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Having
first stumbled across the UK version on cable TV not long ago, I must
admit that I was genuinely excited to hear that there was an Australian
version on the cards (at this point, I must admit, I'm something of a
"Family Tree" nut... there's one in every family!).
In the first
series (of what will hopefully be many more) we follow six well-known
Australians who play detective as they go in search of their family
history, revealing secrets from the past. Taking us to all corners of
Australia and the globe are six stories of individuals (including Jack
Thompson, Geoffrey Robertson, Ita Buttrose, Catherine Freeman, Kate
Ceberano and Dennis Cometti) seeking to find the definitive answer to
where they came from - and ultimately - who and why they are.
Along the way, secrets are uncovered (honestly, the early centuries were like Melrose Place)
and struggles overcome, but most of all, each person discovers that the
stories of individuals is inextricably linked to the story of the
nation - that their identity is part of Australiašs identity too.
There
are some really strong episodes here, the best being Thompson and
Robinson. However, my personal favourite (I am a family tree nut
remember) has to be the story of Dennis Commetti. The man of a thousand
voices (well, more like one really
deep voice) is possibly the most recognisable - yet most unfamiliar on
a personal level - of all the personalities on offer here. He's of
Italian heritage with his father leaving his mother at a young age -
the thing is - they never knew why. Commetti's trek to Italy is an
eye opener - eventually getting down to the truth.
There are a
few tears split, mostly from Ita Buttrose and Kate Cebrano who seem to
get upset about almost anything (mostly after finding out the
conditions under which their grandparents actually migrated to
Australia), and more than a few surprises (who knew Cathy Freeman's
grandfather was the first aboriginal soldier - and she even has a
little bit of Irish in her blood line).
A must watch for any
historian at heart, with such great depth on offer here - because as
Australians, we have one big tree to climb!
EXTRAS
Sadly
no extras, which is a real shame. A few more extended interviews might
have worked well - or even a visual diagram of each family tree.
Can't win them all I guess. A great DVD all the same. Conclusion:
Movie 90% Extras: N/A
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