Though much too straightforward and humorless for my tastes, Exploring Tropical Australia is a nicely shot and informative video expedition around Queensland with a group on a Biological Journeys tour (the 800 number is naturally shown at the close of the program). Highlights include a river trip on the Daintree; a close-up look at aboriginal cave paintings some 50,000 years old in Lakefield National Park; a stopover in Eungella National Park--where marsupials frolic and monitor lizards slither; and a scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef where moray eels, sharks, and sting rays glide by the camera lens. Those planning a trip down under will enjoy this preview of the sights and sounds that Western Australia has to offer.An amateur video program made by Tom Frankus, Thailand: An Exotic Paradise--though offering the personal touch absent in many bigger budget travel videos--shares most of the problems which plague do-it-yourself travel videos. Some of the more interesting sights include Bangkok's floating market, traditional Thai dancing, and gorgeously decorated pagodas. Unfortunately, scenes go on much too long; the freeze-frame and dissolve to next scene technique is overused to an extreme, the occasional narration comes across as an afterthought, and the lack of graphic maps leaves viewers uncertain as to where they are. The Real World of Thailand (reviewed in our December 1992 issue) is a better choice for the "personal" approach though it has its own problems.A Toast to Missouri: a Video Guide to Missouri Wine Country, hosted by Kansas City news anchor Dave Eckert, looks and sounds a lot like an "infomercial." Eckert visits wineries, shops, and tourist attractions in Hermann, Augusta, St. James, Rocheport, and Arrow Rock, offering a few historical tidbits and a lot of encouragement to come on down and check out all the wineries in the area. Not as relentlessly commercial as Napa Sonoma Wine Country Tour (reviewed in our July-August 1993 issue), a Toast to Missouri looks nice, and sounds nice, but offers no critical commentary whatsoever on the numerous establishments trotted out before the viewer's eye.Rock star Bryan Adams' sold-out January concert in Ho Chi Minh City suggests that relations between Vietnam and the U.S. have improved considerably (not to mention Clinton's recent dropping of the trade embargo). And Video Visits' Vietnam: Land of the Ascending Dragon--while never ignoring the tragic history that the two countries share--makes it clear that Vietnam is open for business with regards to Western tourism. Following a brief overview of Vietnam's geography, population, religion (overwhelmingly Buddhist, with a steadily rising Catholic sector), and war-torn history, the handsomely lensed production takes viewers on a tour of Ho Chi Minh City's (now called Saigon, again) American Museum commemorating the "American War," watches a fascinating demonstration of water puppetry, explores the impressive underground tunnel systems that saved many a Vietnamese native's life and proved to be the bane of American troops during the war, visits the book-oriented little restaurant "La Bibliotechque" (a name that causes problems with taxi drivers who invariably take their customers to the local library), and travels the Me-kong Delta by boat. Sidelights on fashion, food, and contemporary arts and crafts round out this fine armchair journey.Thailand: An Exotic Paradise is not a necessary purchase. a Toast to Missouri is a marginal purchase, Exploring Tropical Australia is recommended, and Vietnam: Land of the Ascending Dragon is highly recommended. (R. Pitman)
Exploring Tropical Australia; Thailand: an Exotic Paradise; A Toast to Missouri: A Video Guide to Wine Country; Vietnam: Land Of the Ascending Dragon
(1994) 58 min. $24.95. IVN. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 9, Issue 2
Exploring Tropical Australia; Thailand: an Exotic Paradise; A Toast to Missouri: A Video Guide to Wine Country; Vietnam: Land Of the Ascending Dragon
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.