Product: National Geographic - Africa [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 5.0
An extraordinary voyage
This series is absolutely stunning in many ways. First and foremost, the cinematography is breathtaking, from the verist handheld shots to the almost abstract compositions of aerial 90 degree and macro shots. Ron Fricke's Baraka has had a lot of influence on the documentary genre, and there are plenty of Baraka-type moments in here, with assorted new age-ish world music pastiches to support them.But show is not all there is. The script is beautifully written, with just the right balance between narration and interviews, and editing that lets the product breathe, and the viewer reflect. The agility with which the episodes branch out from the story of individuals to natural, historical, social and cultural references is impressive. And amazingly, you never loose touch with reality, since the documentary's transcendence lies upon the day-to-day lives and thoughts of its subjects.You also feel the respect the crews had for their subjects, and the making of bonus shows it well. Ethnological research ethics are respected, in a world where ethical rules towards the Other are too often pushed aside by the greed of producers and researchers.All in all an amazing document to be viewed over and over again. This is one boxset I highly recommend.