Product Description

One of the greatest survival stories of all time comes to life in this extraordinary true story of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914-1916 British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, a testament to heroism and human endurance. All 28 men survived nearly two years in the barren, frigid Antarctic when their ship was caught in pack ice and eventually crushed. Featuring stunning Antarctic images and recreations plus original still photography and 35mm motion picture footage by Rank Hurley, the official photographer for the expedition, this is a voyage you'll want to relive again and again.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13371 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-09-03
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD-Video, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 41 minutes

Amazon.com
Of the many films that have chronicled Ernest Shackleton's team's legendary trans-Antarctic expedition and their struggle for survival, Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure is the only documentary that traces the actual steps of the explorers' blessed journey. While providing a concise summary of the Shackleton team's 1914-16 expedition, this breathtaking IMAX feature employs exacting re-creations and flyover footage (from 1999 and 2000) of the same harsh landscapes that Shackleton and his men traversed, by land and sea, during their ill-fated voyage. As with most IMAX films, climactic moments are driven by a bombastic score (how many swollen crescendos can one movie handle?), and the harshest facts of the Shackleton journey (e.g., sacrificing beloved dogs for food and euthanasia) are omitted for family viewing. That's a condescending compromise, and the gravitas of Kevin Spacey's narration is a bit overstated. What matters here are the visuals (both vintage and contemporary), and they're absolutely magnificent, conveying the sheer horror--and divine beauty--of the greatest survival story of all time. --Jeff Shannon

Attention:

The initial shipment of the DVD release of Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure had a defective Dolby Digital track, which was corrected for all subsequent manufacturing. The DTS track was always properly synched.

Some used copies with the defect may be circulating, but all of Amazon.com's new inventory is of the corrected edition. You can distinguish the corrected edition from the defective because the corrected edition has a blue dot under the "Image Entertainment" logo on the lower left corner of the back cover. If you have a defective edition, please return it to the retailer where it was purchased for replacement with a corrected version.

The VHS edition never had any synching issues, so none of the above applies to the VHS edition.

New York Times
...every bit as exciting as a commercial epic.

Chicago Tribune
...the finest IMAX film yet.

Customer Reviews

Classroom Resource
This item, along with "The Endurance", are fantastic multi-media resources for a unit on Shackleton's adventure. These DVDs pair wonderfully with the book we cover with our seventh graders: "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World". Both are highly recommended for teachers as well as lovers of documentaries. The original photographs and film from expedition photographer Frank Hurley are amazing and really neat for the kids.

Amazing story
Shackleton was a great leader in impossible circumstances and this story high lights some of those leadership skills. Saw it first on Imax and was very impressed. That is what prompted the purchase.

Informational and Inspirational
This film is one for the ages. A good synopsis of the Shackleton story that focuses on the leadership and togetherness that took place on this adventure. I am a corporate leadership trainer who has used this film to teach hundreds of people about true leadership and teamwork. This film is a must see for anyone in a leadership role or hoping to one day attain one. It is also a very good story for families, adventurists, historians, and more. Definitely worth the time and money.