About The Film

Back To The Zone is a feature length documentary that profiles the landmark 80s era nightspot; The Twilight Zone and the roots of dance culture in North America. The film tells the story of how four brothers born in Trinidad and raised in Brooklyn, helped shape a city’s nightlife though music, culture, fashion and diversity.  Featuring interviews with the club’s original owners alongside superstar djs, media personalities and twilight zoners all over top a landscape of treasured, exclusive archival footage.  

Read more on the history of the Twilight Zone and why it was such an important institution. 

About This Campaign

This campaign is to raise funds to complete the film during the post production process. We're seeking your help to help pay for the editing process (colour correction, editing, sound) and archival footage, music rights, insurance and promotional costs.

Listen to some of the music played at the Twilight Zone on their seminal Saturday nights.

Why I Made This Film

In 1993, I attended my first underground event at a place called the Latvian Hall in Little Italy.  Billed as Clash of the Techno, it was my first rave and it blew my mind. From there I attended events at 23 Hop, which was also known as 318 Richmond. Years later I became infatuated with seminal youth culture movements, with a particular emphasis on where and when they occurred in Toronto. I felt that these stories and places were being quickly erased with every building torn down and new one being built over top. My research led me to hear about the Twilight Zone, which to me, seemed like the most influential club in our city's history. Modelled after NYC's legendary Paradise Garage and built by four starry-eyed young brothers, the club was one of few spaces that brought in underground disco, house, hiphop and techno for the very first time.  Their seminal Wednesday and Friday nights also brought in a wide variety of funk, new wave and every other flavour of music imaginable. Perhaps most importantly, like that first rave I attended, the Twilight Zone offered a safe, positive space for so many marginalized misfits. It was clear to me that it needed to be celebrated and remembered.

Check out our successful campaign to name a laneway after the Twilight Zone.

Who's In The Film?

THE ASSOON BROTHERS

Tony (pictured top), alongside Michael, Albert and David founded the original Twilight Zone in 1980, before finding it’s permanent location on Richmond St. West. The club would last nine years and helped transform an entire city. The Assoons would go on to launch several other notable clubs over the next few decades including Fresh, Gotham, The Living Room and most recently; Remix Lounge.

FRANKIE KNUCKLES

Frankie played an important role in developing and popularizing house music in Chicago during the 1980s, when the genre was in its infancy. Due to his importance in the development of the genre, Knuckles was often known as “The Godfather of House Music.*  This interview was courtesy of Phil Ranstrom.

DAVID MORALES

David Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning American house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks.*

DAVE CAMPBELL

Dave Campbell is a legendary Toronto DJ that has shared the stage with legends including DJ Jazzy Jeff and Jam Master Jay and opened for Usher and Kanye West. He’s performed for private parties with the likes of the legendary Prince and the Venetian Ball with the revered Stevie Wonder. He was the first DJ to have a residency on Canadian TV with Much Music’s X-Tendamix, and has won awards for achievement in both house and urban music.

MITCH WINTHROP

Mitch Winthrop began his career as a disco and funk DJ in Toronto in 1979, and began to develop what was to become a huge following by the mid 80’s.  Additionally, he has hosted and/or programmed several house music mix shows on various radio stations, spanning several decades. This wealth of experience includes stints on Energy 108 (Canada’s biggest dance station), Buffalo, New York’s WBLK, as well as the original “Keys To House” (a nationally syndicated program in the U.S.) and the first ever house music show on Canadian radio (The “Rhythm Method” on CHRY in Toronto).

DINO & TERRY

Twin brothers Dino and Terry’s long DJ career began in the mid-eighties, when they were still teenagers, playing funk, disco and electro music for small local parties.  Once the Twilight Zone club closed, Dino and Terry filled the void with the launch of Kola club, Toronto’s famous original after-hours warehouse venue. With a residency spanning two years (1988-1990), they built up a very loyal following and have held a significant presence by performing and producing ever since.

NICK HOLDER

Nick Holder is an underground hip-hop and house music DJ and producer.  Holder began DJing in the early 1980s, and soon became influenced by the Detroit techno scene and DJs such as Derrick May and Carl Craig. He owns records labels DNH Records and Treehouse Records, and has been producing music since 1991.*

CHARMAINE GOODEN

Charmaine is an editor, writer, presenter, public relations consultant and special event manager, spokesperson, host, and educator.  Former Beauty and Health Editor for Chatelaine Magazine, Editor-in-Chief of Images Magazine and Host of W’s The Beauty Guide, Charmaine is an icon for Canada’s beauty and fashion industry for several decades.

SUZANNE BOYD

An authority in the world of publishing and marketing, she has served on the Editorial Council of the Women’s Group of Rogers Media and was a founding member of the FDCC (Fashion Design Council of Canada).  Suzanne became editor-in-chief of Flare after only six years at the magazine, making her the first person of colour to head a mainstream Canadian publication. In March 2004, she was named founding editor-in-chief of Suede, a fashion-forward magazine for multi-cultural urban women, launched by Time Inc. in partnership with Essence Communications partners.

* COURTESY WIKIPEDIA.

About the Filmmaker

COLM HOGAN – WRITER/DIRECTOR

Colm is a writer, director and photographer that has spent 15 years researching Toronto’s underground music culture for Sketched Out Productions. His last film, Matatu Express uncovered hip hop musicians and youth culture movements in one of Africa’s biggest slums.  Matatu premiered at the 2011 NXNE and Kenya International film festival. Colm’s 2013 photography exhibit; Polaroids From Prison examined incarcerated life inside an abandoned penitentiary in Southwestern Ontario.  He is also Founder, Publisher and Editor in Chief to Digitized Graffiti, a blog specializing in music, technology and underground culture since 2010.

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