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An invaluable historical record...albeit a rather grisly one.
"Whaling Afloat and Ashore" is a documentary about the whaling industry that was made in 1908 and filmed in Ireland. The process of killing and rendering the whale is shown from start to finish as well as the men then blowing off steam by engaging in manly games and dancing with other guys.
By 1909, the whaling industry was in the midst of a steady decline. While it would continue for many more years, the days of large scale whaling were mostly over by then. And, considering all the mechanization shown in the process in 1909, if it hadn't been for petroleum, the whales surely would have been wiped out as it took far fewer men and resources to harvest the whales than it did in the 19th century, when whaling was at its peak.
So is this any good? Well, I'm not sure if 'good' is a word I'd use to describe this grisly film. But it is an invaluable record of our history and should be preserved and seen. Very well made as far as early documentaries go.
By 1909, the whaling industry was in the midst of a steady decline. While it would continue for many more years, the days of large scale whaling were mostly over by then. And, considering all the mechanization shown in the process in 1909, if it hadn't been for petroleum, the whales surely would have been wiped out as it took far fewer men and resources to harvest the whales than it did in the 19th century, when whaling was at its peak.
So is this any good? Well, I'm not sure if 'good' is a word I'd use to describe this grisly film. But it is an invaluable record of our history and should be preserved and seen. Very well made as far as early documentaries go.
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- planktonrules
- Jun 4, 2021
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- Runtime12 minutes
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