I?m hardly a devotee of this ABC series, but I had seen a couple of episodes here and there when I?d heard about an upcoming story that I really wanted to watch. I have to say that the ABC offer some really interesting documentaries and regular series that crap on anything ?mainstream? TV has on offer. This is another of those series that takes a simple idea and ?runs? with it ? and does it well. These are basically ? hour segments that feature a collection of Australians (not necessarily well-known, but always interesting) whose lives are offered up to the viewer. I?m sure that those who are not a household name (as opposed to Hazel Hawke, who clearly IS) have likely made the news at one time or another, just not the front page! And we?re not talking a ?Today Tonight? level of schlock-journalism, it?s more your ?The Age? ?Good Weekend? section transferred to the screen. This series easily raises the bar of ?mainstream? (read: channels 7, 9 and 10) journalistic integrity, and, having watched and enjoyed the five ?celebrities? as featured in this DVD sampler, it?s a welcome relief! I?ll try and keep a closer eye on this program from now on, as it really is GOOD!

Overall, I found the stories as told to be really emotionally powerful, and ?borne of adversity?, as Alan Jones succinctly noted in the episode featuring one of these 5 personalities, Peter Brocklehurst. This idea is what I think characterizes the impact of these five examples, and likely the entire series. Each has an inherent ?sadness? (according to me) that made me engage with the struggle of the human endeavour in general. Everyone who watches this DVD (and, indeed, the series as a whole) should be able to emotionally relate to these stories on one level or another. The various strengths and weaknesses of each character seem to spill out into your lounge room (or wherever you choose to watch this DVD!), and make you appreciate the complexity of humanity. Sounds arty-farty, but I definitely experienced a buzz whilst reviewing this selection of episodes, and ended up watching them all in one sitting. I definitely established an initial ?pecking order? in terms of how ?interesting? I thought each episode would be to me (based on the brief blurb on the back of the DVD) but quickly discovered that each of the episodes really sucked me in once I hit the play button. They?re each different on the surface, but can be scaled back to ?basics?, and those basics are the power of the individual to face their demons and ?get on with it?, in that so-called ?Aussie? way. I?m more inclined to call it ?universal?, but there?s no denying that this is the Australian contribution to the spirit of ?universal?. I?m clearly a softie, so I shed tears on more than one occasion whilst watching this DVD.

I guess this DVD has been produced to hopefully ?whet the appetite? of potential recruits to the series, or perhaps even in response to a demand by current viewers of the show, but either way, it?s great.

Quickly, a synopsis of each episode follows:

?The Big ?A?? ? Hazel Hawke

Hazel Hawke?s personal experience of Alzheimer?s Disease, including interviews with her family, and many snippets from Bob Hawke?s political career, and the ultimate dissolution of their marriage. Having ?been there? before with a relative, the tragedy of this disease as implied in this episode really got to me.

?A Man For All Seasons? ? Wayne Bennett

I had low expectations of interest in this one. Enigmatic coach of the Brisbane Bronco?s, this guy has really come a long way considering his humble beginnings as the product of a dysfunctional family, and having faced further setbacks with the health of his own children. As a sport-illiterate person, I?d never heard of him before, but I came away with a great deal of admiration for what he?s achieved. He?s definitely a quiet, loyal kinda guy, and he actually reminded me of my father in both look and attitude which, in turn, made me sad, so I think I shed a tear or two in this episode too!

?Boots And All? ? Peter Brocklehurst

Another episode I thought would be boring, but wasn?t. A humble shoe-repairer turns classical singer (late in life) in a really interesting little story. Again, humble beginnings, but this ?very aussie? bloke gets seriously noticed as possibly one of the greatest tenor voices that Australia has ever produced, performing at some ?high-brow? events, including Alan Jones? birthday party in Sydney. Who would?ve thunk it?

?About A Boy? ? Dan Halloran

This was a definite tear-jerker for me. This mature, sensitive teenager ends up writing a book for kids coping with mental illness after years of personal experience with his schizophrenic mother, who later dies from cancer. It?s a double dose of ?the sads?, but is really inspiring, as the human spirit triumphs yet again.

?On The Mountain? ? Victoria Friend

Another ?saddie?! Light plane crash, two injured survivors lie in the middle of dense bushland until they are found days later. Only Victoria makes it out alive. Survivor guilt is big on the agenda. This is an intensely pointed study in what goes on in the mind of someone who has experienced tragedy and finds ?acceptance? a really bitter pill to swallow. I came away with mixed feelings about this heroine, as she certainly survived rather miraculously in a physical sense (albeit with the accompanying physical scars), yet the emotional aftermath paints a very different picture, although some subtlety is required to notice her (destructive) tendency towards self-pity. Regardless, where else are you going to see this level of intensity in journalism on TV?!

THE EXTRAS

No extras at all, apart from episode selection.

CONCLUSION

Although most of the scenarios in this 5-episode selection (taken from the ABC?s ?Australian Story? series) are sad enough to bring tears to the eyes of sensitive souls like me, this DVD offers a 140-minute study in all the great things about human nature, as stacked against all the cruddy things about human nature. Five ? hour mini-documentaries featuring Australians (both known and unknown) who have ?grasped the baton in the relay of life? and run with it to the best of their ability are here displayed, and the quality of journalism must be applauded when compared to the likes of mainstream slop like ?Today Tonight?. Note my whinge of no extras or subtitles. Bummer if you can?t understand English, as these stories of courage and emotion are ultimately part of the universal human experience, not just an Australian Story. Great (and simple) concepts like this deserve a broader audience, so the lack of subtitling lets this DVD down as a result. Overall though, it?s great, especially if you?re a documentary person.