The three day journey condenses into three hours. The TV film makes the most of the incredible Australian scenery along the entire Adelaide-Darwin route. Great use is made of drones from distant perspectives or close-ups. The ride is by no means cheap, thus 'The Ghan' is used by people of means. Stopovers along the way allow passengers to wander smaller towns (one with a population of 47) or the outback.
Interesting anecdotes are made now and then by amusing captions, as to the history of Oz, events concerning the marathon railway and construction. Two diesel engines haul 36 carriages carrying 295 passengers. It's roomy and luxurious inside, with something like 9 fare-payers per car. No train journey in Europe is ever like this. On the three day 3,000km journey mostly sitting it's a wonder that one carriage is not devoted solely as a gym letting people stretch their legs or work up an appetite.
Natural sounds provide a well thought out soundtrack. Best part of the made-for-TV documentary? The total absence of pointless intrusive tuneless music, a near absence of talking and no-one is shooting guns or mindlessly blowing up things! This film is for adults, not teenagers.
Rating: 10.
Interesting anecdotes are made now and then by amusing captions, as to the history of Oz, events concerning the marathon railway and construction. Two diesel engines haul 36 carriages carrying 295 passengers. It's roomy and luxurious inside, with something like 9 fare-payers per car. No train journey in Europe is ever like this. On the three day 3,000km journey mostly sitting it's a wonder that one carriage is not devoted solely as a gym letting people stretch their legs or work up an appetite.
Natural sounds provide a well thought out soundtrack. Best part of the made-for-TV documentary? The total absence of pointless intrusive tuneless music, a near absence of talking and no-one is shooting guns or mindlessly blowing up things! This film is for adults, not teenagers.
Rating: 10.
