Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure

Bound for an expedition to Antarctica in 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and 27 men aboard the Endurance found themselves stalled before reaching their destination when their ship froze solid in pack ice. After a long winter, followed by a spring thaw which brought shifting ice floes that crushed the vessel, an already hard-luck expedition turned truly nightmarish as the men set sail on the freezing seas in open boats, ultimately landing on the remote, isolated coast of Elephant Island. With no hope of rescue, the determined Shackleton and a few others embarked on a hazardous voyage over rough seas, followed by a 30-mile epic hike across icy wasteland and over dangerous peaks to the first sign of civilization, a whaling station. After several frustrating and unsuccessful attempts to reach his stranded men, Shackleton finally returned to claim the remainder of his crew--losing, incredibly, not a single man. Kevin Spacey narrates this excellent IMAX documentary that expertly weaves original still and motion picture footage from the Shackleton expedition, contrasted with stunning, modern day vistas of a barren but beautiful landscape. Kenneth Branagh, who starred in the A&E miniseries Shackleton, provides the voice of the legendary explorer. Highly recommended, even for those who already own either the miniseries or Shackleton's Voyage of Endurance (VL-9/02). Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)