1922: How Robert Flaherty Invented the modern documentary.

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In 1922 Robert Flaherty released what was the very first feature length documentary. It used a passive camera to capture seemingly unmediated footage of Inuit life, but the film came under criticism when it was revealed that Flaherty had staged several scenes. One of the most celebrated scenes, which shows the building of an igloo was in reality a three walled set built from ice.
The film went on to influence two new schools of documentary film making, Cinema verete and Direct cinema.
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[@Killiananderson40]

This series is an absolute must for anyone interested in film history.

[@johnnyuantheuniverse]

My all time favorite debate topic in film school was on the ethics of Flaherty's Nanook of the North. It's creation did mark a moment before the distinction of fiction and documentary films. Regardless of how you view this film, and the rest of his work I think this quote best sums up the man who fathered a genre. “There will be no Flaherty School. Many people will try to imitate him, but they won't succeed; he had no system. His system was just to love the world, to love humanity, to love animals, and love is something you can't teach.” - Jean Renoir

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

That's a great Quote! There is a great interview with Robert Flaherty's wife where she talks about his genuine love for the Inuit people and how much he respected them. She also talks about how when he started filming Nanook of the North, he didn't have any interest in making a documentary, the reason scenes of the films are staged are because he wanted to capture there "spirit" rather than the reality.

[@majormononoke8958]

johnny... The thing with disc though shows better than anything that his movie was more about how the white men viewed the Inu...

[@liltick102]

I am genuinely so happy to have found this film today... I’ve been imagining it forever since hearing Herzog talk about it, it exceeds expectations.

[@thiccboss4780]

youre one of a kind man.............your content is impeccable, can't find anything quite like it. i hope you keep them coming cause god knows theres alot of ground to cover and youtube is only wanting to make it even more discouraging , but with people like me and you and us watching that care and love film, i think these are pretty good odds

[@jennifersanchez469]

In quantum mechanics, any observation would become just merely an approximation. An attempt to observe the state of quantum particles would change the state. The idea of any objective approach to documenting goes in writing, creatively and journalistic, as well. To write is already to choose a perspective or stance. That is only possible if you are an omniscient being, but you are not.

[@WedgePee]

Brian Johnson (later of AC/DC) saw this on TV as a child in the 1950s and loved it so much that he built an igloo in his garden. He slept overnight in it and became so ill that he nearly died!

[@sadiatahseen3647]

Thaaaaaank you so much for posting this video. Have a quiz tomorrow on this topic.

[@salvadorfilms]

Really well presented. Thanks, that was interesting and entertaining.

[@badname8501]

Dude I love your show and you should do more

[@nickc.44]

Love this channel

[@soodv]

Great films and work Charlie! By the way Grey Gardens is an example of Direct Cinema by the Maysles brothers and not Cinema Verite.

[@ritacristinatavares5004]

Congrats! Great job!!

[@liltick102]

Herzog talks about the first film he ever watched and describes this film - makes sense huh?

[@MaximTendu]

it reminds me of what Werner Herzog would call "ecstatic truth".

[@igglepiggle4496]

absolutely riveting content 😍

[@mrmandolino500]

Hey, great job! Binged your video starting from the first one and was about to complain on a few things, but by this one you fixed them already :) keep it up! Do you have a twitter account for the channel?

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

Thanks Stefano! My twitter account is twitter.com/100yearscinema. If you do have any feedback on the videos I would love to hear it, I am always trying to improve.

[@mrmandolino500]

+One Hundred Years of Cinema If you could put in a reference to the music you use in the description would be great :) and when you use clips from different movies, writing them down would be pretty great! In the ones you did on animation finding the names of all the various shorts I was curious about was a bit hard

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

+Stefano Zocchi great advice, I tend to use the music from what ever film I am talking about. I will add citations in info box in the future, listing my clips, music and sources. thanks.

[@monkofdarktimes]

well I have to thank him for my love of these type of film

[@gmanley1]

Happy 100th Anniversary to “Nanook of the North” (1922-2022)

[@okasakoikeike3378]

please tell me, What is the different between modern documentary films and postmodern documentary films??

[@Domenicomn]

Excuse me Please but what is the boxing film at 1:24? ive been looking profusely for it couple years ago

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

Sure, that's a Kinetograph film of Corbett vs Courtney from 1894. I believe it is the earliest remaining footage of sport we have.

[@nando8179]

I do not understand why Nanook of the North was especially an inspirations to 'direct cinema' or 'cinema varieté'? Of course Nanook of the North has had a huge impact on the making of docus in general but why especially on those two genres? (Very nice video btw! :)

[@stuka1977]

Objective reality...Cinema verite...I remember watching(had a criterion copy), the film in school and was quite appreciated by my teacher, which in turn i felt that was in fact more, than a film but a historical document...I learned through my own research that, the main reason why vikings were perishing at one point in place and time, was their "inability" to adapt to their surroundings and seasons, but they refused to look and considered how the "Inuits", were able to do it...

[@ami-suzannelawless1826]

I think films are all someone's truth.

[@milauritas]

Muy buen trabajo, una pena los subtítulos.

[@tubate20092]

go for it!! i need it for my examen...

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

Awesome, transcribe this video and let me know what mark you get!

[@robertzverina7181]

I think the only truly objective films are the ones that take the medium of film itself as the subject. The marks, abrasions, and other manipulations made directly to celluloid as found in some of Stan Brakhage’s work are not representations (necessarily subjective) but THE THING ITSELF, which makes them objective. Maybe.

[@modarzawati2489]

maybe with a virtual world (for objectivity)

[@zeroin0926]

4:22

[@MichelleLambeau]

Would like to credit the maker/narrator of this piece for a paper I am writing. Who are you?

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

What information do you need and what paper are you writing. If you email [e-mail] I will get back to you

[@MichelleLambeau]

Emailed you yesterday.

[@cidvasconcelos6919]

Tradução de comentário crítico sobre Robert Flaherty: magiadoreal.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-biographical-dictionary-of-film12.html

[@liltick102]

Cool channel, subbed - Soy Cuba imo is a (maybe not better but) cooler propaganda film than Casablanca though.

[@Tararu3500]

Splendid work. Congratulations. You are definitely worth supporting. Objective or not, the fact remains that Nanook died of starvation not long after filming........

[@LukasHauf]

No it can never be truly objective. Even a security camera footage isn’t truly objective since you installed it in a certain place. Chose what to show and what not to show.

[@JesusRodriguez-pn7bp]

No mms

[@999titu]

And when they call tarantino genius

[@maritagogichaishvili1876]

what that has to do with anything :D

[@999titu]

@@maritagogichaishvili1876 , it means most of the non Americans great directors don't get what they deserve. And just good director like Tarantino get the epithets of geniuses.

[@maritagogichaishvili1876]

@@999titu it is about time and place and genre. one of the purposes of Tarantino is to make people love the movie and especially the origins. you can't insist on people, but you can inspire them. stupid discussion anyway

[@999titu]

@@maritagogichaishvili1876 ,yeah , and your last name is super stupid🤣