Almost unknown are countless reels of 16mm film housed at the archives of the Canadian National Exhibition, and a treasure trove of colour images made when black and white was how we stored most of our memories.
Thanks to Youtube, and digitization that is now being funded by EMC Heritage Trust, much of the footage and photos are seeing the light of day.
The CNE's film collection, dating as far back as the 1920s, shows a moving “evolution of a city and its people,” says film archivist Christina Stewart, heading the digitization project.
The films, including home movies which have been donated, show entertainers like Bob Hope and Duke Ellington on the grand-stand; the various midway attractions; dog swimming races and the Mayor's Bathtub Races; and the then-latest products unveiled by jowly captains of industry.
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Until Stewart's arrival three years ago, the films had long been neglected. Many of the reels were spliced together using inferior tape, and the adhesive spread over the film. Before the digitization process could begin, Stewart cleaned the reels, ridding them of the gooey residue.
Other damage was simply caused by the effects of time. One of the earliest surviving films, CNE 1929, processed on the odour-emitting diacetate film, shrunk over the years, making it nearly impossible to transfer. Looking at the frames through a magnifying glass, we see a majestic fireworks display showing giant images of King George V and other royalty. “It's a far cry from what you see today at Harbourfront on Canada Day,” says Stewart.
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