"Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success." So read a sign posted by Sir Ernest Shackleton to recruit men for his expedition to the South Pole in 1914. His journey, deftly dramatized in A E’s Shackleton, is among the all-time great tales of human survival, a harrowing adventure that unfolds amid the harshest physical environment on earth. Academy Award nominee Kenneth Branagh shines as the doggedly determined Shackleton, evoking the charisma that led the explorer’s 27-man crew to believe they could somehow overcome the elements. When Shackleton’s ship, Endurance, became locked in ice just 85 miles from its destination, he led a crew of five on a 650-mile journey across a tempestuous sea, braving 100-foot waves and plummeting temperatures. Against all odds, he pledged not to lose a man -- a promise he ultimately kept, it would seem, miraculously. Filmed over five weeks in Greenland, Shackleton presents a vision of the bleak, uncharted Antarctic that is forbiddingly beautiful. In addition to VHS, the miniseries is available on a Collector’s Edition DVD that features more than three hours' worth of extra programming, including a behind-the-scenes featurette, the A E Biography of Ernest Shackleton, and the History Channel’s Antarctica: A Frozen History. For the history buff or the armchair explorer, this is an essential addition to the Shackleton legacy.