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Film buff's collection rivals video stores

Carolyn Sloan
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 20, 2008

PANNIQTUUQ/PANGNIRTUNG - Name the film and Tommy Taylor Dialla has probably seen it. Moreover, it's quite possible he already owns it.

A dedicated film buff and collector for the last 20 years, the Pangnirtung man is a true aficionado of the silver screen.

NNSL Photo/Graphic

Tommy Taylor Dialla is Pangnirtung's local expert on all things Hollywood - Carolyn Sloan/NNSL photo

With 300 VHS movies and nearly 500 DVDs, Dialla has a home video collection to rival many of Nunavut's rental stores.

So it stands to reason that his first order of business after stepping off the plane in Iqaluit last week was to head straight to the local cinema for a double feature.

It's not often Dialla gets to come to the city and he wasn't about to waste any time.

"I went straight to the theatre and I've been (going every night)," he said.

"7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. every day."

Having been born and raised in Pangnirtung, Dialla has worked for the Northern store and for the fisheries, washing and cutting char and turbot to send to countries around the world.

He has an affection for his home community and many wonderful memories of childhood.

"It was beautiful," Dialla said. "It was always beautiful."

If there's anything that Pangnirtung lacks, he said, it's a better view of Hollywood's latest blockbusters.

"We used to have a theatre...but nobody was going there," Dialla said.

"It shut down and became a fast food place. It wasn't really popular like here."

Action, comedy, horror and martial arts are at the top of his list, but asking Dialla to come up with a favourite film is like asking the $64,000 question.

"Ooo. That's a tough one," he said, giving it some serious thought. "My favourite has to be a Jet Li movie. It has to be war."