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Research, Evolution and Animal Behaviour (12)
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Across Arctic Ungava1949 20 minThis documentary follows four scientists and their Native guides into the unmapped wilderness of the Ungava Peninsula, in northern Quebec. Crossing this territory in large canoes, they collect samples of Arctic flora and rocks, take readings of soil temperature and record the correct bearings for rivers and lakes en route. The keen excitement of opening a new chapter in Canadian exploration is evident throughout the film. -
Animals and PsychologyArthur Lipsett 1965 11 minComparative psychology developed as a result of Darwin's theory and the behavioural scientists' search for objective data. Dr. Muriel Stern indicates some of the ways the laboratory rat contributes to our understanding of complex behaviour.
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Animal AltruismArthur Lipsett 1965 17 minConcern and generosity for others are common in man but it has been assumed that this is due to social pressures. Dr. D.O. Hebb indicates, however, that comparative evidence shows it is more fundamental, having developed with evolution; it can be found in the dog, and is clearly marked in the porpoise and chimpanzee.
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Cries from the DeepJacques Gagné 1981 1 h 36 minThis documentary records the journey undertaken by Jacques Cousteau, his 24-member team, and an NFB film crew to explore the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, one of the world's richest fishing areas. They discover shipwrecks, film icebergs and observe beluga whales, humpback whales and harp seals. The film also includes a fascinating sequence showing Calypso divers freeing a calf whale entrapped in a fishing net.
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Dinosaurs: Piecing It All TogetherMichael McKennirey 1994 47 minA film on the work of artists and scientists, how they go about reconstructing a world that has long since vanished; and, how they imagine what dinosaurs really looked like.
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Eye Witness No. 601953 10 minTomorrow's Officers: At Le Collège Militaire Royal de St-Jean, young recruits become mentally and physically equipped to assume future military leadership. This Unseen World: Photomicrography and time-lapse sequences reveal some of the strange growth processes under the water and soil surface. Scientists Uncover Prehistoric Alberta: In the Badlands of Alberta, paleontologists dig for the fossilized remains of prehistoric monsters that once roamed this area.
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From the Big Bang to Tuesday MorningClaude Cloutier 2000 5 minPropelled by Claude Cloutier’s signature drawing style and absurdist humour, this animated short offers an overview of the evolution of life on Earth from rock to human, with some surprising twists in between.
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Four Wings and a PrayerNick de Pencier 2007 1 h 20 minFour Wings and a Prayer is a documentary about one of the world's most beautiful and mysterious creatures: the Monarch butterfly. Nowhere in nature is there a more powerful mix of scientific marvel, awesome beauty, and epic struggle for survival. What scientists are at a loss to fully explain is how the Monarch makes a seemingly impossible three thousand kilometre journey from Canada over mountains, through storms, and across large bodies of water to its small and remote over wintering grounds in the mountains of Mexico. Based on the book by Sue Halpern.
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In Search of the Bowhead WhaleBill Mason 1974 49 minThis adventure film features Scott McVay, an authority on whales, and filmmaker Bill Mason. The objective was to film the bowhead, a magnificent inhabitant of the cold Arctic seas brought to the edge of extinction by overfishing. With helicopter and Inuit guide, aqualungs and underwater cameras, the expedition searches out and meets the bowhead and beluga.
Please note that this is an archival film that makes use of the word “Eskimo,” an outdated and offensive term. While the origin of the word is a matter of some contention, it is no longer used in Canada. The term was formally rejected by the Inuit Circumpolar Council in 1980 and has subsequently not been in use at the NFB for decades. This film is therefore a time-capsule of a bygone era, presented in its original version. The NFB apologizes for the offence caused. -
Project GrizzlyPeter Lynch 1996 1 h 12 minIn this feature-length documentary, Troy James Hurtubise goes face to face with Canada's most deadly land mammal, the grizzly bear. Troy is the creator of what he hopes is a grizzly-proof suit, and he repeatedly tests his armour – and courage – in stunts that are both hair-raising and hilarious. Directed by Peter Lynch, the film has become a cult classic in the United States and is rumoured to be a favourite of director Quentin Tarantino.
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RatopolisGilles Thérien 1973 56 minA study of the wily brown rat, humankind's unwanted companion throughout the world, whose bite on the world's food resources adds to the growing threat of shortage. In a normal, free-ranging environment, the rat is more than a match for its hosts and colonies flourish. Under abnormal conditions of restricted space and limited food, a rat colony loses all 'social' constraints on behaviour. The film has implicit analogies for all animal behaviour, including humanity's. Plagues, predators and extermination attempts are among the topics discussed.
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Wolf PackBill Mason 1974 19 minFilmed by Bill Mason in caribou country, this nature film closely observes wolves through late winter into early spring. Wolf Pack shows this creature’s character, behaviour and life cycle. What emerges is a portrait of the wolf as a disciplined hunter, respected leader and committed parent.
