Watch Carts of Darkness

Carts of Darkness is a 2008 documentary film that tells the story of a group of homeless people in Vancouver, Canada, who make a living by collecting and selling bottles and cans they find on the streets. But unlike most bottle collectors who transport their goods in shopping carts, these individuals use shopping carts to navigate steep mountain roads in order to race down them at breakneck speeds.

The film is directed by Murray Siple, who was himself a former professional skier before becoming disabled in a tragic accident that left him wheelchair-bound. Siple became fascinated by the subculture of bottle collectors in Vancouver, and he spent several years following them and getting to know their unique way of life.

The film begins by introducing us to some of the key characters in the story, including a man named Big Al who is widely regarded as the king of the bottle collectors. Big Al is a charismatic figure who has been living on the streets for years and has become an expert at navigating the treacherous mountain roads on his makeshift cart. He is also a natural showman, and he enjoys entertaining crowds of onlookers by performing stunts and tricks as he hurtles down the mountainside.

We also meet a number of other bottle collectors, including a man named Dizzy who suffers from mental illness and finds solace in racing down the mountain. There's also a woman named Shannon who once had a successful career as a makeup artist but became addicted to drugs and ended up homeless. Shannon uses her cart to collect bottles during the day, but at night she sleeps in it, huddled under a pile of blankets to keep warm.

As the film progresses, we learn more about the world of bottle collecting and the challenges that these individuals face on a daily basis. We see how the collectors spend their days trawling the streets for discarded bottles and cans, which they then sort and clean before selling them to a recycling center. We also see how they struggle to make ends meet, often resorting to begging or other illegal activities to get by.

But the core of the film is the breathtaking footage of the collectors racing down the mountain roads on their carts, which can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Siple uses a combination of handheld cameras and GoPro cameras mounted on the carts themselves to capture the action from every possible angle, and the result is a thrilling and immersive experience that puts the viewer right in the middle of the action.

At the same time, the film doesn't shy away from the dangers that the collectors face on a daily basis. We see several crashes and spills, and we hear stories of collectors who have been seriously injured or even killed while racing down the mountain. But despite the risks, the collectors are fiercely dedicated to their craft and to each other, and they form a tight-knit community that provides support and camaraderie.

Throughout the film, Siple also reflects on his own journey as a disabled athlete and how his experiences have given him a unique perspective on the lives of the bottle collectors. He uses his own story as a way of exploring broader themes of resilience, identity, and the human spirit, and the result is a deeply moving and thought-provoking documentary.

Overall, Carts of Darkness is a mesmerizing and unforgettable film that offers a rare glimpse into a subculture that is often overlooked or misunderstood. By immersing us in the world of the bottle collectors and showing us their remarkable feats of daring, Siple gives us a new appreciation for the power of human ingenuity and determination in the face of adversity.

Carts of Darkness is a 2008 documentary with a runtime of 59 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.6.