Carts of Darkness

Posted by Jeff
Filed in City
May 22, 2006

Photo by wetsun

Anyone who lives in Vancouver is familiar with binners. The sight of one of these urban denizens trundling down an alleyway with a shopping cart full of empties is a common one around these parts. At once appreciated and abhorred, binners are either given props for ensuring that no returnable container ever sits exposed in a public place for more than three minutes or needlessly contributes to our out-of-control landfill sites, or, more commonly, are slagged on for looking scruffy and sometimes acting a bit unhinged. But how often have you heard them praised for their unique athletic skills?

Enter North Van resident Murray Siple and his current work-in-progress "Carts of Darkness". Recently granted full-production funding from the NFB and slated for release in spring 2007, Murray's upcoming documentary is going to take viewers inside the world of North Vancouver's binning community. You'll meet, amongst a host of others, Big Al and his wife, Ben, and Kelvin, hear the stories of how they ended up where they are, get the lowdown on how they view their place in North Vancouver's socioenvironmental structure, and see some amazing footage of them guiding their shopping carts down frighteningly steep hills with jaw-dropping precision. Laugh all you want, but until you've seen one of these guys hit 70 while standing on the back of a shopping cart, you don't know the idiomatic meaning of "hairy".

Reader Reviews and Comments

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OMG thanks so much for writing this article. Mur is my pal and I was supposed to do a blurb, but thank god you remembered! Yeah, I've seen those dudes bomb. Wow, they go FAAAAST. Congrats Mur!

Posted by: sean Orr at May 22, 2006 4:29 PM | Quote Comment

Oh yeah, I'm so stoked that NFB is giving Murray his funding. Carts of Darkness is going to rule. I saw another trailer at a party about a year ago and it looked like he already had a bunch of great footage.

Posted by: Jeff

at May 22, 2006 4:49 PM | Quote Comment

Congats murray, I am so exited for you! seems like everyone on the whole block knows ya eh!

Posted by: sarah at May 22, 2006 7:14 PM | Quote Comment

I owe Murray (and Big Al) for my favorite lead yet to an architecture story...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060505.wvan-siple05/BNStory/RealEstate/

Posted by: tyee at May 25, 2006 2:49 PM | Quote Comment

thanks M., good luck, look forward to seeing it at VIFF (?)

Posted by: tyee at May 25, 2006 2:52 PM | Quote Comment

Congrats Mur!! All the Orchard Drive gang is very proud!!

Posted by: Janus at May 25, 2006 3:45 PM | Quote Comment

Hey Mur, so once again your name is deservedly front and centre in some form of media or the other! I hope it never stops! Looking forward to seeing the final cut of Carts in Spring '07!

Posted by: Russell Acton at May 25, 2006 4:03 PM | Quote Comment

Murray,
Shit looks crazy. look forward to checking it out.

Posted by: tim knight at May 25, 2006 4:29 PM | Quote Comment

Mur, the films going to be incredible. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. Peace

Posted by: Nick Roos at May 25, 2006 5:19 PM | Quote Comment

Congrat's Mur. It's been great to see this creative concept grow. It's going to be a great film.

Too bad you couldn't make it to Toronto... was stoked to see you. ext time.

peace.

-p-

Posted by: old black dog at May 25, 2006 7:22 PM | Quote Comment

It is times like this that I wish I had no home, no "real" job, a serious drug/alcohol dependency, and thick soled shoes. Then Mur could make me famous and look cool!

Posted by: Crowe at May 25, 2006 7:46 PM | Quote Comment

dope , dope , dope , dope , dope , dope, dope , dope, dope , dope , dope , dope ,dope ... Ya Mur ! sure this will be an amzing litlle diddy of a flick ...crazy heads ! but am also sure this is just the begining of the ball rollin on a ton of good flicks. props and good luck

Posted by: craige13 at May 25, 2006 8:11 PM | Quote Comment

i think i'll start dieting for the Oscars! So proud of you, babe!!

Posted by: cricket at May 25, 2006 11:25 PM | Quote Comment

Nice work Murray! Your story is just fanominal!!

Posted by: Jena (MB) at May 26, 2006 6:20 AM | Quote Comment

Nice work Murray! Your story is just fanominal!!

Posted by: Jena (MB) at May 26, 2006 6:20 AM | Quote Comment

Wow! An introspective view of our urban environment which no one has seen before! A subculture that is unveiled through the eyes of a brilliant director. Do you see a sequel done in Kamloops of guys going down columbia street on wheelbarrows?

Posted by: VT at May 26, 2006 12:42 PM | Quote Comment