Michael palin North Korea ch5
Discussion
Interesting couple of programs overall - I understand the behind the scenes pressures and reading between the lines to get an idea what’s really going on but why keep talking to them people like they are children?
Did MP really think that by continually repeating the same question to the minder in a more and more childish tone, that she would somehow be fooled into talking openly and freely?
They are paid minders - regime employees - they aren’t going to drop they’re guard just because an old English guy talks to them like they’re 5 whilst having a piece of cake by a river.
I’m not sure whether Palin really believed some of the stuff he was saying.
Did MP really think that by continually repeating the same question to the minder in a more and more childish tone, that she would somehow be fooled into talking openly and freely?
They are paid minders - regime employees - they aren’t going to drop they’re guard just because an old English guy talks to them like they’re 5 whilst having a piece of cake by a river.
I’m not sure whether Palin really believed some of the stuff he was saying.
Robertj21a said:
Yes, he's still very good at 75.
I'm not sure I'd say it was depressing, more illuminating..
What's illuminating about a country that oppresses your basic rights of free thinking? I'm not sure I'd say it was depressing, more illuminating..
Such indoctrination into the totalitarian regime. The field workers working by hand with equipment vastly outdated, a starving population, stepford wives type workers popping up in a empty airport.
Why anyone would want to go on holiday to a slave country is beyond me. It is depressing because yes people live in poverty, there are bad conditions throughout the world but at least they can think freely and make changes.
Edited by Thesprucegoose on Friday 28th September 10:38
Thesprucegoose said:
What's illuminating about a country that oppresses your basic rights of free thinking?
Such indoctrination into the totalitarian regime. The field workers working by hand with equipment vastly outdated, a starving population, stepford wives type workers popping up in a empty airport.
Why anyone would want to go on holiday to a slave country is beyond me. It is depressing because yes people live in poverty, there are bad conditions throughout the world but at least they can think freely and make changes.
Illuminating as in I'm always keen to learn more about such regimes. Clearly, MP was heavily controlled - but that doesn't stop my enjoyment of seeing the countryside, primitive farming methods, lack of traffic and the people themselves. I can still learn from such things, minders or not.Such indoctrination into the totalitarian regime. The field workers working by hand with equipment vastly outdated, a starving population, stepford wives type workers popping up in a empty airport.
Why anyone would want to go on holiday to a slave country is beyond me. It is depressing because yes people live in poverty, there are bad conditions throughout the world but at least they can think freely and make changes.
Edited by Thesprucegoose on Friday 28th September 10:38
Robertj21a said:
Yes, he's still very good at 75.
I'm not sure I'd say it was depressing, more illuminating. That female guide/minder was good and did well to try to explain how the people view their Great Leader etc. We might not agree at all but she appeared genuine in her beliefs - and no more brainwashed than many followers of well-known religions.
Finally remembered to see an episode. I'd view the verbatim repeat of her previous reply, and the slightly anxious look, as showing that she is repeating what she is expected to say. Contrast that scene with natural reactions and questions when viewing the fish slapping scene.I'm not sure I'd say it was depressing, more illuminating. That female guide/minder was good and did well to try to explain how the people view their Great Leader etc. We might not agree at all but she appeared genuine in her beliefs - and no more brainwashed than many followers of well-known religions.
I'd hope the out of the way location, fewer minders, and the questions were designed to show that even slightly off guard, there is no deviation from the DPRK script, and how oppressive the regime is, without getting the guide killed.
The bits at the airport, and flight, I think showed the utter lunacy at play. Empty terminal, pointless airport, with just the crew on the flight plus pretty females and military uniforms.
Even if the absolute monarchy didn't exist, I can't see why anyone would want to visit such a dreary peninsular. Maybe it is all the concrete after total devastation but when the F1 was in the South it looking grey, cold, misty and miserable.
Edited by 928 on Friday 28th September 11:55
I can’t remember where I saw it now, But there was footage of someone looking around a car dealers and you could see all other people looking round were actors or acting really strange. I’ll try to find it
Edit:
https://youtu.be/EqSODQMTvBU
Edit:
https://youtu.be/EqSODQMTvBU
Edited by djdest on Friday 28th September 19:46
928 said:
Robertj21a said:
I can't see why anyone would want to visit such a dreary peninsular. Maybe it is all the concrete after total devastation but when the F1 was in the South it looking grey, cold, misty and miserable.
On grey, cold, misty days most places look miserable. South Korea is great.
nicanary said:
The gift shop at the empty airport had a giant globe above it, and North Korea was colourfully outlined. I'm pretty sure South Korea had disappeared.
I think the globe showed a unified Korea. The north believe there is only one Korea, and that the south is occupied territory. In the film on location he only ever referred to it as the DPRK, only mentioning North Korea in the voiceovers. I thought them a very interesting pair of programmes. Quite fascinating. I'd be surprised if not all the conversations with the minders, and other North Koreans were not fully rehearsed beforehand, in relation to dialogue. I also got the impression, that the head honcho was a tallish slender man, only seen on camera a couple of times albeit briefly, once when boarding the plane and again at the birthday party.
The other thing I noticed, was the emphasis on the new Pyongyang street being built in a year, we didn't see inside the buidings, though, did we? I also shudder to think of the NK building standards, I could be wrong, but I'd certainly be wary of staying in one of the new high rises.
In all, well worth watching.
The other thing I noticed, was the emphasis on the new Pyongyang street being built in a year, we didn't see inside the buidings, though, did we? I also shudder to think of the NK building standards, I could be wrong, but I'd certainly be wary of staying in one of the new high rises.
In all, well worth watching.
SWTH said:
A friend and I were discussing this last night, and we both wondered why it was a Ch5 program given that most (all?) of Palin’s travel documentaries have been for the Beeb. Are the BBC persona non grata in the DPRK?
I read that Kim Jong-In likes to listen to Radio 1 online.Langweilig said:
SWTH said:
A friend and I were discussing this last night, and we both wondered why it was a Ch5 program given that most (all?) of Palin’s travel documentaries have been for the Beeb. Are the BBC persona non grata in the DPRK?
I read that Kim Jong-In likes to listen to Radio 1 online.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6105245/M...
Ratski83 said:
Langweilig said:
SWTH said:
A friend and I were discussing this last night, and we both wondered why it was a Ch5 program given that most (all?) of Palin’s travel documentaries have been for the Beeb. Are the BBC persona non grata in the DPRK?
I read that Kim Jong-In likes to listen to Radio 1 online.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6105245/M...
He's bang on the money there...pidsy said:
Interesting couple of programs overall - I understand the behind the scenes pressures and reading between the lines to get an idea what’s really going on but why keep talking to them people like they are children?
Did MP really think that by continually repeating the same question to the minder in a more and more childish tone, that she would somehow be fooled into talking openly and freely?
They are paid minders - regime employees - they aren’t going to drop they’re guard just because an old English guy talks to them like they’re 5 whilst having a piece of cake by a river.
I’m not sure whether Palin really believed some of the stuff he was saying.
My take is that Palin grew rather fond of her and if he could would love to whisk her away to meet his family and visit Britain.Did MP really think that by continually repeating the same question to the minder in a more and more childish tone, that she would somehow be fooled into talking openly and freely?
They are paid minders - regime employees - they aren’t going to drop they’re guard just because an old English guy talks to them like they’re 5 whilst having a piece of cake by a river.
I’m not sure whether Palin really believed some of the stuff he was saying.
Loved that clip of Python, showing how humour and laughter is universal. Was it not he who said if you can't laugh at fish slapping then you have no sense of humour at all?
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