History's Most Extreme Documentary? Frank Hurley & The Endurance Expedition

The extraordinary story of Shackleton's doomed Trans-Antarctic expedition has captivated audiences for over 100 years. It's not just because it's a dramatic tale of survival, but because there's visual evidence of it. Some of the greatest moments of history in the last century are etched into our minds because someone was there with a camera. For Shackleton's expedition, it was the tough and tenacious Australian photographer Frank Hurley. His photographs and footage became world-famous on the crew's return to England when they became a remarkable feature-length film. 'South' told the story of the destruction of the Endurance and the survival of the men on the ice without a ship. Even today, the expedition footage remains breathtaking; to see the frozen world the Endurance crew found and the daily habits and behaviours of the men whose names are so well known in history books are nothing short of remarkable. In this episode, Dan speaks to BFI curator Bryony Dixon about how Frank Hurley managed to get the astonishing footage seen in 'South' and why it endures. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.