Product Details

• Format: Color, Widescreen
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Family Home Entertainment
• Run Time: 52 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B00094HUYG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,582 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

You don't need to have read Melville's masterpiece to enjoy this documentary from the Discovery Channel. As the title indicates, there really was truth behind the fiction. There may not have been an Ahab, but there was a Captain Pollard from Nantucket. In 1820, he took his crew on a whaling expedition that turned into one of the most famous maritime disasters of all time. It began when an 85-foot whale rammed the Essex and sunk it (an unusual occurrence, since sperm whales are generally peaceful). The crew collected what rations they could and split into three lifeboats. Two boats weren't rescued until after three months of starvation, madness--and cannibalism. The third was never found. The tale is recounted through reenactments, computer graphic imagery, and commentary from experts in the fields of biology, literature, and psychology. Although it's not officially tied to the book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, this program makes a terrific companion piece. Recommended for ages 10 and up due to some graphic descriptions of violence. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Depressing!, January 11, 2006

By 

Jeffery Mingo (Homewood, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Discovery Channel's - Moby Dick, the True Story (DVD)

The stories behind great literature are usually fascinating. This is pretty interesting. But if you don't like sad topics like being lost, death, and cannibalism, then this is not for you. Yes, this documentary speaks of human triumph, but it has heaps of human tragedy as well. If you liked "The Endurance" narrated by Liam Neeson or Tom Hanks' film where he's stranded on a desert island, then this work is for you. History buffs may also really appreciate this work. I guess those that liked "Perfect Storm" would too. Be prepared to learn the truth but have to witness a terribly sad subject matter.