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Eric Veillette

@veilletteinto.bsky.social
221 followers 129 following 411 posts

Arts writer & media producer | Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, CBC Arts, Radio-Canada, Severin Films | Writing a book about going to the movies in Toronto (In the Dark, ECW Press, 2027) | Editor: The Downtown Theatre | Franco-ontarien

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Reposted by Eric Veillette
Dorothy Berry @dorothyjberry.bsky.social · 19h
AI doesn't "bring the archive to life" or to even "show what this looked like in color." The medium is the message, in the sense that there is never life in a photo, there is a material object with artifacts that memorialized technology as much as any moment. It's all more imagination avoidance
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 3h
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 3h
Romero had just visited Toronto for the premiere of Martin in early June & would return in September for The American Nightmare programme of horror films screened at Festival of Festivals.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 3h
Eliminate view of knife through head & decapitation. Eliminate head being cut off & man being shot. Eliminate view of knife in throat. Eliminate view of cannibalism, bloody intestines, bloody legs & man bitten on leg. Eliminate second view of bloody neck.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 3h
Eliminate view of screwdriver being thrust into head. Eliminate view of woman being shot through the head & blood spurting. Eliminate view of hole in the head of man Eliminate view of shot in the eye Eliminate view of man shot through the head. Eliminate view of repeated shooting of creatures.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 3h
Eliminate view of man with head blown off. Eliminate view of man biting into woman’s shoulder. Eliminate all views of cannibalism and of bloody human parts Eliminate view of man shot in face. Eliminate view of man’s head being sliced by propeller.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 3h
George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead opened in Toronto on July 29, 1979. Earlier that month, all seven members of Ontario’s board of censors (including Don Sims & Mary Brown) gave the film a Restricted rating, as long as Canadian distributor Astral films complied with the following cuts:
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Reposted by Eric Veillette
T. J. Dobbin @tjamesdobbin.bsky.social · 22h
My zine on 1930 & 1931 animation is on sale now. I'm dealing with small quantities, so this listing will go away when my current stock is sold. But fear not, this isn't a once-only print run. This'll pop in and out of sale as I make copies. Available in USA/CAN only at the moment.
strawberrypenguin.bigcartel.com
Cartoon Chronology Zine
A 24-page zine on the American animated films released in 1930 and 1931. Disney, Fleischer, Warner Bros, Ub Iwerks, Van Beuren, Terrytoons, Walter Lantz and Charles Mintz - all are covered. A black an...
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Not his best material.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Dreamscape, with Dennis Quaid.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Effective and chilling film.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Tubi should just give us a Marjoe category.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
A nice addition to the Super 8 shelf.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
But to help people follow along, they included narration not featured in the original film.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I’m always fascinated by how they would edit these down, and how (if at all) they move the story along. Thankfully this movie doesn’t have much of a story to begin with.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Had no idea this even existed until recently, but I now own a Super 8 digest of EMMANUELLE.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Here's my story from April www.cbc.ca/arts/only-th...
cbc.ca
Only three movie theatres remain in Canada’s North. What now? | CBC Arts
Earlier this month, Yellowknife's only cinema, the Capitol, closed its doors. That's left film exhibitors in the territories worried about access for Northern communities — and hoping for a rebirth.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Earlier this year I reported on the closure of the Capitol Theatre in Yellowknife for CBC Arts. Its shuttering left only three operating theatres in all of Canada’s Territories. It appears the Capitol will soon reopen. cabinradio.ca/306730/news/...
cabinradio.ca
Yellowknife’s movie theatre will reopen with new name, Reel North
Yellowknife's only movie theatre, which closed earlier in 2026, is set to reopen early next year. The new operators promise they'll modernize it.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
With the announcement that the Phoenix Concert Theatre will be moving to Queen Street West, here’s a look at the history of the Parkdale Theatre, which operated from 1920-1970. thedowntowntheatre.substack.com/p/the-parkda...
thedowntowntheatre.substack.com
The Parkdale Theatre
The former Allen Theatre will live on as a new incarnation of the Phoenix Concert Theatre.
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Reposted by Eric Veillette
Toronto Archives @torontoarchives.cityof.toronto.ca · 21/09/2026
In September 1948, Alderman Allan Lamport commissioned a series of photographs along Yonge Street documenting existing conditions as the city considered widening the street, providing a fascinating snapshot of the streetscape pre-subway. Read more about it here: ow.ly/sQuq50ZOLy5
Photograph taken from the south east looking north from Edward Street on the west side of Yonge Street. Fonds 1303, Series 978, File 1, Item 5.Photograph taken from the south west looking north from Gerrard Street on the east side of Yonge Street. Fonds 1303, Series 978, File 1, Item 9.Photograph taken from the south west looking north from Gould Street on the east side of Yonge Street. Fonds 1303, Series 978, File 1, Item 6.Photograph taken from the south-west looking north from Terauley Street (just south of Dundas Street) on the east side of Yonge Street. Photograph shows The Downtown theatre which is scheduled to open soon according to the sign on the building. Other businesses shown include: Yolles Furniture Co., Continental Clothes, Biltmore Theatre, Silver Grill, and the Edison Hotel. 
Fonds 1303, Series 978, File 1, Item 2.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
There's plenty more Toronto moviegoing history at The Downtown Theatre thedowntowntheatre.substack.com
thedowntowntheatre.substack.com
The Downtown Theatre | Eric Veillette | Substack
The ongoing history of film exhibition in Toronto. Click to read The Downtown Theatre, by Eric Veillette, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The theatre itself dates back to to 1913, but I think its most fascinating period is under Fode's ownership from 1962 to the early '80s, where he also leased the theatre to Gary Topp & Jeff Silverman of the 99-Cent Roxy & later Linda Beath, where it became an early venue for @tiffnet.bsky.social
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Screening foreign cinema in Toronto in the 1960s often meant clashing with the censors. One of those fights was over Hiroshi Teshigahara’s Woman in the Dunes in 1965.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Bennet Fode was operating the Christie Theatre on St-Clair West when he acquired the Astor in the summer of 1962 and renamed it the New Yorker. Its opening film was Jean-Pierre Mocky's Les Dragueurs, released here as The Chasers.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Here's The New Yorker as The Astor in 1950.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
If you enjoyed my oral history of the Ramones’ first Toronto shows for @thestar.com, here’s the story behind the theatre where they played. Before the Garys, the New Yorker Theatre was Bennet Fode’s uncompromising first-run art house. thedowntowntheatre.substack.com/p/bennet-fod...
thedowntowntheatre.substack.com
Bennet Fode’s New Yorker Theatre
Before the Ramones hit its stage and the Garys made history, the New Yorker was Toronto’s great first-run art house.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Come and get some gabba-gabba-hey (photos by Patrick Henry)
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Over at The Downtown Theatre, I added some stuff that didn't make the cut, including how the legendary Don Pyle first discovered The Ramones. thedowntowntheatre.substack.com/p/the-ramone...
thedowntowntheatre.substack.com
The Ramones at the New Yorker Theatre
In 1976, the cult movie house went concert hall — and launched the legendary Garys.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Helluva fun layout courtesy super editor Doug Brod.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Fifty years ago this month, The Ramones came to Toronto for the first time, playing three shows at the New Yorker Theatre on Yonge Street on September 24 and 25, 1976. I wrote an oral history about that weekend for @thestar.com www.thestar.com/entertainmen...
thestar.com
An oral history of the Ramones' legendary Toronto debut 50 years ago
The New Yorker Theatre on Yonge Street hosted the New York City punk rockers, whose fiery performances inspired a new generation of musicians in the city.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
So, how was it?
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Reposted by Eric Veillette
Film Library & Media Archives @mediaarchives-uoft.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
We're so excited for the fabulous upcoming exhibit and screening curated by Whitney Mambou that celebrates the 30th anniversary of John Greyson's Lilies!  Scan the QR to get your free tix for the screening on Sept. 18th! Come to the Media Archives at Robarts Library to see the exhibit!
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Reposted by Eric Veillette
Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Trying to think of what to post for Star Trek’s 60th anniversary but I post about Star Trek a lot already so just enjoy Worf wearing jeans
Worf wearing jeans
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Lovely memories.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The trick is to catch the Sunday segments where he’s clearly waving a sign to his dealer.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
No way that man could power up one of them rings.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
It’s pretty wild when you think about it: Lon Chaney Jr. turned into The Wolf Man while on the phone with Lou Costello.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
(Including Black Christmas! Never thought we’d be reunited)
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
This post done in honour of my long-thought-lost 16mm trailer of Mommie Dearest being discovered in the CINSSU office.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
The Simpsons department store held a makeup contest for its premiere. Incredible tie-in. Would love to know who won this.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
One of my favourite audio commentaries for this film is the one John Waters did for a late 2000s DVD release.
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Frank Perry’s incredibly MOMMIE DEAREST opened in Toronto on September 25, 1981.
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Reposted by Eric Veillette
IndieWire @indiewire.com · 03/09/2026
An IndieWire investigation into Rui Pereira traces allegations of assault, discrimination, harassment, and unauthorized screenings in Toronto.
bit.ly
From Assault Allegations to Fights Over Unpaid Bills: Bruin Theatre Chief Rui Pereira’s Scandals Go Back Years
An IndieWire investigation into Rui Pereira traces allegations of assault, discrimination, harassment, and unauthorized screenings in Toronto.
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Reposted by Eric Veillette
Jamie Bradburn @jbcurio.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Side research find as I distract myself from the storm: in 1925, the Toronto Star tried a new way to share federal election results with the Toronto area - coloured rockets! Toronto Star, October 29, 1925. #cdnpoli #elections
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
What is going on out there.
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Reposted by Eric Veillette
Norm Wilner @normwilner.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Toronto: It wet #dlws
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Eric Veillette @veilletteinto.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
There's been some excellent reporting over A24's Tony being pulled from Imagine Cinemas in August. Monopolistic practices are nothing new in Canadian film exhibition—they’re woven into its foundations. In 1930, Ottawa investigated the same old question: does one theatre chain have too much power?
thedowntowntheatre.substack.com
Famous Players, Cineplex & the monopoly of Canadian film exhibition
In 1930, the Canadian government asked whether one movie chain had too much power. The question never went away.
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