''Helicopter Canada'' (aka ''Hélicoptère Canada'') is a 1966 Canadian
documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...
produced by the
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; french: Office national du film du Canada (ONF)) is Canada's public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary f ...
and directed by
Eugene Boyko
Eugene Boyko (1923 – March 14, 2003) known to many as "Jeep", was a Canadian filmmaker who worked with the National Film Board of Canada. An early film of his, ''Helicopter Canada'', was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Featu ...
. The film features
aerial photography
Aerial photography (or airborne imagery) is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other airborne platforms. When taking motion pictures, it is also known as aerial videography.
Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wing aircra ...
of all ten of
Canada's provinces
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...
. ''Helicopter Canada'', sponsored by the
Canada's Centennial Commission, was produced for international distribution in both French and English language versions for Canada's 100th anniversary.
Synopsis
The short documentary offers a narrated tour from a helicopter of the
Canadian provinces
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...
in 1966. The bird's-eye view showed both familiar and little-known aspects of the Canadian landscape. Among the featured film locations are: the
Badlands
Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...
, Alberta;
Oak Island
Oak Island is a privately owned island in Lunenburg County on the south shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. The tree-covered island is one of several islands in Mahone Bay, and is connected to the mainland by a causeway. The nearest community is the ...
, Nova Scotia; Ottawa; Montréal; Québec City; Niagara Falls;
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands (french: Mille-Îles) constitute a North American archipelago of 1,864 islands that straddles the Canada–US border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for abo ...
of the
Saint Lawrence River
The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connectin ...
; Toronto; Vancouver and Winnipeg.
Cast
*
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
(cameo)
*
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian scholar, statesman, diplomat, and politician who served as the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968.
Born in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of ...
Production
Filmed in
Panavision
Panavision is an American motion picture equipment company founded in 1953 specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during ...
, ''Helicopter Canada'' took 18 months to produce and required cinematographer Eugene Boyko to spend 540 hours aloft in a specially outfitted
Alouette II
Alouette or alouettes may refer to:
Music and literature
* "Alouette" (song), a French-language children's song
* Alouette, a character in ''The King of Braves GaoGaiGar''
Aerospace
* SNCASE Alouette, a utility helicopter developed in France i ...
helicopter.
[
''Helicopter Canada'' was made for international distribution during the ]Canadian centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a yearlong celebration held in 1967 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Celebrations in Canada occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1, 1967. Commemorative coins w ...
. Columbia Pictures bought the rights for a 22-minute version that was distributed internationally, including the USSR, USA, China and Italy. Besides French, the film was translated into 12 languages.[Clark, Domini]
"Canada’s Oscar nod in 1967? A cringe-worthy Canuck tribute."
''The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'', 13 February 2015. Retrieved: 8 January 2016.
Reception
Although now considered dated, ''Helicopter Canada'', during its initial release, received positive reviews. Joan Fox wrote in ''The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'', "If this film doesn’t stir your Canadian blood, nothing will."
Awards
* 19th Canadian Film Awards
The 19th Canadian Film Awards were held on September 23, 1967 to honour achievements in Canadian film.Maria Topalovich, ''And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards''. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 77-79. The cer ...
, Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
: Best Film, General Information, 1967
* 19th Canadian Film Awards
The 19th Canadian Film Awards were held on September 23, 1967 to honour achievements in Canadian film.Maria Topalovich, ''And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards''. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 77-79. The cer ...
, Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
: Special Prize: “For providing a superbly appropriate and inspiring opportunity for Canadians to view their country in the Centennial Year”, 1967[Wis]
2001, pp. 97–98.
/ref>["Helicopter Canada."](_blank)
''National Film Board of Canada''. Retrieved: 8 January 2016.
* Canadian Travel Film Awards, Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
: First Prize, 1967
* International Travel Documentary Film Festival, New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
: Special Prize, 1967
*Adelaide International Film Festival, Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
: Diploma, 1969
* 39th Academy Awards
The 39th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1966, were held on April 10, 1967, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. They were hosted by Bob Hope.
Only two of the Best Picture nominees were nominated fo ...
, Los Angeles: Nominee: Best Documentary Feature, 1967["The 39th Academy Awards (1967), Nominees and Winners."]
''Oscars.org''. Retrieved: 8 January 2016.["Details: 'Helicopter Canada' (1967)."](_blank)
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. Retrieved: 8 January 2016.
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Wise, Wyndham. "Helicopter Canada." ''Take One's Essential Guide to Canadian Film''. Toronto: University of Toronto Press
The University of Toronto Press is a Canadian university press founded in 1901. Although it was founded in 1901, the press did not actually publish any books until 1911.
The press originally printed only examination books and the university calen ...
, 2001. .
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Helicopter Canada
1966 films
1966 documentary films
Canadian aviation films
Canadian documentary films
Canadian Centennial
Aerial photography
Documentary films about aviation
Documentary films about Canada
English-language Canadian films
Films shot in Canada
Canadian Screen Award-winning films
National Film Board of Canada documentaries
Travelogues
Films produced by Tom Daly
1960s English-language films
1960s Canadian films