Page Turning in The Hammer

I was recently invited to attend the Page Turner Panel at The Westdale Theatre as part of the 2021 Hamilton Film Festival. Also on the bill were Colin Chilvers and Aaron Lam. Colin is an Oscar winning SPX artist who’s recently penned and auto-biography : Believing A Man Can Fly. Aaron co-authored this book as well as one of his own delving into the world of soundtracks for action cinema. Many thanks to Nathan Fleet for planning and hosting the event; and all the folks who came out:)

Gore Park 1860

Authors in the Park

Hey folks all is good here at HardBoiled. I am working away slowly on the follow-up novel: Fallen Angels. I’ve been attending some writing workshops with the Quebec Writers Federation as I am now relocating full-time to Montreal.

I am in Hamilton this weekend , and will be participating in a cool event featuring local writers called: Authors In The Park. The show takes place Aug 1 from 1-4 pm and will feature a plethora of local talent hawking their wares, including your truly.

Swing on by this Sunday and say hi; and pick-up a signed copy of :When The Luck Runs Dry. The event takes place in Hamilton’s historic Gore Park, steps away from the Hunter Street Go-Transit station. Hope to see you there:)

Stephen

Spreading the word. Literally.

Hey folks, I hope everyone is well. It has been a busy few weeks for your humble author. Between vaccine jabs, medical appointments, and transitioning to a new residence in Montreal it has been difficult to keep the blog updated.

I squeezed in an interview with Hammer D20 that is live streaming this weekend, and I will tell you more about that (and hopefully provide an archive link) on the next blog.

We have a couple of shops selling print copies of : When The Luck Runs Dry in Hamilton, ON. I hope to have some more outlets, including some in Montreal in the future. Alternately, you can read the book by clicking above in the menu; links for e-pub platforms, mail-order service, and for the film LUCKY 7 (2012) all all there for your perusal.

Our friends over at the Paisley Cafe in Westdale have been doing a swift trade selling copies and cappuccinos, many thanks to Sarah (and crew) for helping get the title out! https://paisleycoffeehouse.com

We also are in stock at the very cool James St. Booksellers in downtown Hamilton. Contact Monique for curb-side pick-up of a hard copy and take a peak at the very cool interior that is one of the main locations of the Apple TV Series: GHOSTWRITER: https://www.jamesstreetbooks.ca

E-Book Release & Print Pre-Orders

The E-book release of: When The Luck Runs Dry is active as of March 17, 2021. You can find it on Apple Books, Kobo, and Kindle by clicking on the menu at the top of the home page. There is also a menu to contact us to pre-order a print copy of the novel, click on Print for the details. As well there is a Watch menu if you are interested in the original Neo-Noir film: Lucky 7 (2012).

I hope to have some news on retail outlets in the Ontario and Quebec region that may carry the title this Spring; more to come on that later. Thanks for the awesome support folks, and I will have another update in the near future. Cheers, for now!

Stephen

Read it Soon-Watch It Now

Watch Here: https://factoryfilmstudio.com/portfolio-item/lucky-7/

As we near the publication in Spring 2021 of: When The Luck Runs Dry, here is some information on the 2011 feature film version of the story. It’s available now to stream or purchase on iTunes in Canada and the USA though Factory Film Studios! If you can’t wait to read it, you can watch it in the meantime:)

Here a little description and info on the neo-noir film:

Given up for dead, Patrick Farley (Lucky 7) returns home to pay a gambling debt to the mob but finds he’s been framed for murder. His luck’s run dry so he makes his own, and it becomes a dangerous game filled with sex, drugs, violence and betrayal. Can he hold on to the beauty he also finds waiting for him here in the heart of this broken down city, and follow its path back home?

Nominated for Best Screenplay -2007 Queen’s International Film Festival
Audience Choice Award -Hamilton Film Festival 2011
Official Screening Shanghai International Film Festival 2012-Focus Canada
EFM Berlinale 2013-Market Screening
Official Selection -BNFF 2014
Showcase Selection-Lucerne International Film Festival 2014

Some Press: http://playbackonline.ca/2012/06/08/canadians-showcase-20-films-at-shanghai-international-film-festival/

Follow us on FB: http://www.facebook.com/pages/LUCKY-7/36607157098?ref=stream

December 2020 Update

Hey folks! I hope everyone is well and surviving as best they can in these strange times. I am relocated back to Dundas, Ontario for the Winter. Walking in snow and ice is an issue for me, so Montreal isn’t the ideal place in the colder months for personal mobility.

Things are moving along slowly but surely with the final stages of work on: When The Luck Runs Dry. I am hoping for a March 2021 release, but with the pandemic situation that is a bit fluid at the moment.

Here is a small synopsis of the novel:

Given up for dead, Patrick Farley returns home to pay a gambling debt to the mob but finds he’s been framed for murder. His luck’s run dry, so he makes his own; and it becomes a dangerous game filled with sex, drugs, violence and betrayal. Can he hold on to the beauty he also finds waiting for him here in the heart of this broken down city, and follow its path back home?

Currently Laura Boyle is working on the interior design and typesetting of the manuscript. She’s done many cool book and cover designs including for Dundurn Press. London artist Jeremy Bruneel is currently working on cover art work. He has a unique style which he hopes to meld with a retro pulp detective novel look. You can take a peek at some of work on his Wixsite: https://jeremybruneel.wixsite.com/illustration

Speaking of taking a look at things, When The Luck Runs Dry is based on my script and 2011 feature film : Lucky 7. The film was selected for the 2012 Shanghai International Film Festival, and went on to North American distribution wth Factory Film Studios. You can rent or purchase it in North America on I Tunes so take a look : https://factoryfilmstudio.com/portfolio-item/lucky-7/

I’ll be updating again early in January with more news, and a little feature on my cousin Bob Hayes. He is a retired Wolf Researcher turned writer and he has just published his 4th book. Till then take care and think good thoughts.

Stephen

Photo Credit- Sabrina Armani

Cinema Fever takes hold on Sherman Ave. North in Hamilton

After a long drought it now seems Hamilton has not just one, but two repertory cinemas in the lower city.  This March saw the rebirth of two of Hamiltons  movie palaces to their former glories: The Westdale Cinema and the Playhouse Cinema.

John and Wendy Tutt have a long history with repertory cinemas. In Waterloo ON in 1985, when your humble writer was just entering Film Studies at U of W, Tutt took a gamble and opened the Princess Cinema at the back of an almost derelict Kent Hotel in Uptown Waterloo, ON.

http---media.zuza.com-3-6-3611fa4e-d353-4791-8367-a18e0e72f8c8-B821427278Z.1_20131026101618_000_GGB13LNLO.2_Gallery

The Kent (Heuther) Hotel in Uptown Waterloo

The  cinema blossomed through the  years, and also was an early anchor in the revitalization of the entire hotel building complex through the years. It now contains a brew pub, pool hall, cafe, jazz club, bar, and deli.

27636161422_91f95ae38e_b

The Original Princess Cinema in Waterloo

Later, the Tutt’s took their success down the street, and  purchased an old furniture store on King Street in Uptown Waterloo. Here they had a chance to build & retrofit from scratch a twin screen cinema, w cafe, restaurant and wi-fi lounge, which opened in 2005.

Princess-Twin-cinema-Alexandra-Guizzetti1

The Princess Twin-opened in 2005

In the Fall of 2017, I received a call from Terrance Odette, a local filmmaker about a “For Sale” sign he had seen on Sherman Ave. N. in Hamilton. I knew the real estate agent of the listing,so put them in touch. The property in question, was an old vaudeville hall/cinema from 1914 . It had been used by a church group for many years, and was now sitting vacant.

large

The Playhouse Cinema circa 1970

After a few visits, and a thorough inspection, the Tutt’s took another gamble on a down on its luck building and neighbourhood. They purchased the property on Sherman Ave. in the Winter of 2018, and  recent business school graduate and cinema buff Jacob Tutt came on board to help  handle the task of much needed renovations; and to become the General Manager upon the cinema’s opening in Spring 2019.

Playhouse___Super_Portrait

John & Wendy Tutt w filmmaker Terrance Odette

 

B88264951Z.1_20180711194325_000_G918A447.3-0_Super_Portrait

Jacob, Wendy, andJohn Tutt

The renovations tuned into much toil and trouble, but with the help of the local trades the Tutt’s were able to honour the legacy and design of this wonderful building ,while bringing it into the modern era.

B88264951Z.1_20180711194325_000_G918A44E.3-0_Super_Portrait

Renos under way @ the Playhouse – Fall 2018

With excellent acoustics, a renovated theatre fly system, and a retractable cinema screen (is this the only one in Canada? ); The Playhouse is primed not just for film but as a new concert and theatre venue as well.

But film is at the heart of The Playhouse, and that was very much on display with the sold-out opening night screening of Cinema Paradiso on Friday March 1, 2019.

IMG_20190301_181257

Opening Night @ The Playhouse-A soon to sold out theatre opens it’s doors on March 1-2019

With a full printed monthly schedule, and membership card in hand, I enjoyed every aspect on this “new” cinema. From the excellent accessible seating and washrooms, to the snack bar (soon to be licensed), to the comfortable seats, layout, and projection image; it was a great night to revel in the joy on cinema.

Plus, it was a great occasion to catch up with some old friends and maybe meet some new ones. I even had the chance to see Jan Uhde ,my Film Professor from the University of Waterloo, which was really cool.

And it was nice to see the old Westdale Theatre manager Geoff Tressider as part of the new staff at The Playhouse. He spent many years keeping independent cinema screening alive in Hamilton-and hat’s off to him for that!

IMG_20190301_182657

Reno Relief Detail @ The Playhouse Cinema

If you want more information on the cinema and their current schedule go to: https://playhousecinema.ca

Plus here are a couple links to some interviews with Jacob on 93.3 CFMU-FM

http://cfmu.ca/episodes/13542-soundtrack-episode-for-2019-03-06

Episode 262 (Mar. 15/19)

262-mar15-19.-2

General Manager Jacob Tutt at CFMU Radio

See you at the  the movies!