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The Monty Python song "I'm a lumberjack..." might have been inspired by this wonderful film from 1953 "Treetop Daredevils", shot in the Pacific Northwest. Despite the mocking commentary it provides insight into a lost era in American logging. This short film that shows lumberjacks and axemen working in an era before power tools were brought to bear on the forest, and almost everything was done by muscle. In addition to showing the cutting down of old growth forest logs and their floating down the river, the film includes a lengthy segment showing lumberjack games and sports, including climbing a tree and taking the top off, tree climbing races, log hurtling, throwing axes, shaving with an axe, etc. Despite the mocking commentary, it provides insight into a lost era in American logging.

Film opens, opening credits, title page (0:06). Scenic nature shots around Pacific Northwest: Snow-covered mountain peaks lined with pine trees (0:18). POV from within pine forest, camera pans upwards to emphasize sheer height of trees (0:32). Nature shots continue: Waterfall, moose walking through tall grass, beaver swims in river, man proudly holds up large fish he caught in stream, salmon jump out of white water, mother bear and cubs (0:43). Lumbermen scale large pines, manually saw off branches and trunks from top of trees (1:45). Dramatic scene as lumberman hangs on tightly to tree as it sways, saws also swing from man’s body (2:08). Close-up chest of shirtless lumberjack, emphasizing sheer strength of men (2:20). Example of men using two-bladed axe and two-man saw (2:32). Men quickly flee the scene as large trunk comes flying down, spot yells “timber!” (2:43). Log driving/ Spring timber ride: Logs plunge downstream in whitewater of river to timber mill, lumberjacks stand on either side of river bank helping guide logs along and prevent “log jam” (3:02). Men in small row boat fight white water of river to help guide logs along, intervene on big jams (4:05). For extra tough jam, men tie dynamite together, shots of dramatic explosions (4:16). Various views of raging forest fires, lumberjacks rush into heart of forest to try and contain the blaze (4:41). Lumberjack shaves fellow lumberjack’s beard using blade of axe (5:15). “Lumberjack Olympics:” Lumberjack games and sports (5:29) including wood chopping competition (5:39), speed cutting wood log (5:51), logrolling (6:22), climbing a tree and taking the top off (7:16), axe throwing (8:12). Closing montage scenic nature shots (8:40). Closing credits (8:45). Film ends (8:47).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com