1. How authentic do you believe the
depiction of Inuit life in Nanook of
the North is?
Nanook of the North Close Study
2. Authenticity in Documentary
Flaherty altered many things during the filming of NOTN
Nanook’s hunting prowess and position within the group were
greatly exaggerated, inflating his importance making him appear
to be a larger than life hero.
He ‘westernises’ elements of Inuit culture, hand picking a more
attractive woman to play his wife while refusing to acknowledge
Nanook’s polygamous relationship with his second wife.
The relationships depicted reinforce the western ideology of the
traditional family, with the father as provider and the mother as the
traditional caregiver.
He exaggerates the ‘primitive’ nature of the Inuit culture
Nanook knew how a gramophone worked before the encounter on
camera
Inuit's had also abandoned the dangerous practice of hunting with
spears, opting instead to hunt with guns.
His trading is also reduced to “knives beads and bright coloured
candy” making him seem childlike and innocent
3. Authenticity in Documentary
Many of the actions were
repeated or recreated for
camera, such as the walrus
hunt and the igloo building.
In conversation with Nanook
before filming started Flaherty
said:
Think about John Grierson’s
quote
Documentary is the creative
treatment of actuality
How much actuality is left in
Nanook of the North?“Do you know that you and your men
may have to give up making a kill, if it
interferes with my film? You
remember it is the picture of you
hunting the walrus I want and not
their meat.”
Nanook replied “Not a man will stir,
not a harpoon will be thrown until you
give the sign. It is my word”
4. Work and Play Sequence
As a class we will analyse the following sequence
answering these questions.
What techniques are used in the following scene
to romanticise the Eskimo lifestyle?
How have documentary techniques been used to
increase emotion in the scene?
Remember to use technical vocabulary and refer to
mise-en-scene, sound and editing
5. Nanook of the North Close Study
Task
In groups look at your allocated scene and analyse it answering
the following questions.
What techniques are used the following scene to romanticise
the Eskimo lifestyle?
How have documentary techniques been used to increase
emotion in the scene?
How has Flaherty mediated this scene? What effect does this
have on the audience?
You will need to create a presentation on this scene during
the lesson and for homework. You will give this presentation
in your next lesson.