Length: 79 minutes
Director: Robert J. Flaherty
Cast: Nanook, Nyla, Cunayou, Allee, Allegoo, Berry Kroeger
Eric's Impressions: The first documentary on the list is a fascinating look at the arctic life of Nanook and his family. The entire movie feels like a battle for survival and your heart breaks at the conclusion when you find out what happened to the family after shooting concluded. Some historians dismiss the impact of the film on future documentaries because a lot of the action was staged, but for me it didn't lessen the power of the imagery as the family really was searching for food and shelter throughout.
Natalie's Impressions: This is a beautifully shot and directed film. It is the perfect length because it isn't so long that the viewer loses interest. The narration is very good and Flaherty's cinematography captures the the Canadian North beautifully. The story behind the filming of Nanook and his family is as grand as the landscape they inhabited. Because Flaherty's original film footage burst into flames just as he was about to ship it to the US to be developed, he had to start filming Nanook and his family all over again based on his memory and because of this, the film is somewhat inaccurate as a documentary. But it is still a very influential film that tells a powerful story.
COUNTDOWN: Just 991 movies to go!
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