'Into The Cold'
(Sebastian Copeland, Keith Heger / DVD / NR / 2013)
Overview: 'Into The Cold' is a gripping and intimate look at what it takes to reach the top of the world. It is a mix of high adventure, low temperatures and a poignant warning: given the effects of climate change, future arctic adventurers may not have a North Pole to explore.
DVD Verdict: For over 90 minutes Sebastian Copeland takes us step-by-step on a fascinating and dangerous trip to the North Pole. Two men, on skis, brave incredible odds to do what few people have done before.
The most important message to us all is the ecological one: and this is rightly and forcibly impressed upon us throughout the film. It's easy to sit back in an armchair in - for example - Glen Cove, New York, and decree that the film has "way too much talk about climate change"!! It's never "enough" to "drone on" about the appalling state of the earth that this generation is going to leave for the next ones! And how many people almost risk their lives to impress this upon us?
The film is beautifully shot and the narration takes us from the beginning germ of an idea in Copeland's head, to his meeting, much later on, with Keith Heger, his companion on the trek, and the many agonizing days and nights they risk in order to reach their goal.
I cannot urge you enough to see this film RIGHT NOW on DVD! Show it to your kids! Not for one minute does one get bored with the fascinating account of what goes on in Copeland's head as he endures an eerie silence day after day, only broken by the scrape of skis on brittle snow. It is truly a wonderful opportunity that Copeland has given to us to share in this exciting adventure: one that we were actually able to follow on a daily basis just over a year ago on his Facebook blog as the trek progressed. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.77:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.
www.intothecold.org