South: Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition (1919) is the original documentary of the greatest epic in the history of exploration, produced by Shackleton and Frank Hurley. When Shackleton set sail on the Endurance on August 8, 1914, he planned a brave attempt to cross the continent of Antarctica via the South Pole. But within a day’s travel, the Endurance was trapped in unusually heavy pack ice. What followed is one of the most spectacular adventure stories ever—an unbelievable tale of courage and survival. The crew drifted on ice floes for months before landing on the completely deserted Elephant Island. With no chance for rescue, Ernest Shackleton and five of his men made a 850-mile journey in an open boat with only a sextant to guide them across the roughest seas in the world. Made newly relevant with the 2022 discovery of the Endurance at the bottom of the Weddell Sea – this Milestone Films release of South is newly restored in 2K by the BFI National Archive with the original tints and toning and a new orchestral score by Neil Brand performed by Covent Garden Sinfonia, making this Blu-ray release one to cherish.

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Video Quality

South: Ernest Shackleton and The Endurance Expedition makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics and The Milestone Cinematheque with a lovely transfer from a 2K scan with the original tints and toning, all conducted by the BFI National Archive for a release that is quite impressive. For a film that is over 100 years of age, this is a truly inspirational presentation. The transfer shows off a surprising amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. Black levels present with some depth with no overwhelming occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts.

The sumptuous color-tinted photography in certain stretches shines in high definition with natural grain intact. There is a good amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and within the setting. The contrast is pretty firmly defined, and the transfer has eradicated a noticeable amount of flicker and specks of damage to the print. There are limitations to how good this material can look, but they have certainly made every effort to push it to its limits. Kino Classics and The Milestone Cinematheque have done some terrific work.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that sounds perfectly wonderful. The film is graced with a new orchestral score by Neil Brand performed by Covent Garden Sinfonia, which is quite beautiful and triumphant. As this is a silent film, the music is the only element to contend with in this track, and it sounds vibrant and lovely with no clipping or age related wear and tear. Classic documentary fans should be beyond pleased with the sound quality of this track, as the new piece seems to complement the visuals perfectly.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film historian Luke McKernan provides a commentary track that was recorded in 2002 in which he gives additional details about the expedition as it unfurls along with some context to how the film was received when it was released at the time.

Departure Of Shackleton’s British Antarctic Expedition From Lyttelton, New Zealand: An eight-minute completely silent short film depicting a 1908 ship departure.

Antarctic Expedition – Sir George Newnes’ Farewell To Officers and Crew: A 53-second clip of a procession of handshakes and well wishes set to a lovely score.

Shackleton – South Georgia Birds (1920): A 13-minute short which shows some fascinating bird behavior.

Shackleton’s Boat Journey (1999): A more modern 32-minute short which delves deep into the impressive career of Ernest Shackleton and his various feats of Antarctic exploration.

Southward On The Quest (1922 Excerpt): An eight-minute excerpt which primarily focuses on the relationship between man and dog during perilous journeys.

Audio Recordings: Neither recording is given a timestamp, so we cannot report on how long these two tracks are. but they are intriguing historical artifacts.

- A Dash For The South Pole (Ernest Shackleton, June 23, 1909)

- My Polar Expedition (Ernest Shackleton, March 30, 1910)

Final Thoughts

South: Ernest Shackleton and The Endurance Expedition is a truly special piece of film history that we as a society are lucky to have. It may be easy enough to read about the trials and tribulations of certain explorers from their prime, but it does not compare to getting a first-hand look at the realities of what they faced. Even the mundane aspects of this journey are fascinating in the context in which they are presented. If you are not into experiencing your history, you might not find this as compelling, but no one can deny what an achievement this is. Kino Classics and The Milestone Cinematheque have released a Blu-Ray featuring a pretty fantastic A/V presentation and a lovely assortment of special features. It is not often that you get to discover such a unique piece of film history, so those who are even the slightest bit interested should make time for this one. Recommended

South: Ernest Shackleton and The Endurance Expedition is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics and The Milestone Cinematheque have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.