Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2156 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-06-02
• Rating: Exempt
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 8.5 minutes

DVD Description
This is the 10 episode 3 disc special edition of Long Way Down with additional episode and extras material. Following the phenomenal success of Long Way Round, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are back with a brand new adventure - this time riding the Long Way Down.

From the northern most point of Scotland at John O'Groats to the Southern Most tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas the intrepid pain undergo exhausting conditions, treacherous terrain and many emotional, moving and awe-inspiring moments on this incredible 15,000 mile journey. Taking in Western Europe and riding down through Africa Ewan & Charley will mix their love of motorbikes with a passion for meeting people and visiting places of natural beauty and cultural importance. This special edition includes an extra 2 hours episode material and 1 hour extras including "The Missing Face Documentary" - the story of Ewan and Charley's first trip to Africa.

Disc 1. Long Way Down Special Edition (Episodes 1 - 4)

Disc 2 Long Way Down Special Edition (Episodes 5 - 7 Plus extras including The Missing Face documentary -The story of Ewan and Charley's first trip to Africa)

Disc 3 Long Way Down Special Edition (Episodes 8 - 10 Plus extras including unseen and extended footage, trip gallery and interactive route map)

Special Features
This special edition includes an extra 2 hours episode material and 1 hour of additional extras including "The Missing Face Documentary" - the story of Ewan and Charley's first trip to Africa.

Synopsis
Following on from the sensational LONG WAY ROUND, travelling compadres Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set off an all new adventure, journeying 15,000 miles from Scotland's most northern point in John O'Groats to Cape Town, the most southern tip of the African continent.

Customer Reviews

Just like a follow-up movie
Long Way Down - Special Edition (3 Discs, 10 Episodes)

The trouble is to have expectations. After seeing the first trip of McGregor/Boorman (Long Way Round) I expected the same enthousiasmm, the same excitement of doing something unique. But, and perhaps inevitably so, I sensed somewhat of routine in this trip through Africa. Perhaps it was because of Boorman having crossed Africa before that I had this sense of 'been there done that' from time to time. Second thing I didn't like was the fact that McGregor's wife joined the two friends for a while. Even in the beginning I thought: 'oh no, why does she have to interfere?'
I mean, this was, just like the first time, a friends-thing, a men-between-each-other event, and so, to my taste, it should have stayed. Nevertheless, the trip was interesting enough to see and I didn't regret buying this 3 disc edition. So, motorfans and roadmovie-lovers like me, shouldn't hesitate to watch this Africa-trip: it's worthwile enough!

More poignant then LWR
I felt the need to write a review, for the first time, as this DVD in its original form got so badly panned by a lot of people. I have watched Long Way Round, the Dakar DVD and now this extended edition and this is the most gratifying one yet, in my opinion.

If LWR was like a show about chefs putting everything into preparing a big meal and then not being able to appreciate what they had created, then LWD was about throwing a big meal together quickly, leaving time to taste everything and finding some of it bad and a lot of it good.

In Long Way Round the whole experience was new for everyone and it was more a document about Charley, Ewan and the team vs. the World and the trip itself. The Dakar video got more interesting for me AFTER Charley's 'wee-off' and so with Long Way Down the interest for me was that they got the 'old-gang' back together (and we sort of know what Claudio, Russ and Dave are like by now) and started off with maybe some complacency but were soon and repeatedly brought up short by their own lack of planning, assumed but insufficient communication, and Africa itself. It became a good reality show because we know these guys now and were interested to see them up against the unexpected. So it came across to me as a more poignant journey because what unstuck the members of the team were just what might unstick any of us at any time - unrealistic planning, a mate bringing his wife to your bachelor party, discrimination (against the Americans), really ambiguous encounters(President of Rwanda ~ saviour or murderer?), bad weather and big animals.
I must also add my voice in support of Charley, as he does get slagged off a bit in some reviews. I salute the directors and the guys for having the bravery to let their warts show and in that sense Charley must be the bravest of the lot! I can't wait for 'By Any Means' this autumn.

Does exactly what it says on the tin
I came on amazon to buy long way down and i was excited about seeing it, i dont know why i read reviews on it before purchasing it but i decided to and i have to say, all the negative comments put me off a bit! I still bought it though and boy am i glad i did!

They have done the perfect thing with this sequal, they shortened the preparation and have made it only one episode so as to avoid series repetition and i really like how much they focused on the cultures they were visiting. Some of the stories they are told are incredible!

A bad point for me was the whole group dynamic at the beginning...it was a bit worrying how they didnt seem to be having as much lads fun as normal and it didnt surprise me that it erupted a few episodes later! After they handled that very well i must say it started to be exactly how i wanted it to!

As far as Ewans wife goes...it was quite interesting seeing her there as a different dimension and shes only there for 1 episode! not a big deal at all!

If you want a hardcore bikes on there own adventure story about people really mucking in dont get this DVD...if you want to see two guys having a laugh riding through some amazing places and showing great cultures and telling great stories...this is the series for you! no its not riding in its purest form...but at the end of the day WHO CARES!