Chaotic 1902 Arctic Expedition Revealed in Nat Geo's First Film
January 18, 2018 - The first film from the National Geographic Society documented the failed attempt of an expedition to reach the North Pole. The 1902 footage, capturing chaotic scenes from the Ziegler polar expedition, was filmed by a budding photographer named Anthony Fiola. The expedition’s leadership had more passion than experience, and the team never reached the North Pole. Fiala eventually led a second attempt but that failed as well. Although he wasn’t the first to reach the North Pole, Fiala has the honor of being National Geographic’s first "explorer-cinematographer."
Transcript
These images from 1902 are from the National Geographic Society’s first film.
It captured scenes from a disorganized and somewhat disastrous expedition to the Arctic.
Financed by wealthy businessman William Ziegler, a 42-man team attempted to be the first to reach the North Pole in a trip that lasted from 1901 to 1902.
Accompanying the team was Anthony Fiala, a budding photographer and former newspaper sketch artist and engraver.
Using a motion camera known as a bioscope, Fiala filmed scenes of a chaotic basecamp.
The expedition’s leadership had more passion than experience.
The team never reached the North Pole
Ziegler sponsored a second expedition with Fiala at the helm.
But it seemed that Fiala should have stuck to filmmaking .
In 1904 Fiala’s ship sank, leaving the expedition stranded on an island in the Franz Josef Land Archipelago for two years.
Although he wasn’t the first to reach the North Pole, Fiala has the honor of being National Geographic’s first "explorer-cinematographer."
