RISE AND FALL OF SILVER ISLET - A film by Peter G. Elliott
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- This is my second professional documentary film which I sold to CBC. It tells the story of a tiny island off Lake Superior's North Shore that was a 19th century engineering milestone. A 1300 foot deep silver mine once operated on storm-battered Silver Islet. The film opens with a song composed and sung by renown folk singer Bill Houston who composed and sang the theme song for the world's first Imax film "North of Superior" (1971).
Rise and Fall of Silver Islet was shot in 1985 in an old mine in Cobalt, Ontario and at the Steam Pump house museum when it used to operate in Kingston Ontario. The film was shot with a tiny budget on my old 16mm Bolex Camera. It is 25 minutes long.
Produced and Directed by Peter G. Elliott. Written by Robert Sandler. Instrumental music score by Cathy Elliott and Roger Cormier. Many of my friends are playing miners in this. This presentation is dedicated to my friend Scott Hoey who narrated it in his Rod Serling style. Scott passed away in 2009. The film is also dedicated to Cathy Elliott who passed in 2017.
Thanks! I just found out my great great great grandfather from Norway, was here in 1873, and died there. So this tells me a bit how he lived there! He is buried at the old cemetery.
I actually snorkeled to Silver Islet back in the early 1990s (wearing a full scuba wetsuit). I could still see the shaft starting about 3 feet under water and some of the old cribbing. On land, there is nothing left to see of the buildings except a "private property/no trespassing sign i.e. someone still owns the islet. Hard to believe all those buildings were on this tiny islet even though they expanded it.
Lost history for sure, I only found out about this because of a short on here very interesting that this happened!
My great great grandfather was an investor in this mine. He made a fortune and lost a fortune in his lifetime.
I really enjoy history shows like this. You could almost feel it....
We visited Silver Islet this past summer aboard the Viking Octantis… it was the trip highlight for us. It’s history is a fascinating testimony of our ancestors.
Wonderful documentary. My great-grandparents lived, worked and died at Silver Islet in the mid to late 1800s.
I’d watch this over and over again when I would visit “Sibley” (Sleeping Giant Provincial Park) as a kid. I still get the song stuck in my head every so often, decades later.
That’s what brought me here, actually. It was in my head and I was curious whether the video was on RUclips.
Thanks for creating this!
Yup I used to go there all the time when I was a kid, always watched that little tv that was in the “cave” in the visitor centre. This song brings back so many memories lol it always felt like a fever dream I loved that place. This song pops into my head on some lates nights every so often
Mind blowing!
Thank You, So many stories kust like this are getting buried in time !
Thank you so much I saw this at sleeping giant park
Great production of a period in our past! Thankyou.
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful look into a fascinating part of Canadian history Peter! And thanks to all those who participated.
I watch this regularly...Been to the Keweenaw this is a wonderful story of the mining back in the day.... Love history like this
This is so well done. An absolute masterpiece of a story. I still remember watching a shorter version of this on the tv in the fake caves at sleeping giant park
That fake cave brings back lots of good childhood memories.
It’s nice to know someone else finds some interest in that special spot. Sleeping giant and silver islet are some amazing places to visit. I’m lucky to live in Thunder Bay.
Nice story.😊
Well done!
Thanks
This Song sticks for a liftime! 😅
Enjoyed this one as well, thank you!!
neat... thanks for posting
nice film
Very good !
been looking for this forever. any possible way to get that music track sung by bill houston?
Great video Peter. I was at sleeping giant park years ago as a kid. Am I right in thinking there is a decent size waterfall there?
A wonderful little movie, Mr. Elliott! Were the scenes of the miners working underground shot in Bruce Mines, or Cobalt?
I have seen this island
Wouldn't they have been digging vertically, not horizontally. Since the island was so small.
They dug vertically and on s light angle with the second longer shaft
Interesting. Could should be a land n sea episode. Where was this broadcast?John Taylor-Johnston
originally aired on CBC in the 80's
I want to try getting a magnet attached to a rope and a camera and sending it down
I know it's been 8 years lol but that's a good idea be kinda cool
With modern tech could it not be reestablished ?
Sure it could. The problem is that silver is rather cheap at the moment and this mine costs a fortune to operate.
With current safety regulations it would be a nightmare.
were can i get that song in this??
it was produced by Bill Houston of Thunder Bay Ontario for my film. I don't have a cd of it. I had a 1/4 inch master somewhere.
Peter
i am from Ireland north west such a good song id love to have it to listen to
@@TheCamerabear Would it be completely impossible to post it?
@@jakubdrozdz9999 Sorry, I don't have a file of this song anymore as I produced this film in the 80's. There was a quarter inch tape at one point.
@@TheCamerabear Kudos for still answering questions Sir. I really enjoyed this short film, thankyou.
what's the name of the song
On the North Shore of Superior. Its a song I had commissioned for the film by Bill Houston
Imagine doing all that work today for silver it wouldn’t be worth it at its current price.