Vietnam: The Long Road Home

I had the dubious honor of being in Vietnam in 1969--the same year that filmmaker Ken Williamson recorded his impressions of that troubled country. Williamson presents a view of Vietnam during the height of the war, but without showing more than a fleeting glance of anything remotely connected with the war. There are no scenes of battle-scarred jungles, no landscapes pock-marked by bombs, no reviews of troops. Instead, the viewer is treated to a picture of South Vietnam as the beautiful country it truly is. This is a picture postcard of somewhere most people would like to visit (except for the fact that it was in the middle of a war zone). I was able to see South Vietnam through non-combatant eyes and saw many of the sights photographed by Williamson. To me, South Vietnam was a natural paradise caught in the midst of an unnatural war, and I am glad that someone else was able to see this land in the same way. The attractive price of this video, plus its unusual insights into a country usually associa­ted with death and destruction, make this a suitable purchase for just about any public library. Recommended. Aud: P. (J. Carlson)