Reel Beach: Mae Martin and Wayward celebrate Toronto and Canada

By BERNIE FLETCHER

Halloween may be over, but monsters, vampires and killer clowns are still “streaming” into our living rooms. Filming in Toronto has mostly turned away from theatrical releases toward services like Netflix and Prime Video.

The most disturbing character may be Evelyn (Toni Collette), the director of a cult-like academy for troubled teens in the eerie thriller Wayward.

Created by and starring Mae Martin, the limited series is set in 2003 in Toronto and fictional Tall Pines, Vermont. When it was released in late September, Wayward became the Number One watched show worldwide for Netflix.

Known for stand-up comedy, Mae Martin was born and raised in Toronto.

Father James Chatto was a child actor in Lord of the Rings (1963) before becoming an acclaimed food writer. Uncle Daniel Chatto is married to Princess Margaret’s daughter Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones.

Martin identifies as non-binary and plays a trans male police officer, Alex, in a seemingly idyllic small town in Vermont where nothing is as it seems.

Alex investigates mysterious disappearances from the Tall Pines Academy.

Martin was inspired to create Wayward by the story of a teen friend who was sent to a similar school in the United States. Two Toronto teens end up in the prison-like “school” where abuse is common.

What to do with a problem like Leila? Don’t send them to Tall Pines!

“We’re survivors. We’re Canadian, remember!”

The series was filmed in and around Toronto, including Millbrook, conservation areas and Ted’s Restaurant in Scarborough.

More than 2,400 local crew members were involved including actors Sarah Gadon and Beach-raised Patrick J. Adams.

At a TIFF screening Martin said, “I feel proudly Torontonian after working with this incredible crew” and “I’m so proud to have made the show here.”

Martin, Gadon and Collette even swam and kayaked on our beaches.

Do vampires even like beaches? The Vampire Lestat (Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire) was spotted filming at Scarborough Bluffs. I hope they wore sunscreen.

Frankenstein is ready to lurch onto Netflix today (Friday, Nov. 7).

When Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro received the key to our city from Mayor Olivia Chow, he proclaimed, “Toronto is the best place to make movies.”

The busy Mexican director del Toro has said, “I love this city and I’ve felt really appreciated here since 1996.”

He’s resided on and off in the Beach and Leslieville and is vocal in his support of local businesses such as the Fox Theatre, Ed’s Real Scoop ice cream, The Great Escape Book Store and the Sunset Grill.

Why are kids vanishing again in small towns? Beware killer clowns in It: Welcome to Derry, which arrived on HBO/Crave just in time for Halloween.

Filmed in Port Hope and all around the Greater Toronto Area, this eight-part prequel series is set in 1962 Derry, Maine: “Visit the town everyone is dying to see.”

Pennywise is a fictional clown, but Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (Peacock) tells the horrific, real-life story of a serial killer who entertained children.

If you spotted a vintage ice cream truck near the baseball diamond at Kew Gardens, here’s the scoop. It was serving up more tricks than treats, and was just a prop for the horror film Ice Cream Man. I wouldn’t advise trying flavour delights such as “Creepy crawly”, “Serpent swirl” or “Locust lick”! But that’s just me.