"Billy's going to the edge of the world and he's taking us with him."

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #815 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-03-16
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 183 minutes

DVD Description
Billy's going to the edge of the world and he's taking us with him. In the summer of 2008 Billy Connolly set sail on a 10-week journey from ocean to ocean, from the Atlantic to the Pacific by way of the North West Passage. This legendary route deep within the Arctic Circle has thwarted explorers and fortune-hunters for centures and now you can experience Billy Connolly's adventure on DVD.

Synopsis
Comedian, actor and musician Billy Connolly braves the elements in this adventurous and dangerous journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, via the legendary Northwest Passage.

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Customer Reviews

Appreciation of Canadian Culture
This series is currently airing on ITV in the UK, and I am very impressed with it. Billy demonstrates a love of difference, considering 'quirky' to be beauty. It shows some of the diverse cultures, areas, climate and people that are part of that great country of Canada, which is stunningly beautiful.

Although I was interested in Stephen Fry's series on USA, I found it a bit 'sniffy' in places, and I thought a posh southerner is not always the best person to explore different cultures, be they British/Irish, or beyond. No problems with Billy, he's just so positive about meeting people, and he is a sensitive soul, really - it is touching to see him moved by the struggle of people to survive and preserve their culture.

Billy is his energetic self, but there is none of the explicit language that generally goes with the stage gigs. (I don't know if the DVD will prove different to the TV, but I wouldn't have thought so, as it is more of a documentary.)

If you like the commentary on the history and culture that Billy has offered in his other series, and are interested in Canada and the specific Northwest Passage trail he is on, then this will not disappoint.

Blu Ray
Fantastic serious. Billy does a wonderful job on a fantastic country and with true feelings. Can't wait to get my hands on the DVD.
Only neg! Transmitted in HD Why not give us a Blu Ray version??

Wasn't as fun as it looks in the DVD.
I was on the leg of Billy's journey that took him through the Northwest Passage aboard the RV Akademik Ioffe (via Quark Expeditions) from Resolute, Nunavut to Ulukhaktok, NWT (formerly Holman). Having Billy and his film crew onboard was not near as fun as you might think it would have been. Billy spent most of his time on the ship holed up in his cabin, appearing only to eat and shoot the occasional footage for the documentary. He didn't mix much with the other passengers (neither did the film crew for that matter). They had their own reserved table in the dining room and occasionally took over part of the ship's bar area for their own use. Billy and the film could have mixed a bit with the passengers and made for a more fun and memorable journey. Billy comes across in the DVD as very down to earth and approachable. During the trip he came across as aloof, mostly just bored and ready to be home.

It became fairly clear early on that assisting in filming this documentary was the primary focus of the Quark expedition staff. Opportunities for the other hundred or so passengers were missed so we could be in certain places at certain times for the film crew. We missed a chance to go down Prince Regent Inlet and through the Bellot Strait for this reason. There was ice in Prince Regent Inlet that we could have navigated if we hadn't had to race to meet the film crew's schedule. We also missed a chance to go through Simpson Strait (a big selling point of the expedition).

In addition, some of the events and days don't follow in chronological order and sometimes not in geographic order either. The book has way more errors in this regard than the DVD.

I noted in the book version of this DVD, Billy referred to the ship as a floating old folk's home. There were several elderly people onboard (mainly Canadians getting to see a part of their own country that is hard to get to and rarely visited) to be sure, but I found it engaging to talk to them. Most of them have had amazing lives and had great experiences to share.