If you need something to remind you how incredible, brave and courageous people can be under the most impossible conditions, there are few better places to explore than the hell on earth experienced by Shackleton and his band of adventurers and how they escaped its frozen grasp.
28 Reviews
Nature is indifferent to the dreams of mankind.
TOMASBBloodhound11 June 2006
The Endurance is a truly fascinating account of Sir Ernest Shackleton's failed Antarctic expedition of 1914-1916. Shackelton was an adventurer looking for greatness in perhaps the last great uncharted portion of the earth at that time. He set out with 27 other adventurous young men (mostly from the UK) in a modest ship bound for the icy world of Antarctica. Their goal, once they got there, would be to walk across the continent and claim it for England. The South Pole had already been discovered, but apparently that was not enough to stake a claim to the entire continent at that time.
Shackleton is described as a man who admittedly "was not really good at anything". He was simply looking for prominence in one of the last places one could find it at that time. The crew, an assortment of various sailors and craftsmen, were warned of the dangers and low pay of such a venture. However the chance of gaining acclaim for accomplishing such a feat was enough to get hundreds of men to sign up. The crew were chosen and the boat was set to sail at the outset of WWI. Shackleton actually offered to postpone his mission and donate his ship The Endurance to the war effort, but the government let him go, anyway. Ironically, the ship never even made it to Antacrtica before things went to hell. Nobody from this party ever set foot on the continent.
About 100 miles from the coast, the boat became hopelessly stuck in pack ice. Shackleton made the decision to wait until the following spring when the ice would break up to resume the trip. Before spring could come, however, The Endurance would be crushed by the ice. The crew were forced to shoot their sled dogs to save food rations. The last of the dogs were actually eaten by the crew. The crew were forced to then drag the remaining life boats several miles to open water where they would then have to island-hop their way to civilization in some of the coldest and most choppy seas on earth. Along the way, the group is splintered in three parts, as it just becomes impossible to transport so many men in the tiny lifeboats. Somehow, over the span of nearly two years, Shackleton and his men are eventually all rescued. There are some incredible individual acts of heroism, and even an odd case of mutiny along the way. But Shackleton's leadership and confidence always seems to keep the group alive.
Once the men return home, they find that their own heroism has been dwarfed by so many men who had given their lives on the battlefields of WWI. Many of Shackleton's crew enlist in the army to almost certain death, and one is left to wonder about the logic behind it all. To stay alive through impossible circumstances for nearly two years, then go out and give your life for one of the most pointless conflicts in human history? People's attitudes must have been somewhat different back then.
The film is a visual treat. Still and moving footage from the actual expedition is inter-cut with current shots of the areas these men traveled through. The scenery is breathtaking, and you get a real feel for how desperate these mens' circumstances really were. Liam Neeson narrates, and he gives the material even further dignity. After watching the film, you can't help but realize how insignificant we humans are in the scope of the natural world. How any of these men made it back alive is a miracle. Nature lives by its own rules, and any time we humans attempt to conquer it, we run the risk of falling victim to its indifference to our plight.
9 of 10 stars.
The Hound
Shackleton is described as a man who admittedly "was not really good at anything". He was simply looking for prominence in one of the last places one could find it at that time. The crew, an assortment of various sailors and craftsmen, were warned of the dangers and low pay of such a venture. However the chance of gaining acclaim for accomplishing such a feat was enough to get hundreds of men to sign up. The crew were chosen and the boat was set to sail at the outset of WWI. Shackleton actually offered to postpone his mission and donate his ship The Endurance to the war effort, but the government let him go, anyway. Ironically, the ship never even made it to Antacrtica before things went to hell. Nobody from this party ever set foot on the continent.
About 100 miles from the coast, the boat became hopelessly stuck in pack ice. Shackleton made the decision to wait until the following spring when the ice would break up to resume the trip. Before spring could come, however, The Endurance would be crushed by the ice. The crew were forced to shoot their sled dogs to save food rations. The last of the dogs were actually eaten by the crew. The crew were forced to then drag the remaining life boats several miles to open water where they would then have to island-hop their way to civilization in some of the coldest and most choppy seas on earth. Along the way, the group is splintered in three parts, as it just becomes impossible to transport so many men in the tiny lifeboats. Somehow, over the span of nearly two years, Shackleton and his men are eventually all rescued. There are some incredible individual acts of heroism, and even an odd case of mutiny along the way. But Shackleton's leadership and confidence always seems to keep the group alive.
Once the men return home, they find that their own heroism has been dwarfed by so many men who had given their lives on the battlefields of WWI. Many of Shackleton's crew enlist in the army to almost certain death, and one is left to wonder about the logic behind it all. To stay alive through impossible circumstances for nearly two years, then go out and give your life for one of the most pointless conflicts in human history? People's attitudes must have been somewhat different back then.
The film is a visual treat. Still and moving footage from the actual expedition is inter-cut with current shots of the areas these men traveled through. The scenery is breathtaking, and you get a real feel for how desperate these mens' circumstances really were. Liam Neeson narrates, and he gives the material even further dignity. After watching the film, you can't help but realize how insignificant we humans are in the scope of the natural world. How any of these men made it back alive is a miracle. Nature lives by its own rules, and any time we humans attempt to conquer it, we run the risk of falling victim to its indifference to our plight.
9 of 10 stars.
The Hound
I already knew the story, but this makes it even better
rjdurbin15 January 2002
I have read several books about Shackleton's amazing expedition to Antarctica. I first became aware of the story from a PBS documentary several years ago, and being amazed by the story of survival and endurance, sought out books for more of the story. As a teacher I have used parts of this story as examples of leadership, enduring hardship, teamwork, loyalty, service, and hope. Being so familiar with this story, I wasn't sure what would be new in the film, but there was plenty there for me to enjoy and still learn about. I found it interesting that the descendants of survivors consistently said that their relatives, as is common from many trying circumstances, rarely talked about the events. It was also great to see the pictures I have seen over and over again put into a format where I could see them on a big screen. Even more amazing is the surviving film footage from the expedition. The preservation of this footage is wonderful, and in conjunction with the newly filmed footage of the unchanged antarctic landscape, gives you a better understanding of the wilderness these men were up against. Shackelton is portrayed as the excellent leader that he was, but is not presented as an infallible genius. He was a man who demonstrated amazing qualities in difficult circumstances, and he was a man who understood the burden of his leadership and the importance for getting his men home safely. If you've never heard of Shackleton, you are in the same boat (pun intended), as my wife, who was completely new to Shackleton's story. She loved the film as well, and was fascinated by the story. So if you are well aware of the story, or totally new to it, I highly recommend this story of survival and endurance.
Riveting. Moving. Thrilling. Disturbing. A Must See.
Danusha_Goska16 January 2009
"The Endurance" is one of the most amazing, unforgettable movies I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot of movies.) I wish I could require everyone to see it. "The Endurance" makes a mockery of most of what passes for action-adventure. It leaves comic book movies like 2008's "The Dark Knight," in its dust.
"The Endurance" tells the story of Ernest Shackleton's alternately miraculous and disastrous Antarctic expedition of 1914. For the bulk of the film's runtime, I was on the edge of my seat, gasping, overwhelmed by the horror and magnitude of the nightmarish conditions Shackleton and his men confronted. The men, stuck in Antarctica, watch their ship, their sole sure escape, crushed into a pile of toothpicks by heaving chunks of ice. A man wakes in the middle of the night to realize that the ice under his tent has shifted; he plunges, in his sleeping bag, into Antarctic Ocean. Sled dogs go from being trusted allies and team members to something starving men debate eating. These conditions didn't last for an hour or a day or a month, but for over a year.
Bad luck is followed by almost miraculous momentary deliverance. At one desperate point, the fate of his men hanging on his ability to carry out an almost impossible task walking non-stop for 36 hours across unmapped cliffs, mountains, and glaciers, after months of malnutrition and under-using the muscles in his legs Shackleton is convinced that a supernatural companion accompanies him. Mary Crean O'Brien, daughter of Tom Crean, who also made this trek with Shackleton, insists that that ghostly companion had been sent by "the man upstairs." One may scoff, but in this trek, Shackleton just missed a blizzard that, had he had to walk through it, would have certainly killed him. But what about all the bad luck that damned Shackleton and his men to their icy prison? This is a film that has you asking the big questions. Why do men do these crazy things? What does suffering mean, especially given how hard some people seek it out? Are these men greater than the rest of us, or merely mad? Where are frontiers, and heroes like this today? "Endurance" gets you thinking about culture. The British Empire gets a bad rap, but it did train its men to be honorable, and to live up to a code of conduct. Shackleton and his men were stoic, self-sacrificing, and learned to transcend class and ethnic differences. I had to wonder how a group of youths trained by our current values of whining, victimization, selfishness, identity politics and deviance would have responded under a similar catastrophe.
The film is beautiful to look at. The filmmakers traveled to the Antarctic and complement Frank Hurley's, antique, black-and-white film footage and still photographs with modern, color footage. The effect is mesmerizing. The modern film footage plunges you into the Antarctic; you will feel cold. You will contemplate turquoise shadows on pure white icebergs, ice-choked sea, and blizzards as aesthetic phenomena, as guardians of the last frontier, and as enemies who want to stop the blood in your veins and suck your body several fathoms down.
I have to confess that I found this film hard to watch. And I couldn't stop watching it. After it was done, I really needed time to decompress. Moment after moment juggles human lives and fates. I'll never forget this film, though, and its demonstration of the power of the human spirit.
"The Endurance" tells the story of Ernest Shackleton's alternately miraculous and disastrous Antarctic expedition of 1914. For the bulk of the film's runtime, I was on the edge of my seat, gasping, overwhelmed by the horror and magnitude of the nightmarish conditions Shackleton and his men confronted. The men, stuck in Antarctica, watch their ship, their sole sure escape, crushed into a pile of toothpicks by heaving chunks of ice. A man wakes in the middle of the night to realize that the ice under his tent has shifted; he plunges, in his sleeping bag, into Antarctic Ocean. Sled dogs go from being trusted allies and team members to something starving men debate eating. These conditions didn't last for an hour or a day or a month, but for over a year.
Bad luck is followed by almost miraculous momentary deliverance. At one desperate point, the fate of his men hanging on his ability to carry out an almost impossible task walking non-stop for 36 hours across unmapped cliffs, mountains, and glaciers, after months of malnutrition and under-using the muscles in his legs Shackleton is convinced that a supernatural companion accompanies him. Mary Crean O'Brien, daughter of Tom Crean, who also made this trek with Shackleton, insists that that ghostly companion had been sent by "the man upstairs." One may scoff, but in this trek, Shackleton just missed a blizzard that, had he had to walk through it, would have certainly killed him. But what about all the bad luck that damned Shackleton and his men to their icy prison? This is a film that has you asking the big questions. Why do men do these crazy things? What does suffering mean, especially given how hard some people seek it out? Are these men greater than the rest of us, or merely mad? Where are frontiers, and heroes like this today? "Endurance" gets you thinking about culture. The British Empire gets a bad rap, but it did train its men to be honorable, and to live up to a code of conduct. Shackleton and his men were stoic, self-sacrificing, and learned to transcend class and ethnic differences. I had to wonder how a group of youths trained by our current values of whining, victimization, selfishness, identity politics and deviance would have responded under a similar catastrophe.
The film is beautiful to look at. The filmmakers traveled to the Antarctic and complement Frank Hurley's, antique, black-and-white film footage and still photographs with modern, color footage. The effect is mesmerizing. The modern film footage plunges you into the Antarctic; you will feel cold. You will contemplate turquoise shadows on pure white icebergs, ice-choked sea, and blizzards as aesthetic phenomena, as guardians of the last frontier, and as enemies who want to stop the blood in your veins and suck your body several fathoms down.
I have to confess that I found this film hard to watch. And I couldn't stop watching it. After it was done, I really needed time to decompress. Moment after moment juggles human lives and fates. I'll never forget this film, though, and its demonstration of the power of the human spirit.
Exquisite
dean-277 February 2002
This is, quite simply, the finest documentary I have ever seen. The story is one of the most amazing, and harrowing, tales of survival imaginable. In fact, it is beyond anything a novelist could conjure. It is filled with amazing, high quality archival stills and footage. The film is well edited. The hour and a half flies by, and you leave emotionally exhausted and exhilarated. Most highly recommended.
An incredible real-life survival story.
RichShep24 September 2002
An inspiring story of the will to survive which takes us back to the "Heroic Age" of exploration. Ernest Shackleton's expedition to the Antarctic set off in 1914 on the eve of World war 1. However, they became trapped in pack ice not far from their destination, though not close enough. So began a 2-year ordeal in the most inhospitable conditions,a constant fight for survival, before the redoubtable Shackleton got his men to safety...without losing one life. Then, on top of that, the men hurried back to help the war effort. The documentaries mix footage taken by the original expedition photographer and new footage to show the picturesque yet deadly, inhospitable and unforgiving land, and tell this superhuman tale of survival. Effectively shot and beautifully edited, and well narrated by Liam Neeson, you can almost feel the cold. At the end of it, no matter how much you already knew about the expedition, you still cannot believe this incredible story is real.
Icily Gripping
Squrpleboy16 October 2002
This is the most unbelievable TRUE story I have ever seen! Thank God I walked into it not knowing anything about Shackleton or the cataclysmic expedition he and his men endured for almost two years of their lives; I was mesmerized by the tale and STUNNED by the conclusion!
Without a doubt, Sir Ernest Shackleton is one of the bravest, loyal, and awe-inspiring men I have ever heard of. This documentary does everything right in trying to tell his (and his crew's) story without sensationalizing or mythifying his character. Use of actual still and motion picture photography from the doomed expedition, letters from the crew, interviews and stories with grandchildren of the ship-men, new footage of the original Antarctic sites, and a beautifully written and delivered narration (by Liam Nieson) are blended together seemlessly to transport the viewer back in time, and into the terror that was the voyage of The Endurance.
Although Kenneth Branagh's SHACKLETON (2002) was a good effort and a fine telling, it truly could not capture the real tension, anticipation, expectation and real-life drama in the way this documentary did throughout (I found Branagh's version often played on obvious audience manipulators, ie., heavy-handed dialogue, hammered musical scoring, camera indulgence, etc.).
9/10. ENDURANCE is the greatest example of TRUTH being stranger than fiction, and so much more compelling!
Without a doubt, Sir Ernest Shackleton is one of the bravest, loyal, and awe-inspiring men I have ever heard of. This documentary does everything right in trying to tell his (and his crew's) story without sensationalizing or mythifying his character. Use of actual still and motion picture photography from the doomed expedition, letters from the crew, interviews and stories with grandchildren of the ship-men, new footage of the original Antarctic sites, and a beautifully written and delivered narration (by Liam Nieson) are blended together seemlessly to transport the viewer back in time, and into the terror that was the voyage of The Endurance.
Although Kenneth Branagh's SHACKLETON (2002) was a good effort and a fine telling, it truly could not capture the real tension, anticipation, expectation and real-life drama in the way this documentary did throughout (I found Branagh's version often played on obvious audience manipulators, ie., heavy-handed dialogue, hammered musical scoring, camera indulgence, etc.).
9/10. ENDURANCE is the greatest example of TRUTH being stranger than fiction, and so much more compelling!
magnificent
occupant-113 October 2001
At any point in this expedition, many would have given up or run out of ideas, but Ernest Shackleton's attitude reminds one of the Apollo 13 support crews in that failure was not an option. Everything great about the human species is seen in the efforts to discover an escape route from the pack ice, to find food in an almost lunar landscape and to send at least a few sailors to an island near the shipping lanes hundreds of miles from camp, the last chance for anyone to discover that Endurance's crew was still alive. Shackleton's refusal to give up, as well as resourcefulness in making unwasteful decisions, was the main reason for the rescue of the entire crew. Other than sled dogs, the antarctic didn't claim a single life - from this crew, anyway.
Over Glorifying a Man who put them in danger for his own ignorance
coldy-9028721 March 2022
This version of the facts leaves out a lot about how they actually got into trouble in the first place.
Shackleton was advised before leaving that the ice was bad that year, and it was a poor choice to continue. He ignored this.
Shackleton ignored advice from Worsley telling him that continuing into the ice was a poor choice, yet he insisted on continuing.
It was Worsley who tracked the movement of the ice and kept track of their location.
When it came to moving forward, Shackleton ignored the advice again of Worsley and tried to move forward carrying supplies for days, taking tolls on the crew and equipment for no reason.
It was Shackleton that had them add ballast to the front of the small boat for their trip from Elephant Island, which almost caused them to sink,
During this trip, it was Shackleton that admitted to Worsley that he knew nothing about smaller boats after the fact.
In the end, it was Worsley who saved the day by getting them to South Georgia by his own navigational skills and calculations of their location that saved them all.
To be honest, there are better documentaries out there telling this story that contain more of the truth, this version simply makes Shackleton out to be some hero, Where in fact it was his own incompetence that could have killed them all.
Shackleton received the glory for Worsleys work and was made the hero,
This version of the story over glorifies Shackleton and his awful decisions.
Shackleton was advised before leaving that the ice was bad that year, and it was a poor choice to continue. He ignored this.
Shackleton ignored advice from Worsley telling him that continuing into the ice was a poor choice, yet he insisted on continuing.
It was Worsley who tracked the movement of the ice and kept track of their location.
When it came to moving forward, Shackleton ignored the advice again of Worsley and tried to move forward carrying supplies for days, taking tolls on the crew and equipment for no reason.
It was Shackleton that had them add ballast to the front of the small boat for their trip from Elephant Island, which almost caused them to sink,
During this trip, it was Shackleton that admitted to Worsley that he knew nothing about smaller boats after the fact.
In the end, it was Worsley who saved the day by getting them to South Georgia by his own navigational skills and calculations of their location that saved them all.
To be honest, there are better documentaries out there telling this story that contain more of the truth, this version simply makes Shackleton out to be some hero, Where in fact it was his own incompetence that could have killed them all.
Shackleton received the glory for Worsleys work and was made the hero,
This version of the story over glorifies Shackleton and his awful decisions.
Really Good Documentary
WalkingTaco24 November 2003
I had no idea what this was going to be about, and right from the time the ship gets stuck in the ice shelf I knew it wasn't going to end up how I expected. The narration by Liam Neeson is very well done, as is the use of actual photos and footage. Great documentary.
Both the movie and Shackleton are overrated
mattsimdb6 November 2008
I really do enjoy adventures and real stories of survival, and this wasn't a bad movie, but let's bring this one back to reality. Most of the reviews here are obviously on the Shackleton band wagon. I think for obvious reasons because no one else but the enthusiasts have even heard of the movie or the book.
Let's start with the movie. It was a bit slow even for a documentary. However, my biggest complaint is the fact that I didn't even know there were deaths on the supply side of his expedition until I read it here on IMDb, and I watched the movie twice, because my wife had fallen asleep during it the first time. Isn't it relevant to the movie? I think the story on the other side the expedition is interesting as well. Why wasn't it told? Perhaps a little bit of Shackleton hype maybe? However, I must say the movie had absolutely stunning photography and does a good job of helping us to live the tail.
Now let's go after Shackleton. His expedition failed so miserably that I can't imagine how he is deemed a great leader. Yes, everyone survived his part of the expedition but only after complete failure of their objective. What were his back up plans for getting stuck in the ice? He had none. The real genius of the expedition seems to have been the "mutenous" carpenter. Maybe if Shackleton had listened to him and built a boat out of the remains of the Endurance they would have been home sooner and in better shape. This same carpenter saved them again by upgrading their life boat so that it could survive the South Atlantic from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island. Yet, even after the expedition was over he continued to punish the Carpenter for his disloyalty. Shackleton seems to be a stereotypical know it all that does not know how to listen.
Let's also pick on the mission. It was an egotistical crusade for nothing. What a waste of time and money. The South Pole had already been discovered. Even if he succeeded he basically accomplished nothing for the world, only for his own ego.
Great leader? I think not.
Let's start with the movie. It was a bit slow even for a documentary. However, my biggest complaint is the fact that I didn't even know there were deaths on the supply side of his expedition until I read it here on IMDb, and I watched the movie twice, because my wife had fallen asleep during it the first time. Isn't it relevant to the movie? I think the story on the other side the expedition is interesting as well. Why wasn't it told? Perhaps a little bit of Shackleton hype maybe? However, I must say the movie had absolutely stunning photography and does a good job of helping us to live the tail.
Now let's go after Shackleton. His expedition failed so miserably that I can't imagine how he is deemed a great leader. Yes, everyone survived his part of the expedition but only after complete failure of their objective. What were his back up plans for getting stuck in the ice? He had none. The real genius of the expedition seems to have been the "mutenous" carpenter. Maybe if Shackleton had listened to him and built a boat out of the remains of the Endurance they would have been home sooner and in better shape. This same carpenter saved them again by upgrading their life boat so that it could survive the South Atlantic from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island. Yet, even after the expedition was over he continued to punish the Carpenter for his disloyalty. Shackleton seems to be a stereotypical know it all that does not know how to listen.
Let's also pick on the mission. It was an egotistical crusade for nothing. What a waste of time and money. The South Pole had already been discovered. Even if he succeeded he basically accomplished nothing for the world, only for his own ego.
Great leader? I think not.
10 stars, a film about life
hfc-116 February 2002
The subtext of the film, sponsored by Morgan Stanley, Tyco and other corps, is heroic individualism, the tiresome leitmotif of half a millenium of western history. Roland Huntford, familiar to polar buffs, natters on endlessly about Shackelton's leadership qualities, and the suits at Morgan Stanley probably have everyone attending Shackleton leadership seminars. But Shackleton and the film transcend all that infinitely. As the film points out, Shackleton reversed course morally as the expedition foundered in the ice, from achieving the original heroic feat of crossing Antarctica, to getting the party out alive, to surviving. Of course a less resilient party, less skilled and resourceful, would not have survived, Shackleton or no; he picked them after all. The moral is that their (particularly Shackleton's life-long) quest for adventure and heroic deeds (the spirit of the age) was not fulfilled as planned, but he/they were magnificently successful in overcoming obstacles fate placed in their way, thrived on it, completely satisfied. The sense of deliverance on the final, harrowing leg across South Georgia, and his statement, the last words in the film, about having read the text of god, say it all.
Depends more on the viewer
Quinoa198411 November 2001
Endurance, the Shackleton expedition is more compelling depending on how the viewer views the material. I stayed awake throughout (the candy and soda helped, but still), but that might not be the case for the entire audience. The tale tells of Ernest Shackleton (is that his name), an expeditioner who took a crew of men on an expedition to search more of the Antarctic continent. This turned out to be not the case, however, as they had to endure the loss of their endurance ship, a number of crew members, and most of the morale that came with them in the beginning, but they still had to pull through, to survive to get back home. Compelling from a view it more or less stays on that track with some interesting and poignant interviews with historians and relatives of the crew on the voyage. It does get a tad boring in parts though; Liam Neeson provides narration. B
Quite boring as a documentary
tom_7525226 February 2006
If you don't understand the intention of the expedition nor the purpose of this documentary, then you may like both.
If you don't know what Shackleton's purpose is for the expedition, then you can use this documentary as a sedative to help you fall asleep. Only at the beginning does the narrator's comment stand out about the purpose: to go where many men have gone before, most needlessly.
The vast majority of the narration fails to clue you in why these men are risking their lives to travel thru a big chunks of ice to get to other big chunks of ice. Are they suicidal? Are they dumb? No. But you wont find out from this documentary.
This documentary should be free on your local PBS station. But if you have as much to lose as the unexplained reason this documentary gives for the expedition's men risking their life, then by all means, save your money.
If you want a good documentary about traveling over ice for no real purpose other than glory, try "Touching a Void". Until then, find the better version of Shackelton's Endurance expedition for free.
If you don't know what Shackleton's purpose is for the expedition, then you can use this documentary as a sedative to help you fall asleep. Only at the beginning does the narrator's comment stand out about the purpose: to go where many men have gone before, most needlessly.
The vast majority of the narration fails to clue you in why these men are risking their lives to travel thru a big chunks of ice to get to other big chunks of ice. Are they suicidal? Are they dumb? No. But you wont find out from this documentary.
This documentary should be free on your local PBS station. But if you have as much to lose as the unexplained reason this documentary gives for the expedition's men risking their life, then by all means, save your money.
If you want a good documentary about traveling over ice for no real purpose other than glory, try "Touching a Void". Until then, find the better version of Shackelton's Endurance expedition for free.
A remarkable documenary leaves one feeling they have been there.
lspaiser23 January 2002
This film is unbelievable because it puts together the remains of actual original footage and photos with carefully and sensitively delivered narratives and modern color shots to create an almost impossible whole. The success of this movie is that these pieces all come together to give you an almost total experience.
At first the pace and material seem somewhat slow perhaps even a bit boring. But this is even better because without changing format, the content builds until you are shaking your head and grimacing in disbelief.
I did not know the story of Shakleton - so I was even more awe struck. How could any people have endured this? When you leave the theater you have indeed been on the expedition yourself and you are glad to be alive.
L. Spaiser
At first the pace and material seem somewhat slow perhaps even a bit boring. But this is even better because without changing format, the content builds until you are shaking your head and grimacing in disbelief.
I did not know the story of Shakleton - so I was even more awe struck. How could any people have endured this? When you leave the theater you have indeed been on the expedition yourself and you are glad to be alive.
L. Spaiser
fabulous film-documentary
star6936 February 2002
I'm not certain what compelled me to see this film. I think it had something to do with Liam Neeson narrating, and the fact I knew nothing about Shackleton or any legendary antarctic expedition. So when I sat down in the movie theater to see this film, I feared I was forcing myself to see a dry documentary. On the contrary, it was fabulous! The film brought the expedition to life by showing photographs and historic reels, and beautifully conveyed the sense of being on that journey and the sheer magnitude of its undertaking. I was lost in their world and amazed at the strength (and sheer luck) of these men. Definitely worth seeing on the big screen. 9/10
It's all about leadership
doug-2845 July 2004
This movie shows that it's all about quality of leadership.
Shackleton put an ad in the paper for the journey:
"Men wanted for Hazardous Journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."
Would you sign up for an inland trek over the South Pole? I know that I would not, yet over a thousand men answered the ad. The men that Shackelton led were skilled men but not all that out of the ordinary. They had the same weaknesses as any other team. Keeping them from self destructing and working towards the common mission was an amazing accomplishment. And, the thing that made all the difference was the quality of the leadership of Ernest Shackleton.
This movie is wonderful for leadership training. Everyone who is going through troubles and is in a position of leadership can easily spot parallels to their own situation in the movie.
Shackleton's virtues of concern for his men and desire to keep up their morale shine through in this movie. On one occasion he even makes a decision which doesn't make sense but serves to keep up the hopes of the men.
I would show this movie to a group of businessmen in a competitive market, to an executive board faced with tough decisions or to a church leadership team in need of encouragement and strengthening. It shows what is common in all human lives (adversity) and what is uncommon (an extraordinary faith and perseverance).
Shackleton put an ad in the paper for the journey:
"Men wanted for Hazardous Journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."
Would you sign up for an inland trek over the South Pole? I know that I would not, yet over a thousand men answered the ad. The men that Shackelton led were skilled men but not all that out of the ordinary. They had the same weaknesses as any other team. Keeping them from self destructing and working towards the common mission was an amazing accomplishment. And, the thing that made all the difference was the quality of the leadership of Ernest Shackleton.
This movie is wonderful for leadership training. Everyone who is going through troubles and is in a position of leadership can easily spot parallels to their own situation in the movie.
Shackleton's virtues of concern for his men and desire to keep up their morale shine through in this movie. On one occasion he even makes a decision which doesn't make sense but serves to keep up the hopes of the men.
I would show this movie to a group of businessmen in a competitive market, to an executive board faced with tough decisions or to a church leadership team in need of encouragement and strengthening. It shows what is common in all human lives (adversity) and what is uncommon (an extraordinary faith and perseverance).
Stand high in the base of your mountain
chaos-rampant15 February 2017
Shackleton's third and last journey to the Pole in this documentary. We avoid talking heads and instead immerse ourselves in the arduous experience of traversing icy wastes. It has all the staples of polar exploits as have seeped into the popular imagination; valiant human endeavor, pitilessly harsh nature that cares none for our feeble attempts to cross it, scenes of increasing despair and privation, endured nonetheless with stoic composure.
They were the moon landings of their time. Crews setting out with lofty aims of expanding the map of human knowledge, broadening horizons. What captivated audiences back home was either more prosaic or more poetic; will they make it alive, human bravery in an alien cosmos, the attending mystery of venturing in uncharted territory.
One part of the film comprises actual footage of the expedition shot by a cameraman who was among the crew, really exciting (silent film) footage of the ship being crunched by the ice, desperately futile attempts to haul it out, playing with their trusted dogs, their makeshift camps as they have to go out on foot. The second part shows modern enactments, presumably captures views like they would have stumbled through, whether or not the very same locales. It's actually South Georgia later. But how different the visual regions when charged with knowledge that we're actually seeing into things as they happened.
I remember being enthralled as a kid by a book on polar misadventures. It was about an earlier expedition - the Discovery - but very much the same grimly claustrophobic experience. (What I couldn't know as a kid was that so much of my book's power came from the notion that these were things that actually happened.) It was the kind of story that makes you freeze simply to read, glad for home.
I have a quite different response these days than simply being aghast at what a cold universe it is out there.
See, these people ventured full of dreams. They were broken just as they were starting, shipwrecked in the early stages. Can you imagine the kind of disappointment that shakes you to your core? To know your dreams are quashed, your expedition is a complete failure. The same tortuous effort you expected to muster in the course of making history will now have to be spent just making it back alive.
So, you expected life to go one way, it went another. What now? Now dust yourself off and come back to us with a story of making a full return from the edge.
They were the moon landings of their time. Crews setting out with lofty aims of expanding the map of human knowledge, broadening horizons. What captivated audiences back home was either more prosaic or more poetic; will they make it alive, human bravery in an alien cosmos, the attending mystery of venturing in uncharted territory.
One part of the film comprises actual footage of the expedition shot by a cameraman who was among the crew, really exciting (silent film) footage of the ship being crunched by the ice, desperately futile attempts to haul it out, playing with their trusted dogs, their makeshift camps as they have to go out on foot. The second part shows modern enactments, presumably captures views like they would have stumbled through, whether or not the very same locales. It's actually South Georgia later. But how different the visual regions when charged with knowledge that we're actually seeing into things as they happened.
I remember being enthralled as a kid by a book on polar misadventures. It was about an earlier expedition - the Discovery - but very much the same grimly claustrophobic experience. (What I couldn't know as a kid was that so much of my book's power came from the notion that these were things that actually happened.) It was the kind of story that makes you freeze simply to read, glad for home.
I have a quite different response these days than simply being aghast at what a cold universe it is out there.
See, these people ventured full of dreams. They were broken just as they were starting, shipwrecked in the early stages. Can you imagine the kind of disappointment that shakes you to your core? To know your dreams are quashed, your expedition is a complete failure. The same tortuous effort you expected to muster in the course of making history will now have to be spent just making it back alive.
So, you expected life to go one way, it went another. What now? Now dust yourself off and come back to us with a story of making a full return from the edge.
Cinematic Wonderment
loserbeth28 December 2000
I saw this film in the fall of 2000, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, at the Telluride by the Sea Festival. It was amazingly beautiful. The director fused modern cinematography of the antarctic with old moving pictures taken by the expeditions photographer. The landscape hasn't changed a bit.
This was a stunning piece of work. It would be easy to let the story speak for itself, the survival of all crew members for over a year in inconceivable surroundings. But, these film makers didn't just tell the amazing story, they brought it back to life. Most stories of this ilk are old legend. They are being told by historians and great great grandchildren. This story is laid out before our eyes, in movies shot at the site. It didn't happen all that long ago. 1914, or thereabouts. Their children are alive to tell their tale. It makes you realize that we have come as far as we have come in a very short span of time. All of our technological advances are still very new. Perhaps this would not happen to a crew in the age of cell phones, world wide web, helicopters, survival suites, satellites, etc. But it happened in our century. The century of advancement.
This was a stunning piece of work. It would be easy to let the story speak for itself, the survival of all crew members for over a year in inconceivable surroundings. But, these film makers didn't just tell the amazing story, they brought it back to life. Most stories of this ilk are old legend. They are being told by historians and great great grandchildren. This story is laid out before our eyes, in movies shot at the site. It didn't happen all that long ago. 1914, or thereabouts. Their children are alive to tell their tale. It makes you realize that we have come as far as we have come in a very short span of time. All of our technological advances are still very new. Perhaps this would not happen to a crew in the age of cell phones, world wide web, helicopters, survival suites, satellites, etc. But it happened in our century. The century of advancement.
A Perfect Storm; A Perfect Documentary - The Endurance
arthur_tafero12 April 2023
The title of this documentary completely explains the personality of the man who engineered it. The term endurance and the name Shackleton would forever become synonymous after the events of this ill-fated expedition. The goal of the expedition was to claim Antarctica for England, but as England was in the midst of a fearful war with Germany at the time (1914-1916), the expedition had little or no fanfare. Initially, the trapping of the ship ENDURANCE in the ice, seemed to be an unfortunate end to the lives of all the men on the expedition. But the fortitude and endurance of Shackleton were to be formidable opponents for the great forces of nature. The film is impeccably presented in interviews and photos, along with a haunting score. It is an unforgettable experience and certainly inspirational to all who are fortunate enough to view it. Whenever you think you are having a rough time of it, all you have to do is think about Shackleton and the men on this expedition, and you will quickly minimize your difficulties.
One of the best movies of the year (2001)
yrral-31 December 2001
An exciting, amazing and deeply moving story of a heroic escape from an icy trap in Antarctica. In all, it takes Shackleton and his crew about two years to make it back to civilization. What they overcame to get there is beyond belief. This film should not be missed.
Remarkable record of an extraordinary adventure
jonr-314 January 2002
I'd seen the version on "Nova" a couple of years ago but viewing these images in the theater on the big screen was a much more powerful experience.
There was irony aplenty in store when the name "Endurance" was chosen for the expedition ship. The ill-fated expedition turned into such a test of human endurance as to defy belief: had this been fiction, it would seem too incredible. But it actually happened. And much of the film uses original movie footage, as well as the surviving still photos, to document this terrifying and inspiring story.
I came out of the theater convinced that there needs to be a term in our language that goes beyond "heroism." Shackleton and his men would all, in my opinion, qualify for its application.
There was irony aplenty in store when the name "Endurance" was chosen for the expedition ship. The ill-fated expedition turned into such a test of human endurance as to defy belief: had this been fiction, it would seem too incredible. But it actually happened. And much of the film uses original movie footage, as well as the surviving still photos, to document this terrifying and inspiring story.
I came out of the theater convinced that there needs to be a term in our language that goes beyond "heroism." Shackleton and his men would all, in my opinion, qualify for its application.
Don't miss this amazing documentary!
wuzzles16 November 2000
If you think you've seen and read everything about Shackleton and the Endurance expedition, you haven't. Seeing Hurley's photos on a giant movie screen makes them even more amazing and hearing the tale from the families of the survivors makes this a unique experience. The commentary is always interesting. The images are arresting and the music is haunting. Find out where this film is playing and see it immediately! Shackleton fans won't be disappointed and those who've never heard of Shackleton will be converted. Thank you George Butler.
Point of view of newcomer to the Shackleton story
LoopyNZ24 August 2001
I've given this movie 10/10. That's not like me. But WOW! I can't think of a thing wrong with the movie that justifies taking a point off.
I was spellbound from the first ten minutes. I'd never heard anything about this expedition, and perhaps I would have enjoyed the movie a little less had I known all the details beforehand. But as it was, I was captivated by the slow, gently teasing unravelling of an amazing human story.
I'm not particular fan of non-fiction, of incredible journeys, of exploration, of Antarctica, even of inspirational human triumph stories, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed watching this film.
See this movie!
I was spellbound from the first ten minutes. I'd never heard anything about this expedition, and perhaps I would have enjoyed the movie a little less had I known all the details beforehand. But as it was, I was captivated by the slow, gently teasing unravelling of an amazing human story.
I'm not particular fan of non-fiction, of incredible journeys, of exploration, of Antarctica, even of inspirational human triumph stories, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed watching this film.
See this movie!
outstanding documentary.very informative
disdressed1210 September 2009
i didn't know a whole lot about Ernest Shackleton,so this film was an eye opener for me.the title says it all,of course.it's a wonderful documentary very in depth and concise.Liam Neeson is the perfect voice of the narrator.there are also some reenacted moments which are also well done.plus, a good deal of the film taken by the camera man on the crew of The endurance survives,and so we see some of the events as they actually took place.one thing that struck me:back in 1914,people were made of sturdier stuff.as a society we have gotten so soft,that there are very few people today that would attempt what Shackleton did.for me,The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition is a 10/10
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