Sign In / Sign Up

The Living Stone

The Living Stone
Release date: 1958-02-04
Rating: 5.8
Votes: 4
Genres: Documentary
The Living Stone is a 1958 Canadian short documentary film directed by John Feeney about Inuit art. It shows the inspiration behind Inuit sculpture. The Inuit approach to the work is to release the image the artist sees imprisoned in the rough stone. The film centres on an old legend about the carving of the image of a sea spirit to bring food to a hungry camp. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Much as with the ancient Egyptians for the inundation of the Nile, the Inuit people pray to their god for the safe return of the Sun after the long Arctic winter. Safely ensconced in their igloo, a family shelter heated and lit by their seal-oil fire and lamp, whilst the father carefully and skilfully carves a tiny statue of the sea spirit whom they hope will soon bless them with plenty of seals to eat and to fuel their lives. As summer arrives, the family can get out into the daylight to hunt, to play and to drink the fresh meltwater as the ice gradually retreats. This thaw allows them to take to their kayaks and fish as well as to select some more stones, washed smooth by centuries of running water, from which to make more sculptures - perhaps a bird, a bear or a seal. Their effigies are remarkably detailed and we are presented with a great variety of these delicate artworks here. As the summer gets into full swing, the tribe celebrate a young man's first catch and the longest day with their equivalent of a ceilidh before the spirit of the snowdrift arrives to drive them all back indoors. I slept in an igloo once - with battery powered lights, and it is remarkable just how warm they are even when it's -20° outside. I am not sure I'd want to spend six months in one, though!

Movie Recommendation

  • Return to Horror Hotel
    Return to Horror Hotel
    2019-06-13
    Return to Horror Hotel is an anthology feature with 4 segments. One is about giant a bedbugs, one is about a magical charm that turns girls beautiful, one is about a WWII sailor who hasn't aged and one is about a terrorizing severed hand.
    More...
  • The Return of the King
    The Return of the King
    1980-05-11
    Two Hobbits struggle to destroy the Ring in Mount Doom while their friends desperately fight evil Lord Sauron's forces in a final battle.
    More...
  • Escape from DS-3
    Escape from DS-3
    1981-06-12
    Prisoners of Detention Satellite 3 plan an impossible escape.
    More...
  • Universal Soldier: The Return
    Universal Soldier: The Return
    1999-08-05
    Luc Deveraux, the heroic former Universal Soldier, is about to be thrown into action once again. When SETH, the supercomputer-controlled ultra-warrior, decides to take revenge and destroy its creators, only Luc can stop it. All hell breaks loose as Luc battles SETH and a deadly team of perfect soldiers in a struggle that pits man against machine and good against evil.
    More...
  • Beethoven's 3rd
    Beethoven's 3rd
    2000-07-25
    Everyone's favorite St. Bernard returns in this family film about man's best friend. Richard Newton, his wife Beth and kids Brennan and Sara shove off in their camper for a road trip. Along the way, they gain a new passenger: slobbery Beethoven. The Newtons plan to return Beethoven to his owner -- but not before he turns hero when a pair of thieves enter the picture.
    More...
  • Bonanza: The Return
    Bonanza: The Return
    1993-11-24
    A man with a grudge against the late Little Joe seeks revenge on the Cartwrights and attempts to take over the Ponderosa.
    More...
  • Road of No Return
    Road of No Return
    2009-11-10
    Road of no Return follows the final nine days in the lives of four atypical hit men who are secretly brought together in a covert operation to fight the drug trafficking epidemic in the country.
    More...
  • Return of the Seven
    Return of the Seven
    1966-10-19
    Chico, one of the remaining members of The Magnificent Seven, now lives in the town that they (The Seven) helped. One day someone comes and takes most of the men prisoner. His wife seeks out Chris, the leader of The Seven for help. Chris also meets Vin another member of The Seven. They find four other men and they go to help Chico.
    More...
  • Return to Jurassic Park
    Return to Jurassic Park
    2011-02-05
    A multi-part documentary about the making of the Jurassic Park trilogy. Each part walks through the making of part of one of the films, including the hurricane during the shooting of the first film, and how advances in CGI for Jurassic Park helped change the world of special effects forever. All interviews for these retrospective documentaries come with comments from Spielberg, Johnston, Neill, Dern, Goldblum, the effects crews, the child actors, and Peter Stormare. This documentary is broken into six parts: Dawn of a New Era (25 min), Making Prehistory (20 min), The Next Step in Evolution (15 min), Finding the Lost World (28 min), Something Survived (16 min), and The Third Adventure (25 min).
    More...
  • SlugTerra: Return of the Elementals
    SlugTerra: Return of the Elementals
    2014-08-02
    A new member has joined Eli and the Shane Gang! Junjie, once the protector of the Eastern Caverns, is a master of the slugslinging art of Slug Fu! But even with the power of five slingers, the Shane Gang find themselves in over their heads as they race across The 99 Caverns in search of the Legendary Elemental Slugs. The five Elementals are ancient slugs of great power, and the forbearers of all slugs found in SlugTerra today. In the wrong hands, they could bring Slugterra to the brink of destruction. So when an evil alliance starts hunting down the Elementals, Eli and his friends — old and new — take off in pursuit of the greatest threat their world has ever faced!
    More...
  • Main Street on the March!
    Main Street on the March!
    1941-12-09
    This Best Short Subject Academy Award winning film begins in the spring of 1940, just before the Nazi occupation of the Benelux countries, and ends immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It chronicles how the people of "Main Street America", the country's military forces, and its industrial base were completely transformed when the decision was made to gear up for war. Original footage is interspersed with contemporary newsreels and stock footage.
    More...
  • Slayers Return
    Slayers Return
    1996-08-03
    Lina Inverse and Naga the White Serpent are back! What begins as a routine bandit-stomping turns into the adventure of a lifetime involving magical golems, an ancient Elven weapon and even someone bent on destroying the world. It's a predicament only Lina and Naga could get themselves in to.
    More...
  • Return to Homs
    Return to Homs
    2013-11-20
    Filmed over 3 years in Homs, accompanying 2 outstanding young men from the time they were only dreaming of freedom to the time when they are forced to change course. Basset, the 19yo national football team goalkeeper, who became an outspoken demonstration leader in the city, then an icon revolution singer, till he becomes a fighter... a militia leader. Ossama, his 24yo friend, renowned citizen journalist, cynical pacifist... as his views are forced to change, until he is detained by army secret service. It is the story of a city, of which the world have heard a lot, but never really got closer than news, never really had the chance to experience how a war erupted. a modern times epic of youth in war time.
    More...
  • 1920: Evil Returns
    1920: Evil Returns
    2012-11-02
    This story revolves around a famous poet who meets a woman who is in trouble. In order to treat her, he takes her to Shimla in a big hospital, but soon that woman gets possessed by devil and goes out of control. Now the question remains that what is the relation that poet shares with her which compelled him to go to any extent to save her, why she was possessed by devil and who is the devil.
    More...
  • Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1
    Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1
    2013-06-30
    Return to the Class of Nuke 'Em High follows a young couple that are up against the school glee club. Unfortunately, the glee club has mutated into a gang called The Cretins. When the other students begin to undergo mutations, our couple must solve the mystery and save Tromaville High School
    More...
  • The Return
    The Return
    1980-03-31
    Two young children and an adult in a small town have an encounter with an alien spaceship. 25 years later the children are reunited as adults in the same town which is now beset by strange cattle mutilations. Matters become worse when the cattle mutilations are joined by human murders and mutilations.
    More...
  • Stalked by My Doctor: The Return
    Stalked by My Doctor: The Return
    2016-09-05
    Dr. Beck, who has changed his name, saves a young teenage girl drowning in Mexico, whom he falls in love with. As always, there are some complications in his way, but he has plans to possibly get past them and get the girl of his dreams.
    More...
  • Cocoon: The Return
    Cocoon: The Return
    1988-09-13
    The reinvigorated elderly group that left Earth comes back to visit their relatives. Will they all decide to go back to the planet where no one grows old, or will they be tempted to remain on Earth?
    More...
  • Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla
    Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla
    2002-11-02
    JSDF pilot Akane has a fateful encounter when a new Godzilla emerges in Tateyama. As a countermeasure, a cyborg named Kiryu is constructed from the remains of the original. The machine is discovered to harbor the restless soul of the original monster as Akane must learn to find value in her own life as well.
    More...

Similar Movies