[12x08] December 28th, 2008 [Vietnam Special]

[12x08] December 28th, 2008 [Vietnam Special]

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When they received that bundle of money, I thought one of the presenters was going to say "I love the smell of Dong in the morning". :p

I laughed when James says "me Dong's going to be all soggy, isn't it?" :D

All sorts of jokes you can make with the Vietnam Dong :p


Absolutely brilliant episode, too bad The Stig's communist cousin didn't showed up.
 
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I gave it a nine. I really enjoyed it. The scenery was amazing and that they were not either in rattle-trap or exotic cars I feel allowed us to enjoy the scenery because the camera crews could focus on the scenery and not the cars. I also think the three seemed to "come together" much stronger then they normally do in a "challenge" where JC focuses on winning, JM focuses on the technical aspects necessary to maximize his performance and RH just tends to be the color commentary.

As specials go, I do think the Polar Special (where they went to the magnetic north pole) was likely the best because JC and JM at least gave the appearance of "bonding" a bit, but Vietnam by far had the best visuals.
 
10/10 Just because it was a great Ep, first thing I did after watching it 5 times was to check with the state department and CIA Factbook about Vietnam. So next year I am going I hope :)



janstett said:
Probably already been answered, but Francis Ford Coppola, most famous for the Godfather films, but in this case for Apocalypse Now.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078788/

Great movie, essentially "Heart of Darkness" set in Vietnam. That's where "the Horror, the Horror" comes from. Charlie Sheen's naiive special forces character goes into the inner jungles to bring back a crazed rogue Colonoel played by Marlon Brando. Also has brief appereances from Harrison Ford and a young and undiscovered Lawerence Fishburne.
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Just to be a nitpicker, not Charlie Sheen, it was his father Martin Sheen in the role. :p
 
Now we know where the budget for the next season went. Into the licensing of all that music.
 
JScullin said:
Now we know where the budget for the next season went. Into the licensing of all that music.
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*laughs*

But as the question how they afford the rights might have popped up in other user's minds, i'll reply to this in a straight way, too:
Actually, nope. The BBC has some kind of package deal with all major labels so they can use almost any music they want in any programme produced by or for the BBC - but only on BBC UK. That's why the BBC World version of TG uses other music.
 
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Dr_Grip said:
*laughs*

But as the question how they afford the rights might have popped up in other user's minds, i'll reply to this in a straight way, too:
Actually, nope. The BBC has some kind of package deal with all major labels so they can use almost any music they want in any programme produced by or for the BBC - but only on BBC UK. That's why the BBC World version of TG uses other music.
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I think that package deal means they can "quote" the music in first-run broadcast only -- in subsequent releases (and I think this includes the DVDs) they have to either pay royalties or use other, royalty-free music.
 
TopGearNorthAmerica said:
I think that package deal means they can "quote" the music in first-run broadcast only -- in subsequent releases (and I think this includes the DVDs) they have to either pay royalties or use other, royalty-free music.
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AFAIK it's not about first-run or not. It's about BBC UK broadcast vs. anything else, including, of course, DVD releases. Would be nice to know if the reruns on Dave have the same music as the broadcasts on BBC2...
 
iam-nobody said:
Dave has different music.
The other week was watching the fox hunting one and it was not as good with the different music.
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Thx. ;) Makes sense, cause as i just looked up, Dave is operated by BBC Worldwide and not BBC UK.
(sorry for posting that much, the approaching deadline for my Master's thesis makes procrastination even more important...)
 
Does anyone know if Hammond's pictures are posted anywhere? I bet they are awesome! (I have frame-by-framed the video and believe the camera to be a 450D due to the large screen, smaller body, and lack of an external information display)
 
I loved this episode. I always get really excited when a losing car (or in this case bike) is at risk for whoever lose's. The best part was when the hamsters bike was painted pink by the chef. Only bad thing was that no-one broke down and had to been "born in the U.S.A" they might of been killed but it would of been great tv.
 
I was actually in Saigon when I saw it and had already rented a motorbike. What they said about riding in Saigon was exactly right - you have to be insane to ride there (thankfully I am). I also enjoyed the scenery and their observations about Vietnam. The best Top Gear ever.

10/10
 
10/10

It's my favourite episode so far! Loved to see Vietnam like that, the chaos in the city and the absolute gorgeous landscape outside of the city. The finishpoint on the water must've been one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. This is the Top Gear Trio at their very best: Just three genuine blokes cocking about and making fun of eachother. This episode sums up all the reasons why I love this show so much. It's epic.
 
I wonder who rode that "born in the usa"-bike all the way north with them. Must have been one embarassed bloke.
 
Could it have been Wilman, maybe? He did make the trek over there.
 
And it's also on in Holland and Belgium tonight. Yay! Can't wait to see it again.
 
shellygrrl said:
Could it have been Wilman, maybe? He did make the trek over there.
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I guess "stored away in the back of the camera truck" is how it made the trip, just put into the scene whenever needed.
("Needed" for normal people means: Whenever a presenter's bike broke down. "Needed" for the paranoid sceptic means: Whenever the script called for it.)
 
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