Nanook of the North
Nanook of the North
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Synopsis

The original director's cut of the classic documentary of the daily life and hardships of an Eskimo family--a landmark in the history of the documentary cinema itself. Digitally mastered at a correct speed from beautiful source materials, and dramatically enhanced with a score conducted by Timothy Brock. With a bonus eight-minute interview with Frances Flaherty, the director''s Robert Flaherty---USA---1922---79 mins.

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Most Recent Reviews
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  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
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   | Lewis#4

What a pleasure to see again our old friend Nanook, that skillful, brave, and sometimes comical Inuit living with his family on the edge of Hudson Bay. While my affection for this classic film has only increased with this most recent viewing, I have to say that my continuing respect for Robert J. Flaherty’s art is now informed by a clearer view of the degree to which a number of the scenes were staged. As a founding pioneer of the ethnographic documentary, Flaherty was not constrained by an established set of rules for documentary filmmaking. And he did not hesitate to employ a series of small “lies” in the service of a greater truth. We learn, for example, that he cast locals to play Nanook’s family and that he created situations that, while they might have been true to the day-to-day lives of his subjects, were entirely manufactured. Some of the situations are dramatic. Others are remarkably comical. Nanook’s prolonged tug of war with a harpooned seal, for example, is pure Buster Keaton; it’s a symphony of pratfalls and comic perseverance. But now we know that it was entirely staged. Does this matter? Not much. This is a great picture, the first widely distributed and commercially successful ethnographic film, an enduring (and endearing) touchstone of this genre.

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  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
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   | Tara#3

I have already shared the joy I experienced in viewing 'Nanook of the North' with a few of my movie-loving friends. This film has all the elements to perfectly satisfy every audience: romance, comedy, the struggle for survival, the thrill of the chase. It was absolutely fascinating to witness the clarity in the picture quality of this almost one hundred year old film. This movie also happens to be on my favorite director Werner Herzog's best films list.

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  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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   | Phyllis#2

Very different and unusual movie. I dont think this could ever be made today.

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Most Helpful Reviews
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  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
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   | turnofscrew#1

If you have ever fantasized about time travel, you'll love seeing how Eskimos were living for thousands of years. Watching an igloo being built is amazing.

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