Product Description

This is the classic Academy-Award winning documentary film of an astonishing adventure, a journey spanning 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean by raft. Intrigued by Polynesian folklore, Norwegian biologist Thor Heyerdahl suspected that the South Sea Islands had been settled by an ancient race from thousands of miles to the east, led by the mythical hero Kon-Tiki. Heyerdahl knew that the trade winds and ocean currents off the South-American coastline bear in the direction of Polynesia. Ridiculed by the scientific establishment, who had concluded that a voyage by aboriginal balsa raft from Peru to Polynesia was impossible, he decided to prove the possibility of his theory by duplicating the legendary voyage. The ensuing expedition was hailed as one of the most fantastic feats of daring and courage of its time.

On April 28, 1947, Heyerdahl and his five crew members embarked from Peru on their daring voyage to the Marquesas Islands, on a balsa wood raft which was built according to the traditions of South America's pre-Columbian Indians. After 101 suspenseful days on the open sea, alone amid raging storms, whales, and countless sharks, they landed on the Polynesian island of Raroia.

The expedition attracted worldwide interest. Heyerdahl's book Kon-Tiki was translated into 67 languages, and sold more than 20 million copies. Heyerdahl had been presented with a film camera before the journey began, and both the building of the raft and the voyage across the Pacific were filmed in detail. In 1952, his fascinating black and white film was awarded an Oscar for the most outstanding documentary. The film subsequently enthralled cinema-goers all over the world. The raft is now exhibited at the Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo, Norway, where it is seen by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

Extra Features:
• Thor Heyerdahl: Explorer & Scientist
• Photo Gallery
• Expedition Map
• Rare Color Footage

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29402 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-03-31
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 124 minutes

Customer Reviews

True Adventure
I was pleasently surprised by the quality of this DVD. Thor was a man who truly lived by the phrases, 'put your money where your mouth is' and 'Put up or shut up!' Most "experts where sure he and his companions would never be seen again when they departed Peru on a raft to cross the Pacific Ocean! They made it with surprisingly little trouble considering what they were up against. If you read the book this DVD gives you a nice filling out and if you haven't read the book, do so. You will only wish you could have gone with him.

Excellent movie
I saw the second of his movies "Ra" and Ra2" in the theaters when I was just a small boy. then I got to go to Norway and visit the Kon tiki museum. So for me this was a treat to see. but my kids 7 & 10 where glued to this movie. afterwards we pull out the world map and looked up everything on the Net. You have to like Documentaries though!

I hope the other movies will be released soon.

Not all it's cracked up to be
I was surprised to find that this is a DVD-R. I believe this sort of information should be revealed somewhere in the product description. Also, most sources say KON TIKI runs 73 minutes; the main feature on this disc has a running time of less than an hour. There are additional features on the disc, but that is somewhat beside the point.
There is an out-of-print Image entertainment DVD of this title available for about the same money. I'd recommend it, as I'm betting its a legitimate pressed (rather than burned) DVD.