Old Canadian survival film

That's a fun old movie. I bought it many years ago (and still have it), and would watch it every Spring before the first canoe trip of the year.

Doc
 
Very interesting. They did leave the cameraman behind though when they canoed away.

While it had nothing to do with survival, it also leaves one to wonder how they managed to power the camera and sound equipment for that long back in 1954.

And the guide killed me with his fireplow. I've watched people do that several times but never mastered it myself.

Thanks!
 
I don't know about the sound equipment, but I still have an ancient Super 8 movie camera that worked without batteries off of wound-up spring power.

DancesWithKnives
 
Maybe that's where Baygen got the idea for the clockworks type of charger for their radios.
 
i like how he says "okay Mr camera man lets go" the cameraman comes into frame and they depart with the canoe and the camera is still following them. also how the host never does anything. poor bear.
 
This was posted a few months back, but great to review it again. That fireplow is gotta be tough doing it like that. There were a few things on the camera shots that make you wonder. For example, when they are swimming to shore, the camera man seems too well placed. Aside from these little things I believe the documentary is legitimate in the techniques demonstrated. Unlike today, they had a sense of ethics in broadcasting in those times. Also, no punches pulled on harvesting the wildlife. Except for the bunny rabbit. Even that was positioned, likely via editing, as a mistake to have let it go.

I think I'd like to pack and Angus Baptist with me too (and a little chicken).
 
We could all use an axe and Mr. Bapist. I was thinking of the film today, Angus likely got 20 bucks for that 2 week shoot. How much would you pay old Angus to work with you for 2 weeks. It would be priceless. Thank god my fathers taxes went into somthing useful. The National film board had a few good films check out the one on the voyageurs some of the other stuff is crap.
 
Several things a little off. The construction of the canoe is very spotty. Then they jump to a fully finished and decorated canoe. why would he bother the decorative cutouts, and how would he do it with an axe?

There was also a jump in the fire-plow. I've never used or seen anyone use a fire-plow before. But isn't it a coal and tinder technique? at they very least they made that look ridiculously easy.

The whole rabbit thing when they let the bear go seemed a little too goofy. Weird that they sympathetically let the rabbit go then killed the bear.

good non the less.
 
it only looks odd because Canadian documentarians are just so good at what they do. lots of tax dollars went into that. according to Paul Gross in one episode of Due South, they are the result of Canada's attempt to create a hollywood sized film industry, instead we got the worlds best documentary and crime scene recreation film makers. They may have also had a crew of NFB trained beavers helping them, but they don't tend to get credit, as they aren't union.
 
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