Shackleton and Scott were men with a common goal - the South Pole. However, divisions between them grew as jealousy and intrigue intensified their rivalry. The consequence of their polar exploits is as shocking and fascinating now as it was during that closing phase of the age of exploration. This documentary draws upon a wealth of historical knowledge, and investigates the social setting and psychology of these men who dramatically, and fatally, pushed the limits of human endurance. Their amazing individual exploits marked them for greatness but whose memory and mark on history will survive in the new millennium? Rivals for the Pole seeks to answer this question as well as setting the historical record straight on Shackleton and Scott.
Escape From Antarctica - On the Trail of Shackleton:
In 1914, explorer Ernest Shackleton and a crew of 27 men set out aboard his ship, Endurance, in pursuit of his goal to be the first to cross the continent of Antarctica via the South Pole. Instead, Endurance became locked in a harsh sea and was crushed be relentless ice. Shackleton and his crew ensured inhuman cold and violent storms and embarked on a treacherous 850 mile voyage across dangerous open seas in a tiny 22 foot boat. In the spring of 1997, a team of Irish sailors and climbers recreated one of the most famous adventures in the history of exploration - the epic and almost fatal journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island. this documentary presents the extreme and deadly nature of a polar exploration, and illustrates the psychology of adventurers who tackle the far reaches of the planet and themselves.
Special Features:
- Bonus documentary: Escape from Antarctica: On the Trail of Shackleton