CuriosityStream Debuts Worldwide 4K Documentary Film Pearl Harbor: Into The Arizona

In Pearl Harbor: Into The Arizona, the incredible, yet sobering views — a well-preserved officer's dress uniform still hanging in his quarters, the contents of a bathroom cabinet seemingly undisturbed, as if frozen in time since December 7, 1941, and more — were made possible by the world's first self-spooling submersible ROV, dubbed "The 11^th Hour," equipped with 4K and 3D image capture and recording technology.

CuriosityStream partnered with the National Park Service (NPS) Submerged Resources Center and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) to expand the discovery and preservation mission at the USS Arizona memorial site by aiding in the capture and distribution of the first images of the lower decks of the sunken battleship.

Since the NPS forbids non-official diving at the site and penetration of the ship's hull, no human has ever seen inside the USS Arizona below her second deck.  Previous ROV technology had been limited by the required tether — a cable that provides power, image transmission and connectivity with surface operations — which would easily become tangled while navigating the tight spaces and unexpected features of the heavily damaged ship.  Additionally, low light conditions made capturing high quality images a challenge.

With support from CuriosityStream, the development of 11^th Hour's self-spooling tether allows the ROV to go deeper, move more freely and become more easily retrieved, without the risk of entanglement or disturbance at the sacred memorial site.  The addition of 4K and 3D imaging technology allowed researchers to not only capture stunning images but also gain insight into the structural integrity, biological ecosystem and cultural artifacts that remain.

Pearl Harbor: Into the Arizona expands on CuriosityStream's exclusive original series Underwater Wonders of the National Parks, featuring two episodes filmed at the USS Arizona and WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument.  The prototype ROV used in the first series, funded by CuriosityStream, paved the way for development of the 11^th Hour, which the SVOD service hopes will open the door for future exploration and discovery at many other previously unreachable underwater locations.  

"It's been such a privilege to be involved in this project—from the ROV development and deployment to capturing and sharing these incredible images," said CuriosityStream producer Jorge Franzini.  "With only a handful of USS Arizona survivors still living today, and so few others who were alive when the attacks took place, we have an obligation to preserve and record these lessons of history for future generations.  It's an honor to have witnessed these images firsthand and to share them with the world, and I think we've only penetrated the surface of what this technology is capable of.  It's exciting to think of where the 11^th Hour might explore next."

Pearl Harbor: Into the Arizona and Underwater Wonders of the National Parks are available to watch exclusively ad-free and worldwide on all major streaming-enabled devices on CuriosityStream.

About CuriosityStream
CuriosityStream, an independent media venture from the founder of the Discovery Channel, is the world's first ad-free, on-demand streaming service for quality documentary and nonfiction programming.  Over 1,500 titles from the world's top factual filmmakers are available to watch on all major streaming devices -- including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Android and iOS -- starting at just $2.99 per month.  Focused on offering enriching and enlightening films in science, technology, history and nature, CuriosityStream enables lifelong curious minds to dive deep into documentaries.  For more information, visit www.curiositystream.com.  Follow CuriosityStream on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CuriosityStream.

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SOURCE CuriosityStream

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