Nankyoku monogatari

When I saw this movie I was really impressed and very very touched, I got a very deep thinking mood, in short words it is an outstanding film. If you liked The Bear or any wild life movie, you will like this one.

I like stories about the Everest, the South Pole, so this movie click on me, but it is not the usual gringo-adventure-survival, it has a very deep force. Vangelis take care of the music, I think it is a good therapy for anyone having a big challenge.

The struggle of the great conquers of ice, like the South Pole or big mountains, every thing is on this movie: friendship, union, faith. The fact that the main actors are the dogs may distract anyone.

I will recommend highly this movie. In fact, I want to got this movie, anyone has a clue where is it sold or download?

Whether striking a tone more uplifting or tragic, what all survival films have in common - to one degree or another - is being difficult to watch. The barren, beautiful frozen landscapes in this movie both pair and contrast with the fierce, extreme conditions everyone struggles through. Even before the plot meaningfully picks up as efforts go sideways, there's a level of cringe on hand with the experience depicted, and further difficulty in empathizing with the conditions forced on the animals - emphatically more strenuous than those endured by the humans. I can appreciate how 'Antarctica' enjoyed so much popularity and success, not least of all in Japan; the drama is compelling.

The first hour mostly focuses on the people on the continent, and only thereafter does the film become more about the dogs left behind. As it does, the viewing experience becomes notably more arduous, especially for animal lovers. It's heartbreaking enough even if incidents were merely simulated to portray the circumstances the sled team went through. Yet despite the director's assurances, the lack of particular endorsement from an animal safety group makes the production somewhat dubious. Still - much credit to those responsible for training the canines, because they had their work cut out for them. Scenes of the dogs living off the land are generally orchestrated well, and duly captivating.

All this having been said, 'Antarctica' isn't easy to engage with, even putting aside the gut-wrenching trials of the animals. After the first hour, while footage of the huskies on the ice is considered most highly, it's nonetheless interspersed with long moments in much-warmer Japan as members of the human expedition contend with memories and guilt of leaving their companions behind. As a result, the feature often seems less a cohesive whole and more a series of snapshots - further emphasized with narration that works alone to connect the disparate scenes in the absence of a concrete, flowing narrative. The general concept is quite good - it's a story worth telling - but the execution leaves much to be desired.

As the picture is unbalanced and unrefined broadly, its constituent elements likewise suffer. Composer Vangelis is rightly celebrated for his music, but fine as his score for 'Antarctica' may be, it still comes across as both lacking, and not entirely given its due. The drama and emotional investment we should feel is greatly diminished by sequencing that bounces back and forth inconsistently between Japan and the frozen south. I don't have specific cause to doubt director Koreyoshi Kurahara, and in general I think his camerawork and arrangement of scenes is quite suitable; he even captures some especially great shots. Yet the overall rough and inelegant craft of the picture gives me pause, and so it is too with other technical aspects of the production.

At length, I do think this is enjoyable, satisfying, and worth watching. It's also worth mentioning that compared to other features that tell the tale of animals surviving on their own, at no point does it become overwrought with sentiment. On the other hand, that lack of saccharine sensation is partly just because of how the movie is built as a whole. It's just unfortunate that what could have been a complete, riveting, entrancing spectacle of hardship and endurance is dampened by an uneven construction. Even so - bearing in mind the nature of the content, and this absolutely won't be for everyone - 'Antarctica' is worth checking out if you come across it.

I know many people only watch movies with lots of special effects or big-name stars, but -Antarctica- must not be overlooked. It's based on a true story; the setting is terrific; and the dogs play their "roles" just as well as the human actors. Kids can watch it without their parents worrying about the content (tho' I'll warn you, some of the dogs *do* die, which may upset youngsters); students interested in Japanese or simply "artsy" films can see it too...in short, anyone can watch it! (Except for the unfortunate few who prefer sex-violence-profanity...too bad for *them*.)

I must of been 10 or 11yrs old when I saw this movie.I cried so much, my parents couldn't console me. I have never been affected in such a way by an "animal movie." Nankyoku did an excellent job telling the story from the dog's perspective. You form an attachment to the dogs right away. The cinematography places you right in the heart of an icy wonderland. At first you think this is just some movie about 2 explorers/scientist doing some kind of research. Next thing you know, they're done and off they go and leave the dogs behind and it turns into a fight for survival. The score to this movie pulls at your heart strings and you can't help but "feel" the desolation and hopelessness. I really recommend this movie, but make sure you have tissue ready.

"Antarctica" is the story of the men and dogs of Japan's Antarctic research station in the 50's. Ushioda, Ochi and the rest of the team are forced to leave the dogs behind with Antarctic winter approaching, on the understanding that another team is to arrive in a few days. Once on board the ice breaker, they discover to their horror that due to the weather, no one will be able to make it back until the next spring. The dogs are left chained up to fend for themselves.

The story from there is a mixture of fact and conjecture, concerning what the few dogs who were able to escape their chains, did, and how two did survive until the next spring.

The fate of some of these dogs is very sad, and you may not want to watch this if you're a sensitive dog lover. But, the survival of the lucky ones is inspiring. The dogs are not portrayed as in a children's movie (overly cute) but are shown realistically, being kicked by their masters when they fight, and in one scene, savagely attacking a seal when desperate for food. (which, by the way, looks absolutely real - PETA would not be happy!!) The film goes back and forth between the dogs' plight in Antarctica and Ushioda & Ochi back in Japan, who are beside themselves with guilt and grief over the fate of the dogs.

I was so drawn in to this movie, that when Ushioda & Ochi return the following spring, and are scanning the station from the helicopter, that I found myself straining to see with them, looking hopefully for any sign of life.

Ultimately this is a story about man's relationship with dogs, and the unbreakable bond of love that exists between them.