Those of us who are passionate about an art form can probably recall what the gateway drug was. You, dear reader, are reading a review of a smaller Canadian documentary on a Canadian film blog. At this point, I would say that you’re likely hooked on film (or Paolo’s writing, so art either way).
While we often think about the films, or novels, or artists, the specific texts, that dragged us full force into our love affair with the art that provides us with meaning, the spaces we experienced that art in are just as crucial as the actual art itself. They provided you with the tools to loosen the shackles of your own mental inhibitions, to give yourself fully to the dance.
Crocks N Rolls is about one of those spaces, specifically the legendary Crocks N Rolls (affectionately referred to as Crocks) bar, a staple of sleepy little Thunder Bay, Ontario. As Kosloski suggests, getting to see many legendary acts was like getting to see a parallel universe, a window into a world that existed outside of all you previously envisioned to be the only path in life. Considering the legion of artists that played Crocks (many of whom make an appearance or two), it might not be a stretch to suggest that this small bar may have put Canadian music on the map.
It’s not just the space itself that makes it special, it’s also the people. Frank Loffredo is the real subject of Crocks N Rolls. The long-time owner is the subject of much adulation, not that anyone would dare provide a negative word in a documentary of this nature. Kosloski isn’t reinventing the wheel, but there’s a magic here that causes you to lose yourself in between the tracks.
- Release Date: 6/24/2020
