Arctic with Bruce Parry [DVD]

It's hard to capture the complexity of a place and a people in a short visit and then reduce that further into a 50 minute programme. For my money Bruce does an amazing job of connecting with people and often developing meaningful relationships with people in the communities he visits. For me watching Bruce meeting people and having fun, while highlighting important ecological and political issues (albeit in simplified form) is a great way to spend an hour.. Also such a great programme for children to learn something about other cultures that won't send them hunting for their Nintendo DS..

Bruce is just ace isn't he?!? what's not to love about this guy....this adventure is maybe not as interesting as the others have been for some viewers but he is just a joy to watch, getting stuck in to the daily grind whenever possible.

God knows I am a huge Bruce Parry fan, but what happened with 'Arctic'?

The format has changed slightly (even more so than 'Amazon') as Bruce travels around the Arctic circle visiting people whose lives are being affected by various ecological and societal pressures. Fair enough, and it makes a few valid points, but there seems to be a serious fly in the ointment with this production and, I truly hate to say this, it's a combination of Bruce himself and the almost twee travelogue he is lumped with. It could have been Michael Palin presenting this. It probably SHOULD have been Palin for the genteel, cosy view of the Arctic, its peoples and the various threats presented. Bruce looked as if he was having a great time. That's more or less all I got from the entire series. Five hours of Bruce having fun, a flimsy peek into the lives of others, the odd animal death, village custom and a lecture about the 'horrors of capitalism' and how big business, dependent on utilising land and natural resources, ruins landscape, lives and cultures. An arguement that becomes increasingly wobbly as the series progresses. 'Tribe' got me enthused enough to give a damn and get involved. 'Arctic' bored me.

Maybe I'm being a little harsh, but the Parry format simply cannot stay the same nor afford to become so utterly generic and middle of the road. And that's exactly what this series is. I finished 'Arctic' wondering where he could possibly go next with this sort of documentary. And I don't mean geographically.

Yet, there were glimmers: Bruce hunting for walrus with the boat being caught up in the rapidly closing ice; the strange, mystical nobility of the whale hunt - also smaller, more intimate moments - picking mushrooms with the old lady in the forest, visiting the various families and the affecting vodka-fuelled party in honour of the town elders.

Paradoxically, there was a moment where some of the eco-arguements went out of the window: 'Traditional' Reindeer herders using all manner of modern equipment (fuelled by evil oil companies, no less!) that made the term 'traditional' seem like a joke. Yes, maybe they were 'traditional' in the sense that I'm a 'traditional' Lancastrian, but to argue the preservation of their way of life whilst utilising such OTT conveniences (like an expensive helicopter) made the arguement seem like a bit of a joke.

And that's the major problem with 'Arctic.' At what point does something or somebody 'traditional' need 'saving' if they already move with the times? Well, almost all of the people presented here use modern applications in their lives (explosive whale harpoons, motor boats, generators, helicopters..etc, etc) does that make them any less traditional? And are they themselves responsible for the death-knell of their own culture - if not trampled upon by big business or greater society - by simply adapting to survive? The arument in 'Arctic' simply does not stand up to scrutiny. All we see is Bruce Parry having a laugh. And for something so allegedly serious - big fat frozen deal.

*UPDATE* 15/02/11

Where next for Bruce and Co? Okay, I throw down the gauntlet to the BBC - there is another 'tribe' on the very cusp of extinction. A small group living in Iraq, persecuted for their beliefs. They are the Mandaeans. Simple research will show that these people are subjected to all sorts of hideous crimes. They are now a persecuted minority in Iraq, many forced into a wandering, nomadic existence seeking refuge across the world. The fact is, very few countries will offer them help. It's very easy for me to sit here and say 'Arctic left me cold', so that's my suggestion.