Filmmaker revisits 1997 film on Vancouver's fabulous neon sign era
'We continue to forget about this rich urban past that we've had,' says documentary producer
When you think of cities filled with neon signs, Las Vegas probably comes to mind. But at one time, Vancouver was known as the "Neon Capital of Canada."
Alan Goldman produced Glowing in the Dark in 1997. The documentary film originally premiered at the Museum of Vancouver. It took a close look at Vancouver's fabulous era of neon signs and how they shaped the cityscape.
Neon signs used to cover the city.
Now after more than 20 years, the film is making a comeback as part of a series at Vancouver's Pacific Cinematheque on the history of B.C. film.
Goldman calls the film a fun look back and says Vancouver residents can learn a lot from it.
"Unfortunately, we haven't really learned some of the lessons that I wish we would have learned in Vancouver," Goldman said.
While many of the biggest and most decadent signs were gone by 1997, the large majority of the small signs are now gone as well, says Goldman.
"We continue to forget about this rich urban past that we've had ... I think Vancouver, in particular, isn't so good about remembering its history."
In the 1950s, there was more neon in Vancouver per capita than just about anywhere in the world, according to Goldman.
"I started to think, why aren't we celebrating this? ... Because [the signs were] all coming down," Goldman told Early Edition host Stephen Quinn.
The campaign
While filming Glowing in the Dark, Goldman found there used to be one neon sign for every 19 people in Vancouver.
In the 1970s, there was a campaign to take down the bright signs.
Goldman says many people had started moving to Vancouver from other Canadian cities and countries, and many did not like all the neon. Many saw the massive, bright signs as visual clutter.
"They saw the mountains and the water and [said], 'why would you want to disturb that? Why would you want to put a huge neon Coca-Cola sign on the foot of Burrard Street Bridge as you're driving in?' That was basically the end of neon in Vancouver."
Glowing in the Dark screens on March 25 at the Cinematheque as part of The Image Before Us: A History of Film in British Columbia.
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With files by The Early Edition.