Men Against the Arctic

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Movie
German title Company Arctic
Original title Men Against the Arctic
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1955
length 30 minutes
Rod
Director Winston Hibler
script Winston Hibler
production Walt Disney ,
Ben Sharpsteen
music Oliver Wallace
camera William Fortin ,
Elmo G. Jones
cut Grant K. Smith
occupation

Men Against the Arctic , also known as Company Arctic , is a 1955 American documentary short directed by Winston Hibler , who also wrote the screenplay. The film won an Oscar at the 28th Academy Awards in 1956 .

action

Thule Air Bace, who plays a role in the film

The action revolves around Icebreakers , ships that are specially designed and equipped and built to fight their way through the heavy ice blocks of the Arctic , for example on a trip to Thule . They are also used to clear a fairway for other ships and to keep a frozen river navigable, which is particularly important for supply ships. The dangers associated with this work are described, be it in the water or in the air.

The film goes far back in time to the Greek Pytheas , who lived around 310 BC. BC with his boat penetrated into the impassable region of the Arctic Sea. Later it was Erik the Red who ended up in Greenland . Centuries have passed until the Englishman Martin Frobisher , while searching for the Northwest Passage, discovered the Frobisher Bay , which was later named after him . Many other men were also looking for it. Even today, the far north still holds many secrets, including the mystery of the arctic storm that is responsible for the weather in the region. Knowledge of this is of considerable importance for shipping and flights. Reference is made to the weather stations that the United States, Canada and Denmark have set up there.

Also shown is the Alert military base , the northernmost permanently occupied human settlement on earth, which is located on the territory of the Canadian territory of Nunavut on Ellesmere Island on Dumbell Bay in the Lincoln Sea in the Arctic Ocean , from which the ice reconnaissance planes take off. The Humboldt Glacier , the widest glacier in the northern hemisphere, a green point only from above, is shown.

It is a dangerous job to penetrate the meter-thick ice sheets and keep them open for sea traffic. Many icebreakers are needed for this. One should not underestimate the breaking ice sheets. The icebergs, which break off huge pieces from the glaciers, weigh a few million tons and are several kilometers long, are particularly dangerous. Helicopter pilots also monitor the ice at the Arctic Circle and are looking for traces of open water that lead to larger clearings, places where the icebreakers have room to maneuver. A ship alone drifting down in this frozen chaos can never be found again. The landing maneuver is always the most critical phase for the helicopter. In the Thule Air Base , a mammoth companies that were already invested more than $ 300 million. Thule deserves the name "end of the earth".

Production, publication

The film, which is part of Walt Disney's series “People and Places”, was produced by Walt Disney Productions , distributed by Buena Vista Film Distribution Company and RKO Radio Pictures . The film was shot in the Arctic , Greenland and at the North Pole . Robert O. Cook provided the sound, and Ub Iwerks and Joshua Meador provided the special effects .

Walt Disney preceded the film with the words: "To the United States Coast Guard , the United States Navy and the Department of Defense ... thank you for your cooperation in the preparation of this film document."

The film premiered in the United States on December 21, 1955. In Sweden it could be seen from December 26, 1956 under the title Kampen mot Arctic and in Japan from May 5, 1957. It was also published in Finland under the title Jäämeren valloittajat .

Awards

Walt Disney was awarded the coveted trophy in the category "Best Documentary Short Film" at the Academy Awards in 1956 .

At the 1956 Berlin International Film Festival , Winston Hibler was honored with a gold plaque for his film.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Men Against the Arctic adS bfi.org.uk (English)
  2. ↑ Men Against the Arctic adS letterboxd.com (English)