Log Drive
This short documentary brings to the screen a great seasonal event in the Québec spruce forest—the log drive. In lyrics set to a sprightly tune, ballad singer describes this annual spectacle. A vast aggregation of logs moves downstream on a river, spurred by dynamite and sharp-tipped cant hooks, tossed and twirled by the boots of leaping men.
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Perspective1955 46 filmsThis TV series from the mid-1950s blended documentary and fiction to tell Canadian stories from a Canadian perspective.
This short documentary brings to the screen a great seasonal event in the Québec spruce forest—the log drive. In lyrics set to a sprightly tune, ballad singer describes this annual spectacle. A vast aggregation of logs moves downstream on a river, spurred by dynamite and sharp-tipped cant hooks, tossed and twirled by the boots of leaping men.
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directorRaymond Garceau
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producerDavid Bairstow
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photographyJean RoyJohn SpottonPeter Kelly
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editingVictor JobinDennis Sawyer
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sound editingKathleen Shannon
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musicWade Hemsworth
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singerWade Hemsworth
This film uses song and voiceover to show the harvesting of lumber in Quebec. Describe the methods of logging. Which one is being represented in this film and how can you tell? Using the songs from the film, describe the uses for the lumber that has been harvested. How are music (tempo and instruments) and lyrics used as a method of conveying theme and purpose in the film? Research the logging industry’s contribution to local and federal economies. Map the movement of the logs shown in this film. How does this compare with the lumber industry today? The seasons play a significant role in telling the story of the lumber industry. Compare this to another primary industry in Canada. Research Lumberjack Games and describe the significance of events such as these in preserving culture.
