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Film Analysis Of Nanook Of The North

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Nanook of the North: Directed by Robert Flaherty, Nanook of the North (1922) is one of the most famous travel films, or “scenics,” of all time. Flaherty spent years in Canada learning the culture of the Inuit (eskimo) people there. What makes this story so captivating is that it is presented as more of a drama than a documentary. Flaherty staged many scenes to portray Nanook as a protagonist, and the harsh snowy environment as the antagonist. The way the footage was edited together helped make the film interesting, since many of the sequences by themselves are boring. After being turned down by many distribution companies, Flaherty eventually was able to get his film in theaters, where it became a huge success, even so much as to become a staple of pop culture of the time. Over time, the film has come to represent the eternal struggle between man and nature.
“Agitki”: At the dawn of the USSR, Vladimir Lenin proclaimed: “Of all the arts, for us the cinema is the most important.” Lenin believed this because cinema was the easiest way to spread propaganda at the time. Much of the people living in the Russian countryside were impoverished and illiterate. By sending out propaganda films, called “agitki,” Lenin found the perfect method of educating the rural masses on the new state of their government. This type of propaganda was meant to agitate and enthuse audiences. They were typically very short, but also effective in spreading news to the uneducated rural masses. In addition

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