THE GREAT WHITE SILENCE

Year: 1924
UK: BFI Films
Cast: Robert Falcon Scott, Herbert G Ponting
Director: Herbert G Ponting
Country: UK
UK: 106 mins
UK Certificate: U contains no material likely to offend or harm
UK Release Date: 20 May 2011 (Limited Re-release)

Synopsis

With a new score by Simon Fisher Turner featuring the composer, the Elysian Quartet, Sarah Scutt, David Coulter and Alexander L'Estrange.

The British Antarctic Expedition that was led by Captain Scott, set out on its ill-fated race to the South Pole in 1910. Joining Scott on board the Terra Nova was official photographer and cinematographer Herbert Ponting. For the next three years and throughout the duration of the expedition a century ago, the images that he captured have fired imaginations ever since.

Ponting filmed almost every aspect of the expedition from the scientific work, life in camp and the local wildlife, to the preparations for the assault on the Pole that puts into perspective the challenges faced by the expedition at that time.

Ponting used his footage in various forms over the years and in 1924 he re-edited it into this remarkable feature, complete with vivid tinting and toning.