NOVA - In the Path of a Killer Volcano

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Starring: Hal Holbrook
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Directed By: Noel Buckner; Rob Whittlesey
Studio: WGBH Boston
Release Date: 2006-03-28
The Philippines' Mount Pinatubo is about to blow big. Is there enough time to evacuate the hundreds of thousands in its raging path? Stay with the scientists who remain behind- and see some astonishing footage of the world's largest volcanic eruption in 80 years. Local tribespeople were the first to see the signs. "There was a flash of light from the sky," said one. "I thought it was my time to die." The Philippines' Mount Pinatubo was acting restless- and the volcanologists at Clark Air Force Base were starting to sweat. An angry mountain is highly unpredictable. If they misread its fits and starts, a violent explosion could send pyroclastic flow- hot, dense avalanches- roaring down its sides at 100 miles per hour, burning everyone and everything in its path. But if they ordered an evacuation and nothing happened, these experts could lose their credibility for good. With a typhoon headed in their direction, the stakes are even higher. Torrential rains turn ash and rock into hot mud flows that can bury a town in minutes. Is it time to issue a Level 4 alert- ordering hundreds of thousands to flee their homes? Stay with the courageous scientists who remain behind- and see some astonishing footage as the world's biggest eruption in 80 years really starts to blow.

WHY?
I had this DVD on video tape and my player ate it so I had to discard it, so I purchased the DVD and watch the whole thing and what do I find?, curse words bleeped out.............ARE YOU KIDDING ME?, this is a DVD about a Volcanic eruption of one of the most violent volcanos since Mt. St. Helens and they edit the swearing?.......I know it's a trivial thing and I shouldn't complain but really now, if they are gonna do that, they should sell two versions like they do for CD's.....I mean the cussing in this Documentary isn't all that bad to begin with, it probably cost more to bleep them out than it did to just put it on DVD in the first place.

Now that I'm done whining, aside from this minor glich, this documentary covers the 1991 Eruption of Mt Pinatubo in the Phillapines(sp), it is very interesting and definitely in my DVD library of volcano DVD's.

It does not disappoint. Hal Holbrook does a fine Narration.

Killer...
Used in class to illustrate the power of volcanoes and the uncertainty associated with predictions. The video is good - but a bit too long and over done in the dramatics.

Great, but please--we're adults!
I used to use this in VHS format (my own taping, not the PBS product) for my university-level geology students. It's a wonderful tool--informative, exciting, and visually grand. However, I was disturbed to note that the DVD version contains very clear--and silly--drops of words such as "hell" and "damn" from the geologists' interview clips. This really rather mild language adds color to the accounts, and its deletion is so obvious as to be insulting. How tender do those at NOVA think our ears are, anyway? And have they been to any movies lately--or watched any commercial TV?

I WAS THERE!!
I was one of the 20,000 American's evacuated from Subic Bay Philippines when Mt. Pinatubo erupted. I have the VHS version -- it is spot on.

In the Path of a Killer Volcano
I am a teacher of Earth and Environmental Science and have the VHS version of this fabulous documentary. It excels at highlighting the science of volcanology as well as the real world decisions that the seismologists/volcanologists from the U.S. Geologists had to deal with. It profiles a few scientists who quickly became my heroes after watching this including John Ewert, Rick Hoblitt, and Dave Harlow (among others). I will be purchasing the DVD version of this when it is released. It is a must have if you want to impress upon your students 1) how truly awesome volcanoes are and 2) how important scientific research is in helping to save lives. The DVD version of this should be fantastic. I think that you'll find that it is a real nail biter!