Educational Media Reviews Online

The recent swell of interest in the Shakelton expedition to Antarctica has been fueled in part by the evocative and incredible images made by the expedition's photographer, Frank Hurley. Yet even with a major exhibit of his photos at the Museum of Natural History in New York City, Hurley's name has remained somewhat in the background. Hurley's achievements went well beyond documenting Shakelton's dramatic expedition, and even though he is best known for that work today, he was a respected photographer, artist, and film maker in his lifetime.

Using only Hurley's own footage and stills, this biographical documentary focuses on Hurley's work rather than his personal life. From his first expedition to Antarctica with a group of students and scientists, to his later work in the feature film industry in his native Australia, the video draws attention to Hurley's flair for the dramatic and his love of adventure. In all, there are film and photographs from Hurley's multiple expeditions to Antarctica and New Guinea, the historic flight from London to Australia, World War I and II, and from his film The Jungle Woman. The footage is often beautiful and captivating, though occasionally the clips are longer than necessary to make the point. The narration is well done, but the added sounds of howling wind, creaking ships, and native music sometimes come across as generic and inauthentic. These are, however, relatively minor problems as the film is generally quite well put together.

This video program offers a biographical look at Hurley's life through his work, bringing new attention to a worthy subject. The video is appropriate for the general viewer, as well as students of history, film, or photography. It would be a good starting place for someone interested in learning more about Frank Hurley and his adventures. Recommended.