Heart of Antarctica, Vol. 2: The End of the Earth and Beyond

"One of the reasons we've come to Antarctica is to hunt for meteorites." Without further ado (including explaining who "we" are or the other reasons for the trip; presumably explained in Vol. 1, though the tapes are sold separately), this tape begins. A merry group of "scientists, adventurers and mountaineers" sets out to look for meteorites via snowmobile and sled to the accompaniment of '60s California beach music. Then, as the mugging and waving for the cameras begins, it sinks in: this is yet another documentary-of-our-vacation posing as an instructional video. During many happy years of reviewing for Video Librarian, I have seen numerous such efforts, generally trying to pose as travel videos. This tries to pass itself off as a science tape, but despite its inclusion of some sophisticated NASA graphics (paid for by the taxpayers, of course) and a few soundbites with Genuine Scientists who gamely take the silly holiday-makers in stride, the video can't help but reveal what it is. The "suspenseful"(according to the publicity copy) meteorite hunt comes up with nothing, but Our Group sure had fun whooping across the snow and ice. Our host marvels about (possibly) being the only human to ever stand in a particular spot (having been transported there by plane), we hear about how the fuel costs $200 a gallon for the six-hour flight to the South Pole, and a tourist takes a flash picture which sets off the fire alarms inside the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station--oops, sorry! You don't have any REAL research going on here, do you? And then the predictable sight gags about "running around the world" at the South Pole marker and the member of Our Group who does a headstand there which makes the cover art on the video box. Captain Scott and his explorers died for Antarctic tourism? Not recommended. (R. Reagan)