Nanook of the North

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ashley h Nanook of the North is an okay documentary. I liked learning about the life in the Arctic Circle. I thought the subject matter (the Inuits) was somewhat interesting. It was okay but not a favorite. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A groundbreaking film for the time. It's probably the first ever documentary and it doesn't hold much back for the time it was made. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/02/22 Full Review georgan g This was amazing considering when & how it was made. Seeing how these indigenous survived in the Arctic was fascinating. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review dave s In light of the fact that Nanook of the North was shot a century ago, before there were any accepted rules for documentary films, some of the excesses and shortcomings can certainly be excused, to a degree. While some scenes run on far too long (sledding through the ice flow) and others have a strangely Chaplin-like comedic feel to them (Nanook trying to drag the seal through the hole in the ice), the film remains an interesting examination of a family surviving the harshest elements imaginable in the difficult terrain of northern Quebec. Despite the fact the many of the scenes are blatantly staged, one has to be appreciative of the fact that the film gives the opportunity to glimpse into a world that few of us will ever experience first-hand. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review William L People everywhere will recognize Nanook without knowing why; it has become assimilated into cinema history and popular culture even if most of the attention that the film gets is academic. Yes, the film should be duly criticized for being outright deceptive in the depiction of its subjects on both an individual and cultural level (including changing the name of the protagonist for the sake of simple alliteration, not to mention depicting the Inuit as less civilized), but Flaherty set the standard for style and production value for documentary film with Nanook. The director receives criticism for actively recreating and staging events rather than recording them in real time, but imagine the drive and vision it took to tackle these working conditions, and with equipment from 1922; it's a shame that Nanook can't be used as a historical document, but it remains a landmark of film history. Just a brief shoutout that the main character (Allakariallak) straight-up used a gun in reality, which sort of ruins the romantic simplicity of the subject that the director was aiming for, but is pretty metal. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/21 Full Review Ethan S The first feature-length documentary is a fine (though not unmediated) look into a way of life that has changed significantly since it was made. Taken as a slice of history and also a slice of film history it is well worth the watch. I do wonder what happened to Nanook and his family (I've read he died not long after it was made, in a hunting accident), and whether his family saw any long-term financial benefit from being the 'stars' of the show. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/28/20 Full Review Read all reviews

Nanook of the North

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