Product Description Michael Palin: New Europe (DVD)Join Michael Palin on his new adventure, through a Europe reborn - countries to the east of the continent, full of unexpected and forgotten delights... Michael starts his journey high in the Julian Alps on the border between Slovenia and Italy, where the Iron Curtain once ran. Travelling through the Balkans, the Black Sea and the Baltic States, he explores countries which may be newly formed but have rich and deep histories. In Poland, unknown to the paying commuters, Michael drives the 8.58am steam locomotive from Poznan to Wolsztyn. He joins the gathering of the 'White Brotherhood' in Bulgaria, finds out how to wrestle a camel in Turkey and discovers, in Estonia, exactly what it takes to walk across hot coals. By road, rail, river, sailboat and donkey through some of Eastern Europe's most mouth-watering locations, from Albania in the south to Latvia in the north, Michael meets new Europe's movers and shakers.]]> .com With so much media and popular attention focused on the nations and cultures of Western Europe, it's easy to forget that much of Europe is relatively new to the western world: new to democracy, new nations with new governments, finding ways to create their new cultures and a sense of national identity in the aftermath of post-Soviet life. World traveler Michael Palin, having ventured all over the world, smartly chooses Eastern Europe as the destination for this BBC special, to see, now that the iron curtain has been pulled aside, what life there is really like. Like his previous adventures, such as Pole to Pole and Around the Rim, Palin's endless fascination and infectious sense of curiosity in the places he visits and people he meets, is what really makes the show tick. Whether he's exploring the remarkable Turkish community of Göreme, where rocks have been carved to form homes, or boating down a river in Romania to visit the ancestral home of Vlad the Impaler (the home of Bram Stoker's Count Dracula), Palin finds a way to keep the discoveries coming. Traveling through 20 countries as diverse as Turkey and Russia can be taxing, even on a well-traveled celebrity, but with his natural-born wit he keeps the program light enough to be entertaining (a few laughs help to leaven the sometimes dreary reality of certain locales), and succeeds in shining a new light into parts of the world long obscured by a shroud of darkness. --Daniel Vancini
T**S
Review of DVD
Another wonderful travel documentary for Michael Palin first aired on the BBC in 2007 Michael goes to new Europe the countries that were stuck under communist domination during the Cold War. Some of these countries of course including Russia itself broke into pieces creating new countries a Michael travel through most of them as usual Michaels wonderful when it comes through beautifully. But it's not all laughs Michael deals with serious subjects like the Balkan Wars that tore apart Eastern Europe in the 90s he goes to Bosnia and Serbia. Then he goes to Poland to visit the most infamous of the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz later on he talks to a victim of Nazi persecution who is sent to several different concentration camps and live to tell the tale. Michael handles these things with dignity and sincerity. It's a fascinating look at a new Europe. This is a 3 Disc set extra features include Parts 1 & 2 of an interview with Michael looking back 7 years later at the making of the program that can be found on the first two discs and on disc 3 is a whole series of deleted scenes but they didn't have time to get into the original broadcast I highly recommend this superb documentary
W**N
This Series is a Remarkable Document
I found this new series by Michael Palin to be remarkable.As has been mentioned, he investigates and travels through parts of Europe not necessarily familiar to all people as they have not always been accesible for one reason or another (generally speaking, communism).The fact of the matter is that many of these countries paid a remarkably high price to be the "free" Europe they are today.Many of these countries are very small and offered both Nazi Germany and then Stalinist Russia a great deal of resistance and suffered accordingly. Michael Palin does not shy away from these facts and this approach makes this quite different from his other travelogues.This particular series is imbued with a definite sense of melancholy and bittersweet feelings.Rather than the lack of energy some reviewers seem to sense, I feel that Michael Palin has shown a remarkable degree of maturity and intelligence in his approach to this series.This is a very good series and, I feel, a really good documentation of where these countries are today. The whole thing is approached with wit, wisdom, grace and respect.I've been to Estonia, Finland and Hungary and you cannot leave these countries without an enormous amount of respect for these people for what they have accomplished in so little time as well as the resistance they offered their oppressors.I am pretty certain I will be watching this series more than once and I do highly recommend it.
M**E
Slightly Disappointing
I loved Round the World, Full Circle and Pole to Pole. This series lacked the energy, humor and spark of those aforenamed shows. Palin is still emminently likeable and has a great eye for the off-beat and off the beaten track. But at the same time his age is showing and he just doesn't have the quick wit and ready sense of humor he once had in the earlier series. Not that I blame him. Travel is tiring, especially marathon traveling of the type he does.Regardless, "New Europe" was engaging and held my interest throughout. I questioned a little bit the choice to go to Turkey which was never an East Bloc nation--and also the least interesting part of his journey. And the series felt a little rushed at the end in eastern Germany. That said, I was very glad Palin included the former East Germany in his journey. Also interesting was his visit to a Stasi museum and Cauceascu's obscene palace in Bucharest.One other criticism is that Palin in looking for the off beat went for the purient just a tad, including a cross dressing performer and a burlesque show. Not attacking people for their lifestyle choices, it's just not what I'm looking for in this type of programming. Nor is it what I would consider indicative of the culture like so many other unusual people or places Palin often found in this series and his earlier ones. But it's a niggling complaint.Overall worth the price, though I have to say I'm not sure it would lend itself to multiple viewings like his earlier DVDs did.
H**K
DVDs Are Good
I was afraid I'd get the box, and the discs would be scratched to hell. But fortunately, that wasn't the case. As for the show, I really enjoyed it. If you're a fan of Michael Palin as an actor, or even if you're a fan of Monty Python, give this show a try. I watched it because, not only am I a Monty Python fan, I'm a fan of TV shows about travel. This miniseries did not disappoint.
M**S
More Interesting Than Old Europe
I like all of the Michael Palin travelogues, but this is my favorite. If you like any of the previous adventures then you will also like this one. Hitting a number of countries that he has never visited before, Palin takes us for a casual inside look off the beaten path of such wonderful destinations as Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Turkey, Romania and others. What I like best about these Palin travels is that it is not the obvious "tourist destinations" that he visits, and I think that this affords a more genuine view into what is truly interesting about the countries, cultures and people that he encounters along the way. You do start to feel as if you are really there with him. They are the sort of adventures - off the tour bus - I strive for when I travel abroad. Great fun. And nice to see these places while I am saving up to visit them myself.
S**N
Worth the money.
Im a Palin fan. I watched his Pole to Pole series and his Around the World in 80 Days, loved them. This one is also good.
A**S
Another great Michael Palin travel show
I've always been a big fan of Michael Palin. I missed this show when it was on BBC America so my husband was kind enough to get it for me for Christmas this year. In this series Michael Palin explores old Soviet Bloc countries including the former Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary and the Ukraine amongst others. He makes a great tour guide because he's genuinely interested in meeting the people and understanding the traditions in each country. It's also beautifully shot and the scenery is amazing. Made me want to visit these places myself. Even my 17 year old son who never watches TV enjoyed this show. If you're a fan of Palin's other travel shows, this is definitely worth watching.
E**N
Disappointing
This is possibly Michael Palin poorest set of travel films. There were many missed opportunities to show the cities or countryside in these episodes but we saw more of his own strange pecadillos! Taking off his clothes and indulging in massage treatments, bathing /swimming or his favourite subject - toilets. Disappointing!
D**0
Palin in a relaxed mode
This is Palin on the road in a more relaxed mode; not the stunt travel of Around the World and Pole to Pole, which undoubtedly pushed our peripatetic narrator to his limits. This is a leisurely amble through eastern Europe and parts of the old Soviet Union. Meeting interesting people, learning about the cultures, seeing the sights, occasionally doing silly Palinesque things. What's sad about it is how terribly dated Palin's questions about the New Europe's glowing future now sound--with the Eurozone disintegrating before our eyes. Still, it's an entertaining travelogue that Palin's fans will not want to miss.
H**Y
interesting , but glad i didnt have to go there
the people just seem so arrogant & exuding pride and have this Slavic 'superiority thing" going, I have been to eastern Europe and Russia and found out that many are very rude also in reality and glad I am done traveling in those regions, western Europe would have been nice to see too, I wish he had included as much in those countries as eastern ones.
M**.
New Europe with Michael Palin.
A very interesting trip around New Europe with Michael.Some of the countries he visited were Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Turkey, Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic and Germany.A great way to do some armchair travelling.
W**S
Great
Reminds me of my time in Bosnia in 1995