Aim for the Roses

Aim for the Roses
Directed byJohn Bolton
Produced byJohn Bolton
Naomi Mark
CinematographyVince Arvidson
Edited byBrendan Woollard
Music byMark Haney
Production
company
Opus 59 Films
Distributed byBlue Ice Docs
Monoduo Films
Release date
Running time
102 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Aim for the Roses is a 2016 Canadian documentary and musical docudrama about Canadian stuntdriver and daredevil Ken Carter's attempt to jump the St. Lawrence River in a rocket-powered car, and the concept album it inspired. The film was written, directed and produced by John Bolton, and features the music of composer Mark Haney. It premiered at the 2016 Hot Docs International Documentary Festival[1] and was the opening night film at the 2016 DOXA Documentary Film Festival.[2]

Summary

In 1976, professional stuntdriver Ken Carter announced his plan to undertake his most ambitious stunt yet: an attempt to jump a mile over the St. Lawrence Seaway in a rocket-powered Lincoln Continental.[3] In 2008, Canadian musician and composer, Mark Haney paid tribute to Ken Carter by making a concept album about the stunt.[4] In 2014, it was announced that filmmaker John Bolton was making a movie about these two seemingly disparate moments of Canadian cultural history.[5] On October 8, 2014, it was announced that filming had wrapped.[6]

Using archival footage from the actual stunt combined with elaborately choreographed musical numbers[7], Aim for the Roses links these two very different men by drawing parallels between each man's passions and obsessions[8]: Haney's work as a composer and Carter's work as a daredevil. Described as "part documentary, part re-enactment, part music video"[9], the film shows the sacrifices and risks each man takes in the pursuit of unlikely goals. Bolton himself becomes a third character in the story, and the film also serves as a record of his obsessive journey to complete the film.[10]

Release

Aim for the Roses had its world premiere May 1, 2016 at the Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and was the opening night film at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival on May 5, 2016. This was followed by screenings at numerous other International Film Festivals including RIDM in Montreal[11] and Docville in Belgium. The film was released in theatres across Canada including at the VIFF Centre in Vancouver, and the Mayfair theatre in Ottawa. The film is available to stream on Apple TV.

Critical Reception

Norm Wilner of NOW Magazine gave Aim for the Roses five out of five stars and called the movie "experimental and conventional at the same time: a concept movie about a concept album. It’s delightful."[12]

References

  1. ↑ Pat Mullen (2016-04-30). "Review: 'Aim for the Roses'". POV Magazine. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  2. ↑ Stuart Derdeyn (2016-05-03). "Vancouver documentary film festival opens with different kind of storytelling". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  3. ↑ Lawrence Gooley (2017-07-31). "Ken Carter's Plan To Jump A Car Over the St. Lawrence River". Adiron Almanack. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  4. ↑ Adrian Mack (2010-09-30). "Mark Haney, the Daredevil". The Tyee. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  5. ↑ Julianna Cummins (2014-09-25). "Production takes off on Aim For The Roses". Playback. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  6. ↑ Adrian Mack (2014-10-08). "Mark Haney's insane Aim for the Roses becomes absurd film". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  7. ↑ Ken Eisner (2016-11-30). "A Vancouver muso and a '70s stuntman both Aim for the Roses". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  8. ↑ Frederick Blichert (2016-04-28). "Daredevils Unite in 'Aim for the Roses'". The Tyee. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  9. ↑ Marsha Lederman (2016-04-28). "Musical docudrama Aim for the Roses pays tribute to Canadian daredevil". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  10. ↑ John Lucas (2016-05-04). "DOXA film festival ramps it up". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  11. ↑ Alex Rose (2016-11-14). "Canadian-made soundtracks star in films screening at RIDM". Cult MTL. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  12. ↑ Wilner, Norm (26 April 2016). "Review: Aim for the Roses". NOW Toronto. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
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