This film whilst focusing clearly on Winnipeg is a visual exorcism of the town, memories and peoples for the narrator.
It comprises of a dynamic voice over and some imaginative newly filmed footage, mixed with that from the archives. Towards the end the film clearly runs out of steam, despite its short running time. Becoming a crazed imaginary spiel of random thoughts by Guy Maddin it loses some of its charm and ‘enchanting’ feel. It represents an interesting personal take on the documentary genre yet sadly not a standout experience.
Appearing to be about an equal mix of historical fact and wild flights of fancy, the director's trademark retro black and white noir visuals merge seamlessly with found footage for an intriguing whole. The narration adds to the hypnotic, dreamlike feel, and whilst it does slightly run out of steam towards the end, this is still stylish and unique enough to be highly recommended for those looking for something a bit different.