Scotland: The Grand Tour; Scotland's Lighthouses

Scotland appears to be as appetizing as a plate of day-old haggis in Scotland: The Grand Tour, a washed out looking production in which everything sports a bilious green/yellow tinge. And that's unfortunate, since there is a lot to admire in Scotland and this program covers much of this diverse land, including visits to Edinburgh, Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Loch Ness, Glasgow and more. However, while often interesting, the information is sometimes maddeningly incomplete (the section on the Highland Games, for example, is short on the explanation of why these kilted behemoths are tossing telephone-pole sized logs into the air), narrator John Shedden's Scottish accent is suspicious (to say the least), and the steady background music of wailing bagpipes reminds one and all that this is one of the most unmusical musical instruments ever created. A mediocre look at a country that deserves better, this is not a necessary purchase. Aud: P.Where Scotland: The Grand Tour is a bland, nondescript tourist tape that makes Scotland seem as exciting as touring the stockyards of Amarillo, Texas, Scotland's Lighthouses has all the elements needed to bring this enchanting land to life...and even though it concentrates on lighthouses, viewers will be wanting to book their next vacation for the heather on the hills of bonnie Scotland. Sporting a rugged coastline, many reefs, scattered islands, and tempestuous weather, Scotland has always been a dangerous destination for voyaging vessels, making lighthouses a necessity. Today, the lighthouses are mechanically operated, but many have been purchased by individuals who have turned them into enticing bed & breakfasts (there's even one run by a group of Buddhists). Lighthouses have always held a special place in the hearts of many people, and Scotland has always had a mystical, Brigadoon-like quality to it. Both of these elements are masterfully combined in this colorful, musical, and thoroughly authentic video visit to 36 lighthouses. Sure to be popular, additionally so given Bella Bathurst's recent book The Lighthouse Stevensons: The Extraordinary Story of the Building of the Scottish Lighthouses by the Ancestors of Robert Louis Stevenson, this is highly recommended. Aud: P. (J. Carlson)