Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7890 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-05-27
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Black & White, PAL, Silent
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 80 minutes

Special Features
English
Region 0
Ross Sea Party
Shackletons Last Expedition
Shackletons Funeral
Stills Gallery
Recording Of Shackletons Voice

Synopsis
In his stunning documentary, Australian photographer, filmmaker, and adventurer Frank Hurley captures the astonishing true story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's ill-fated two-year Antarctic expedition aboard the ship, the Endurance. In July 1914, Shackleton and his 28-man crew (including Hurley) sailed from England for Antarctica, hoping to be the first explorers to cross the continent. However, 80 miles from land, the Endurance became locked in impenetrable pack ice. For the next nine months, the crew desperately tried to cut "leads," and batter through to open water. Hurley's glorious images show the ghostly Endurance landlocked in unremitting white ice, as far as the eye can see. In August of 1915, the crew and their 70 sleigh dogs were forced to abandon the Endurance as the pressure of the ice began crushing the ship. The crew was able to row to Elephant Island, where 22 remained, while Shackleton and five others attempted the desperate 800-mile voyage to inhabited South Georgia Island. Miraculously, all of the men survived the two-year ordeal, and Hurley was able to save 150 of his 400 glass plate negatives and all of his film reels to provide this dazzling documentation of the Endurance's harrowing experience.

Customer Reviews

Priceless
I couldn't bear to give this less than five stars after everything expedition photographer Frank Hurley went through. The film from Shackleton's expedition is wonderful glimpse into a past age, and Hurley's daring efforts provide some awesome and dramatic images. The last twenty minutes or so is of little interest to the modern viewer as it consists mainly of wildlife film of South Georgia - fascinating to the public in 1919 perhaps but far surpassed by more recent work.
The commentary adds greatly to the disc, pointing out many details that might otherwise be missed, such as Shackleton in the background of one shot, evidently in a grumpy mood and kicking a dog.
Curiously, some of the most interesting film is in the 'deleted scenes' section - the crew playing football on the ice, and playing with the dogs - being unedited, these scenes have a greater feeling of naturalness and spontanaiety than the film itself.
Also on the disc are a few scenes that appear to record a whaling voyage, though there are no notes or commentary to accompany these pieces so I can only guess.
Anyone interested in the history of polar exploration hardly needs me to recommend this. I hope the BFI follow it up with Ponting's '90 Degrees South', from Scott's last expedition.

The restored 1919 documentary by Frank Hurley
With the recent two-part television movie of "Shackleton," there should be renewed interest in this documentary feature. "South: Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition" is Frank Hurley's 1919 film record restored in 199 by the British Film Institute. Quite simply, this is the historic film record of the now famous survival story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the crew of the Endurance taken by Australian cinematographer and documentararian Frank Hurley, who accompanied the expedition on the first leg of its voyage from Buenos Aires to the Antarctica. It is still absolutely amazing to see the actual film of the Endurance, trapped and being crushed by the ice flow. The details of what happened after that always seem to pale in consideration of the fact that not a single one of the crew lost their lives. The only disappointment is that because Hurley stayed behind on South Georgia to await rescue while Shackleton and a small group traveled by small boat 800 miles to find help, the last part of the film becomes more of a nature documentary. But then, reality is like that sometime. Hurley's amazing film has been restored with its original, intended tinting, and a new piano score (uncredited). This DVD includes audio commentary by the British Film Institute's Luke McKernan and an excerpt from "Southward on the Quest." My understanding is that the British version runs 81 minutes. Hurley's original working title for this film was "Endurance," but when it was released in known as "In the Grip of Polar Ice" in Australia and "Shackleton's Expedition to the Antarctic" in the UK. Clearly, any one interested in the story of the Endurance Expedition is going to want to Hurley's unforgettable documentary.

Fascinating for anyone interested in Shackleton
Hurley's film lacks the overall structure of Ponting's 90 Degrees south with Scott and the informed commentary which added to the interest in the everyday life and tasks of pre-war polar explorers, but it is certainly an involving and fascinating film for anyone interested in the story of Shackleton and his ill-fated Endurance expedition. The music is loud an constant enough to be an annoyance and early parts of the film are slightly repetitive but it is, overall, an excellent shapshot of the times and conditions and a valid testament to the courage and determination of Shackleton and his men in their quest for survival.