NANOOK OF THE NORTH

Nanook of the North is a documentary film. Maybe the first. In the film, the viewer follows the inuit Nanook on an adventure of hunting and survival in the far north. Robert Flaherty, explorer and filmmaker, captured these events on film. It was a considerable task in 1920. Luckily, Flaherty was able to utilize a new portable cameras designed by American Museum of Natural History taxidermist Carl Akeley. The curious juxtaposition of film and wildlife has prompted many writers to consider the cinema as taxidermy. The original Nanook film burned in a fire at Flaherty's home. Flaherty returned to the north to film an improved second picture. All told, the film took several years to complete. Now, we can enjoy the life of the warm Nanook, surviving happily, forever locked in the mythic north. Happy Holidays.

How I Filmed Nanook by R. Flaherty