The Endurance

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of footage that exists from the Shackleton expedition, and this is another well constructed illustration of just how perilous this journey was. Setting off from the UK just as the Great War was starting in Europe, acclaimed explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton took his ship, the “Endurance” and a hardened crew south towards Antarctica. They begin to encounter the pack ice with over 400 miles yet to go, and as they become deeply embedded in the frozen wastes their ship falls foul to it’s icy might. It’s at this point that their journey turns from one of exploration to one of survival as they must attempt to find their way back onto the shipping lanes, or better yet - to land. The story is fact so we all know what actually happened, what makes this stand out is the use of some astonishingly well preserved archive. Coupled with some insightful interviews from relatives of some of the crew, this paints a genuinely chilly picture of a terrain hostile to all but penguins and seals. A voyage reminiscent of that taken by the mutinied Captain Bligh through high seas, snow storms and hurricane-force winds is captured using photography, diary entries and some actuality as these men face the worst that the elements can throw at them with no hope at all of help finding them. This also serves as an interesting reminder of just how bleak and barren (for people) this part of the planet was a mere century ago, and it does make you wonder in awe at the courage and perseverance of these men armed only with a few fur sleeping bags, harpoons, with everything else made of wood and them only bearing what they could physically carry themselves. There’s a lot to be said for the audio here, too - the whistling, howling wind and the breaking waves also add to the sense of danger, yes, but also of fortitude and bravery. It makes you reach for a jumper when you watch it, too!