Sand, sand and more sand by Gord Lacey (All reviews)
5/04/2006
Michael Palin continues his series of epic journeys, this time crossing the Sahara - an environment as alien and hostile as any on earth.
As the immense journey unfolds, the Sahara exposes not just extremes of temperature and a vast emptiness of endless sand dunes, but a diverse range of landscapes, including lakes, waterfalls, crocodile-infested rivers and extraordinary mountain ranges. There are also a wide variety of cultures and a long record of civilization, trade, commerce and conquest stretching from the ancient monuments preserved like nowhere else on Earth; Michael visits the massive creations of the Pharaohs, the castles of the Carthaginians, the amphitheatres of the Romans and the battlegrounds of World War II.
There is no easy way to cross the Sahara, Michael encounters the same problems that have plagued travelers for centuries but with his customary wit and humor the journey is as enjoyable as ever.
The BBC began releasing Michael Palin's adventures with his latest series, Himalaya, and they've followed that up with Sahara, which was filmed in 2001, and broadcast in 2002. I foolishly thought that this would be a 4 part series of endless footage of Palin on a camel crossing the Sahara. Of course that's not what it is; Palin travels to various cities along the Sahara, though he does make a trek on a camel.
The video quality on this release is exactly what I expected; pretty good, but not without some flaws. The episodes are presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1), which isn't a surprise to anyone that's been following the BBC releases for the past few years. The episodes look great, though there are some scenes that contain some noise. The BBC doesn't like putting a chapter after the opening credits, which I find annoying, but they do include a "play all" option.
Audio
The release contains a fairly basic stereo audio track. My expectations of the audio on documentaries isn't set very high; there's no need for an elaborate soundtrack, just give me a clear narration and on-site audio and I'll be happy. The episodes are closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Video Diary (24:50)
Michael Palin recorded a number of video pieces for his diary. This is found on disc 1.
Deleted Scenes (30:30)
Various deleted scenes can be found on disc 2.
Interview (15:53)
Michael Palin answers some questions about his journey, and the series. This can be found on disc 2.
Trailers (8:29)
The usual BBC trailers can be found on disc 1.
Summary
I hope the BBC continues releasing Palin's adventures. If they are going backwards from the newest to the oldest then the 1997 series Full Circle with Michael Palin will be the next one released. That journey takes him through 18 countries in the Pacific Rim. I love these BBC documentaries, and if you're interested in the Sahara then this is worth a purchase, or a rental.
