Michael Palin's latest voyage of discovery sees him venture into territory once forbidden - the new Europe previously shrouded behind the Iron Curtain.
Now that the Iron Curtain has lifted and the Cold War is over, Michael can enjoy a new freedom to roam unhindered across an unexplored swathe of his own continent.
From Estonia in the north to Turkey in the south, where Europe reaches out to Asia across the Bosphorus, Michael's journey takes him through twenty countries, some Central European, some Eastern European, some straddling continents, and all utterly compelling.
En route he encounters the White Brotherhood in Bulgaria and discovers new career possibilities on the catwalk in Budapest. He meets the Dracula Cult in Transylvania and strips off for blood-sucking leech therapy in Viinistu. In the former East Germany, Michael puts a Red Army tank through its paces and, in Poland, transports passengers on the 8:58 AM steam locomotive from Poznan to Wolsztyn.
Packed with wit, incident and insight, the seven episodes of Michael Palin's New Europe reveal a reunited, rich and diverse land as warm and welcoming as it is unknown.
I love the Michael Palin travel shows, and I was extremely excited that he decided to visit the post-Communist countries. My girlfriend is from Ukraine, and it was nice to get a small glimpse at Yalta and Crimea, a place she would often visit as a child. Eastern Europe is an interesting part of the world, and it's an area I don't know much about (except for Ukraine, of course). This 3 disc set includes all 7 episodes of New Europe:
Disc 1 (2:56:49)
War and Peace (58:50)
Eastern Delight (59:03)
Wild East (58:56)
Disc 2 (2:56:24)
Danube to Dneiper (59:00)
Baltic Summer (58:29)
From Pole to Pole (58:55)
Disc 3 (58:45)
Journey's End (58:45)
Video
New Europe, like nearly all the recent BBC releases, sports an Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer. I have few complaints about the video, except for the use of some archival and stock footage which isn't the same quality as the material shot for the series. The disc lack a "play all" feature, and there isn't a chapter set after the opening of the episode so you'll have to watch it, or fast forward.
Audio
The episodes include an English stereo track which does the show justice, but isn't outstanding due to the nature of the material. A pleasant surprise is the inclusion of Polish and Russian subtitles to go along with the standard English subtitles. I've been taking a few Russian classes, so it was fun to turn the subtitles on and recognize a few words.
Michael Palin Interview Parts 1 & 2 (25:53)
Michael Palin talks about the show, and his journey across Eastern Europe in this two-part interview spread across discs 1 and 2.
Deleted Scenes (2:20:46)
Wow, there are some significant deleted scenes on disc 3 - enough for two more episodes! I would have rather these scenes appeared on the same disc as the episode, and had the episodes spread out a little bit more.
Summary
I think I enjoy the Palin travels because he gets away from the tourist traps and talks with locals. We have a better understanding of the country because he speaks to people that have lived there for years, and we're able to see the country through their eyes. While he may not know everything there is about a country before he visits, he comes in with an open mind, and is ready for anything the locals toss at him.
I enjoyed this set, and was especially surprised by the deleted scenes, and would recommend it to others interested in Eastern Europe, or fans of Palin's other adventures.
