This week in Tromsø was the Silent Film Festival where each day different silent films from throughout the world were played. Most of the silent films looked very interesting, but our culture professor had recommended one in particular that would complement our class: the Frosty Celluloid.
The Frosty Celluloid was first shown in May 1926. The film captures the adventures of Roald Amundsen and his crew as they head to the North Pole from July 1922 to 1925. The film was shot by Odd Dahl, a pilot, photographer, and member on the expedition with Amundsen. On the expedition, their ship freezes in the ice and thus the men have the possibility of exploring the frozen Arctic. They make many scientific observations and take part in hunting seal and polar bears. With the crew was a team of dogs that used to dog sled across the frozen landscape to explore. They also brought a plane with. There is footage of the crew putting together a plane they had brought with. Once finished, it took many attempts for them to fly the plane, but they eventually got it into the air only to crash it upon landing.
The black and white silent film was wonderful. It was played in the old theater of Tromsø, the Verdensteatret. During the film, a musician, Ben Model, played the piano. The music was splendid and he accompanied the film well.
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| Inside the old theater Verdensteatret in Tromsø |
This was nothing that I have ever experienced before: sitting in an old theater, watching a black and white film from 1926, and having no sound being played besides the soothing music coming from the piano in front of me. I felt like I had traveled back in time.
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