The Times

There's a surprise, 'trick' ending to this documentary, but it doesn't really matter. We are given a revealing close-up of life in suburbia, those densely populated, manufactured wastelands that may have been obsolete 20 years ago.

The film was made in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada, but, given the physical sameness of suburbia, it could have been made anywhere in Canada or the U.S. We see endless streets with almost identical homes, 'permanent' construction resembling war zones, no trees, no natural parks, no sidewalks, no people. But we DO see masses of vehicles, and super-duper shopping malls that have everything a human being will ever need in war or peace, feast or famine.

The inner city evolved 'organically' (according to one observer in the film). Conversely, the suburbs are pre-packaged 'communities' where all buyers need is an ample wallet and at least two gas-guzzling vehicles (one MUST be an SUV, apparently). A sense of 'togetherness,' as generally understood, is artificially imposed or flat-out illusory. Like secreted apartment dwellers in big cities, single-family suburban dwellers often barely know their neighbours.

Public transit, walking, cycling, etc. are simply non-starters when suburbanites live two hours from their jobs. According to the film, they spend an average of 55 DAYS (!!) a year on the roads, mostly commuting back and forth to work.

(Late Note: In March 2008, 'Radiant City' won the Genie Award --often called Canada's version of the Academy Awards -- for best Canadian documentary film.)