PMA Productions Superstitious Minds World Broadcast Premiere -CBC October 31st, 2013 GAT PR Press Summary
Interviews completed
October 23
Il N’y A Pas Deux Matins Pareils/ CBC Radio-Canada Interviewed: Adrian Wills
October 24
CBC Live Interviewed: Kenneth Hirsch The Ward and Al Show/ SiriusXM Satellite Radio-Canada Interviewed: Kenneth Hirsch Montreal Gazette/Postwire Media Interviewed: Adrian Wills, Kenneth Hirsch
October 25
Montreal Gazette/Postwire Media Photo shoot: Adrian Wills, Kenneth Hirsch
October 31
Mainstreet /CBC Radio Halifax Interviewed: Adrian Wills, Kenneth Hirsch
Superstitious Minds: Why you just can’t persuade people to abandon bizarre beliefs John Doyle
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/superstitiousminds-why-you-just-cant-persuade-people-to-abandon-bizarrebeliefs/article15146085/ I imagine that in Ottawa there will be ghouls going about the streets tonight dressed as Mike Duffy. Particularly popular in areas where members of Our Glorious Leader’s party reside, one imagines. And it’s not too hard to contrive the ensemble – a variation on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle outfit, and with a knife stuck in its back. Also a stash of printed e-mails protruding from a side pocket. Oh, the fun to be had tonight in the dressing-up game. People use Halloween costumes to take the measure of the popular culture. That’s fair enough. I was interested to read that Paris Hilton (who remains one of my loyal followers on Twitter, bless her) is going about dressed as Miley Cyrus. Nice, but it would take Roland Barthes to deconstruct that one. According to a Canadian Press story, a big theme for Halloween dress-up this year is TV characters. Apparently the streets and nightclubs of this great country will teem with characters from Game of Thrones, Duck Dynasty and Breaking Bad. Of course, not everyone has seen these shows. So, some tips. A Duck Dynasty outfit involves camouflage pants and a beard. A Game of Thrones costume is mainly for the ladies – long blonde wig with a side braid and a bustier top made out of burlap. That’s the
famous Daenerys. It is, as these things are classified these days, only a “slightly slutty” costume. And if a young man approaches you tonight, dressed in a yellow hazmat suit and yells, “Yo, bitches!” that’s Jesse from Breaking Bad. What unfolds tonight is explained somewhat in Superstitious Minds (CBC, 9 p.m. on Doc Zone) a new documentary that is, obviously, about superstition. Halloween is explained as, “A spooky game of disguise rooted in an ancient superstition – that for one day, the dead walk among the living.”
Indeed. The program presents some interesting facts and issues. Well, they’re not all deeply interesting. Personally, I don’t care if Taylor Swift believes 13 is a very lucky number. However, the heft of the doc is an assertion that superstitions should not be dismissed as ignorant or silly beliefs: “New studies are starting to shed light on why we are superstitious: because it works. Psychologists argue that superstition is good – it helps us deal with life, and scientists say it’s hard-wired into our brains.”
It is asserted that today people are getting more superstitious, and that those under the age of 30 are the most superstitious of all. Kids today. There are lengthy explanations of the locker-room superstitions of athletes and fishermen. Guy Carbonneau, formerly of the Montreal Canadiens, gives us the gist and we’re told how Patrick Roy was obsessively superstitious when he was a player. Fishermen in Newfoundland have a long list of superstitious beliefs and it is asserted that the more dangerous the occupation, the more intense the belief in luck, bad luck and signals about impending doom. A lot of time is spent on feng shui, the Chinese system of harmonizing existence with the surrounding environment. Here it’s described by one expert as “a spiritual discipline”, not as a superstition. A case is made for the pragmatism of using this system. But it’s a tad outrageous to suggest that the profits of the Whole Foods chain are high because they use feng shui in their store designs. A good deal of what’s presented in Superstitious Minds (directed by Adrian Wills and produced by Kenneth Hirsch) is a crock. It’s just that you can’t persuade people to abandon bizarre beliefs. Like those held by members of the Senate. This article also appeared in:
http://muckrack.com/link/br5R/superstitious-minds-why-you-justcant-persuade-people-to-abandon-bizarre-beliefs
Thursday on TV: Eat candy, watch Superstitious Minds Alex Strachan http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=9fb817daa239-4d86-a72a-59a73c661f3b Halloween isn't just for the kiddies, and not all Halloween TV fare is eye candy for the fevered brain. The selfexplanatory Doc Zone documentary Superstitious Minds asks why, if we're living in an age of rapid scientific advances and technological change, westernized society is more superstitious than ever. If you can get past the condescending narration - a persistent and annoying Doc Zone signature - Superstitious Minds raises compelling questions about that murky area where faith and reason intersect. Superstitious Minds takes us first to Mexico, where superstition and Catholicism merge on El Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead - spread over three days, actually, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. The Day of the Dead is not focused on ghostly spectres and things that go bump in the night, as the movies and Halloween episodes of CSI would have us believe. It's a time when family and friends gather, remember and pay homage to acquaintances and loved ones who have died, a traditional celebration timed to coincide with the Roman Catholic triduum - threeday observance - of All Hallows' Eve, All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day. The academics weigh in, as they often do in documentaries. "Superstition is definitely on the uprise," Stuart Ryse, a professor of psychology in New London, Conn., says early in the program. "There's always that crazy bit of uncertainty about what might happen, and that's the gap into which superstition goes." There's empirical evidence to back that up. Each year, nearly 10 million rabbits' feet are sold in North America, we're told. Many of us believe bad things happen on Friday the 13th, and not just lousy movies. The number 13 just can't get a break, Superstitious Minds reminds us, even if for every 13th day doomcrier there's a celebrity like Taylor Swift who insists the number 13 is lucky. For her, anyway. Superstitious Minds is a little scattered at times, flitting from one anecdote to another, from El Dia de Los Muertos to Montreal Canadiens' goalie Patrick Roy's on-ice ritual before a key game. It makes for good post-trick-or-treating viewing, though, a Halloween program the whole family can get a kick out of. (9 p.m., CBC)
This article also appeared in:
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/television/candy+watch+Superstitious+Minds/9105413/story.html
http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/television/candy+watch+Superstitious+Minds/9105413/story.html
http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/fine-tuning-superstition-documentary-begins-with-mexico-s-day-ofdead-1.678480
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Thursday+candy+watch+Superstitious+Minds/9105413/story.html
http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/television/candy+watch+Superstitious+Minds/9105413/story.html
http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/fact+superstition/9105116/story.html
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/television/candy+watch+Superstitious+Minds/9105413/story.html
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/television/candy+watch+Superstitious+Minds/9105413/story.html
Superstitious Minds: All part of the ritual Montrealers’ documentary illustrates the extent to which superstitions permeate our lives Bill Brownstein http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Superstitious+Minds+part+ritual/9097092/story.html
MONTREAL - They are referred to as illogical links. Superstitions, that is. They may not be rooted in science, but over the centuries they have obsessed learned people in science, as well as just about everyone else. It’s no accident that Superstitious Minds airs Thursday — Halloween — at 9 p.m. on CBC’s Doc Zone. Wee ones and their elders might not be aware as they attempt to scare folks witless with their Darth Vader or Mike Duffy get-ups that, in some parts of the world, there is a superstition that the dead walk among the living on Halloween. Montreal director Adrian Wills goes to great lengths in this intriguing doc to illustrate just how much superstitions have permeated our daily lives. How else can anyone explain why 10 million rabbit feet, evidently a good-luck charm to some, are sold annually on this continent? Or why architects in the Western world construct buildings without a 13th floor? Or why Chinese architects consult feng shui experts and avoid a fourth floor when drafting their blueprints? But while four may be an unlucky digit in China, the number eight apparently can bring great fortune. So much so that at an auction in Hong Kong, a licence plate bearing the number 1888 sold for more than $300,000 in an intense bidding session. And no accident, it seems, that the Beijing Olympic Games began on the eighth hour of the eighth day of the eighth month of the millennium’s eighth year: Aug. 8, 2008. On the subject of numbers, Canadian IndyCar driver Alex Tagliani would always get the creeps when he had a vehicle with identical double digits. His fear appeared justified when his No. 33 car got into a near-fatal accident with one numbered 66 — in which the driver of that latter vehicle lost his legs. Athletes are particularly superstitious. Former Habs goalie Patrick Roy used to talk to his goalposts before a game. Guy Carbonneau would bang on the goalposts and make the same prayer prior to each bout. Sports fans are also particularly superstitious, whether it entails the wearing of certain outfits or the uttering of specific pregame mantras. Not that any of these rituals really have any effect on the outcome of the contest. Some suggest that superstitions are more rooted in obsessive-compulsive disorder. On that note, Wills points out that cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human to travel in space, started a trend that has been followed by his fellow male Russian explorers of the cosmos: they all urinate on the right rear wheel of the
bus that takes them to the launch site. (Female cosmonauts are given the option of pouring a pre-filled cup of their own urine on the wheel.). It’s a little more reserved at mission control for the U.S. NASA gang: they limit their routine to opening a jar of peanuts after the astronauts have reached their destination. While Wills interviews mental-health professionals who insist superstitions are helpful in allowing us to develop coping systems for our lives, he also tracks down detractors like Michael Shermer, founder of the Skeptics Society, who believe it’s all a bunch of bunk. “But even Shermer admitted at a conference of skeptics that he really is superstitious — that everybody is,” says Kenneth Hirsch, the Montreal producer of the show. “It’s just so ingrained in all of us, no matter that it may be so irrational.” “It seems that the brain is always looking for patterns,” says Wills, “so it creates its own form of patterns. We’re constantly in need of order in our universe. Even people who say they are not superstitious will admit that they refuse to walk under ladders or will get nervous when they break mirrors.” Hirsch suggests this is due to the fact that humans like to have predictable outcomes in an ever-evolving, unpredictable world. As far-fetched as it may sound that cosmonauts urinate on a wheel of their transport vehicle, Wills actually witnessed such while shooting the documentary Touch the Sky, about Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté’s trip to the International Space Station. “Sure enough, the cosmonauts who were part of the mission followed the ritual. It’s really part of their belief system, even if it is pretty gross,” notes Wills, a Grammy winner for All Together Now, his doc about the making of Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles show. Wills figures there is a correlation between the amount of danger related to a job and superstition, be it space travel or activities like car racing or fishing. In the Maritimes, he caught up with professional fishermen who espoused theories about crows on their way out to the high seas. If one crow would cross the path of some, they would turn back. But if they encountered two crows, they would keep on going. It was indeed intentional that Wills and Hirsch pegged the release of Superstitious Minds to Halloween. “It is not just the second-most popular holiday of the year here, but it’s by far the most superstitious,” Hirsch says. “When a lit candle in a pumpkin goes out, the thinking is that it’s a ghost responsible. And if a bat flies around your house on Halloween, then your house is haunted.” The doc’s creators, natch, have their own quirky superstitions. Hirsch’s Scottish mom passed this one on to her offspring: Never put a new pair of shoes on the table — or else. Wills, for his part, is fond of the number three. And, natch, both Wills and Hirsch will be knocking on wood prior to the Halloween debut of their doc. What is there to lose?
Superstitious Minds airs Thursday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. on CBC-TV’s Doc Zone. This article also appeared in:
http://www.leaderpost.com/entertainment/television/Superstitious+Minds+part+ritual/9097092/story.html
Lucky You! Read All About Doc Zone’s Superstitious Minds Leah Collins http://www.cbc.ca/connects/tv-film/lucky-you-read-all-about-doc-zones-superstitious-minds Stanley Cup winners, Wall Street investors, NASA scientists, Atlantic fishermen: when faced with a broken mirror or bad feng shui maybe those guys wouldn’t toss a fistful of salt over their shoulders. But they’re all superstitious in their own ways. We all are, no matter where we live, what we do or what we believe. So claims “Superstitious Minds,” a new episode of CBC’s Doc Zone airing Halloween night. The film travels around the world – from Montreal to Mexico City to New York and Hong Kong – investigating both the origins of so many superstitious rituals, and why human beings are hard-wired to find meaning and patterns in the unexplained phenomena around them. Here, producer Kenneth Hirsch talks about making the film. He didn’t think of himself as superstitious before starting work on the project, but find out how that changed. How superstitious are you?
K enneth Hirsch: You know, I wouldn’t have thought I was superstitious a year and a half ago, I would’ve said not at all superstitious, but one of the things the show does is it reminds us that we all are superstitious. You know, even the scientists we interviewed and the skeptics we interviewed, they all acknowledge their own personal superstitions. And I have mine as well: I touch wood if I say something I don’t want to jinx, and for sure, on a big day I’ll wear a lucky piece of clothing. How did work start on this project? I was actually approached by a writer in Montreal called Tom Puchniak, he’s the writer of this show, and he’d been wanting to do a show on superstitions for a while, actually. He came to me, I guess last April, and he said, ‘You know, there’s some new research out and a book out that shows that superstition is a good thing for us,’ and moreover that superstition seemed to be growing in influence in the world today, which was surprising to me in the sense that we’re living in such a scientific and technological era.
If we’re all superstitious, how did you decide who and what to profile in the film? It was tricky, I think, to find subjects. I mean, first thing, it was a bit of a surprise to me that a lot of people didn’t want to talk about it. In sports, where everyone is superstitious, sports fans and athletes – a lot of them, especially current athletes, don’t want to speak about it because they don’t want to jinx themselves. They don’t want to unveil that secret world to you. And some people didn’t want to appear ignorant because sometimes there’s a bit of a stigma associated with superstition – which was a bit of an eye opener to me. I always thought of this as a light subject. Of the people who were willing to talk and tell us the whole story of their superstitious lives we chose the ones that we
thought had the most interest, either because they were humorous or because they were meaningful in a deeper or more emotional way, or just plain surprising. Watching the documentary, the story of how the HSBC building in Hong Kong completely revamped its exterior – just because of bad feng shui – was surprising to me. That’s the thing with superstitions, though. It can all seem nutty if you don’t subscribe to it. If you don’t embrace it, yeah. Which stories were most surprising to you? I think that one of the great values of this documentary is the section on Hong Kong. We went there because it’s like one of the most modern cities in the world, and also one of the most superstitious cities in the world. I think that’s one of the funnier sequences in the movie, where they build the cannons on the HSBC building to fight the bad feng shui, but what you also have to do is step back and look at ourselves a bit. NASA scientists are superstitious, you know? You think because they’re so scientific and rational they wouldn’t embrace any of these superstitions, but they won’t fly a mission until a commander loses a deck of cards, so you have these stories of commanders staying up all night playing cards, trying to lose a hand before leaving the next morning. And the can of peanuts, the infamous can of peanuts they open in mission control an hour before touchdown. That really surprised me. And as one of our characters tells us, Wall Street is full of superstitions. People trade on all sorts of things that don’t make sense rationally, and that has a real world impact. The doc spends some time exploring how superstition is a part of a bunch of different disciplines. You talk about the tradition of theatrical superstitions, for instance. Are there any similar superstitions when you’re making a film? It’s funny. Anything where you have to be on, in the moment -- or any job that’s dangerous, like the fishermen, or car racing -or where you have to be on stage, I think you tend to revert more to rituals and little superstitions to give you a bit of a sense of control over things you don’t necessarily control. Did you develop any superstitions while making the film? You know, I was thinking about that. (Chuckle.) Only in the very big picture. I have never, ever in my life producing films – which is I guess close to 15 years now, documentaries – had so many examples, so many flights cancelled or postponed due to weather. We were flying to Mexico to film the Day of the Dead, and that was Hurricane Sandy. The two fishermen, the father and son in Newfoundland? We all jumped on a plane before Easter weekend to film with them, and we get in our car and by the time we turn around there’s 25 centimetres of blowing snow, the water is totally locked in with ice, and for sure you start to wonder: ‘Maybe we’re messing with a subject we shouldn’t be messing with.’ During the filming of the show I was just more aware of these patterns. You know, I think one of the things the doc shows us is we’re very acutely programmed to seek patterns in things and that’s what the skeptic [Michael Shermer, founder of the Skeptics Society] points out in the show. The human brain is a great pattern seeker, but often we see things that aren’t real patterns. So all this slew of bad weather we had, and cancelled flights, in my rational mind, and this is what I actually believe, is it’s just a statistical outcome. You fly enough, you’ll have three or four cancelled flights in a row. But when you’re working in the world of superstition – and I sometimes felt it was a secret world we were uncovering -- you’re certainly more attuned to these supernatural explanations. Is there something else going on?
Superstitious Minds airs on CBC’s Doc Zone Thursday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT). For more on the film, and superstitions, visit the show’s website.
This article also appeared in:
http://www.richarddawkins.net/news_articles/2013/11/4/lucky-you-read-all-about-doc-zone-s-superstitious-minds
Halloween party planner Horrifying happenings in all their ghoul-icious variations haunt the cinemas, clubs and streets Julia Hoecke https://www.nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/story.cfm?content=195000 SUPERSTITIOUS MINDS Adrian Wills's documentary on superstition airs at 9 pm. CBC's Doc Zone. cbc.ca.
The Dorkshelf Guide to Halloween in Toronto Andrew Parker http://dorkshelf.com/2013/10/28/the-dork-shelf-guide-to-halloween-in-toronto/ Superstitious Minds While it might not seem terrifying to talk about why people refuse to step on cracks out of fear for their mother or why some buildings don’t have a 13th floor clearly marked or noted, superstitions are based out of an intrinsic fear of something unknown and unquantifiable. At 9:00pm on Halloween night, CBC Doc Zone and documentarian Adrian Willis will take a look at the rational and irrational thinking that goes into the perceived avoidance of pain, awkwardness, terror, or in some cases, potential satanic possession or control. It might not be edge of your seat stuff compared to what most thrill seeking junkies might want to get out of the holiday, but for those curious and staying at home handing out candy (or afraid to leave the house for reasons the very show happens to be talking about), it’s a deeply humane look at the things that make many people unique.
Halloween! Movies Reviewed: Superstitious Minds, Ginger Snaps, Bounty Killer Daniel Garber http://danielgarber.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/halloween-movies-reviewedsuspicious-minds-ginger-snaps-bounty-killer/
Hallowe’en – it’s the scariest night of the year! And things are getting scarier and scarier. CSEC: The Communications Security Establishment Canada – this country’s own NSA. Did you know they’re allowed to spy on Canadians, as long as you’re speaking to someone outside the country? And with no watchdog, no judicial control? They’re free to do whatever they want with no one watching them! Scary…! Maybe you’re a Bell Canada customer? Beginning two weeks after Hallowe’en they want to keep a record of every web page you visit, every call you make, every TV show you watch, and every place you visit carrying your cell phone! Scarrry!!!! Yes, it’s a very scary time of year.
Awooooooooo! So in honour of this frightening holiday, I’m looking at some very halloweeny things. There’s a documentary on superstition, a classic horror film about sisters in suburbia, and a post-apocalyptic action/western about a futuristic world.
Superstitious Minds Dir: Adrian Wills and Kenneth Hirsch Are we all superstitious? I’m pretty careful about spilling salt. And are we becoming more or less so in an increasingly scientific world? Well, according to a new documentary, we are as superstitious as we’ve ever been, maybe more so, with people under thirty the most superstitious of all. It’s what keeps us grounded and gives us control in facing an uncertain, unpredictable world. This documentary covers international phenomena like Mexico’s Day of the Dead, Feng Shui in Hong Kong, and the rituals and taboos Newfoundland fishermen stick to to keep from being lost at sea. As well as small things we notice everyday, like the rituals of everyone from sports fans to Shakespearean actors. One example: the strange jagged angles of the Bank of China building in Hong Kong led to widespread worry that it was upsetting their economy with it’s intrusive, knife-like nature. So HSBC – that’s the Hong King Shanghai Bank of Commerce – actually put metal cannons on the roof of their sky scraper to shoot all that bad energy back at the Bank of China, thus neutering it’s negative charms. This is an interesting documentary, with lots of colourful vignettes talking heads, and some reenacted montages about superstition. (I just wish it dealt less with the psychology of it, and more with the magic.) Ginger Snaps is playing at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Halloween night (tiff.net), Superstitious Minds is airing on CBC TV on Doc Zone (also on Halloween night), and Bounty Killers played at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, which is screening its closing films tonight.
This is Daniel Garber at the Movies, each Friday morning on CIUT 89.5 FM and on my website, culturalmining.com
Review: Superstitious Minds (2013) –or– Knock on wood http://www.the-filmreel.com/2013/10/31/review-superstitious-minds-2013-orknock-on-wood/
Superstitious Minds is a documentary that looks at the history of various superstitions, as well as the way they impact our lives. Exploring the thin line between tradition and superstition, the film also questions why superstitious belief has seemingly increased, even as science has advanced so far. These beliefs are also affected by culture, with many of us recognizing that buildings lack a thirteenth floor, while places like Hong Kong eliminate any floor with the number four in it. From those who believe, including a financial adviser who uses astrology, to those who don’t, this documentary is a fascinating look at how many of us may be superstitious, without even realizing it. While watching Superstitious Minds , I was surprised to realize just how superstitious I was, even though I didn’t think I was. Thankfully, the documentary manages to explore the reasons why we’re almost hard-wired to be superstitious, and it’s an incredibly interesting journey. The doc begins exactly where it should, in the world of sports. There may not be a more superstitious lot than athletes, or the fans that watch them. Fans will wear a
certain shirt for every game they watch, or there’s always the playoff beard that many athletes will start growing. Is there a point where superstition can become a problem though? According to some experts, the answer is yes. It’s a small step from being superstitious, and perhaps performing a few personal rituals, to spending much of your time with those rituals, slowly becoming obsessive compulsive. The flip side is that being a little superstitious can be good. A study with golfers showed that those who were given a ‘lucky ball’ managed to sink more putts than others who were given a regular ball. It’s not that the ball was lucky at all, but that thought alone was enough to relax and encourage the golfers. Obviously, there’s no scientific truth behind superstitions, but it’s hard to convince someone otherwise, especially when it seems to be working. We’ve all tried not to walk under a ladder, or found ourselves wondering if it’s because it’s Friday the 13th that is causing our bad luck that day. There’s no harm in that, and watching the various traditions around the world, and the reasons behind some of the more popular superstitions, will give viewers a chance to understand just why they may have knocked on wood the day before! Should You W atch Superstitious Minds? This is a great way to spend a bit of your Halloween. Just watch out for those black cats!
Superstitious Minds premieres on CBC’s Doc Zone at 9:00 pm on Thursday, October 31, 2013.
Spooky Canadian Film Treats in time for Halloween Alana Marchetto http://canadianfilmreview.com/spooky-canadian-film-treats-in-time-for-halloween/
Looking for some thrills and chills at the movies this Halloween? Be sure to check out these Canadian spook-tacular films coming to theatres in Toronto and on TV across Canada! Superstitious M inds W here: on CBC’s Doc Zone W hen: Hallow een night | October 31 | 9:00pm ET Directed by Adrian Wills and produced by Kenneth Hirsch Superstition is not just for the uneducated and unenlightened anymore – and never has been. It’s for architects, who build buildings without a 13th floor and consult feng shui experts for their designs. It’s for ex-Presidents like Ronald Reagan, who had his Bel Air, California address changed from 666. It’s for everyone, in fact, who has ever knocked on wood, made a wish while blowing out birthday candles or avoided stepping on sidewalk cracks. Adrian Wills’s documentary Superstitious Minds suggests that our adherence to superstition is an integral part of how we make sense of the world – one that may, in fact, gain a more powerful hold over us as our world becomes more complicated.
New Thursday: Nature of Things, Doc Zone, Played http://www.tv-eh.com/2013/10/31/19450/ Doc Zone, CBC – “Superstitious Minds” We embrace our superstitions even though we live in the most scientifically advanced time in all of history. Is superstition the tonic we need to face a more frightening world?
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