"Kon-Tiki" was the name of a wooden raft used by six Scandinavian scientists, led by Thor Heyerdahl, to make a 101-day journey from South America to the Polynesian Islands. The purpose of the expedition was to prove Heyerdal's theory that the Polynesian Islands were populated from the east- specifically Peru- rather than from the west (Asia) as had been the theory for hundreds of years. Heyerdahl made a study of the winds and tides in the Pacific, and by simulating conditions as closely as possible to those he theorized the Peruvians encountered, set out on the voyage.
Practical Effects
They actually built and sailed this ridiculous balsa wood raft.
Cinematography
Stunning 16mm footage of endless blue nothingness.
Score
Minimalist and weirdly hypnotic—like the ocean itself.
Director
Thor Heyerdahl
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Heyerdahl couldn't actually swim. The man crossed the Pacific on a raft and would've drowned if it sank.
The film won the 1951 Oscar for Best Documentary, but modern scholars widely reject Heyerdahl's migration theory—DNA evidence points to Asian origins for Polynesians.
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