Product Details

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Nat'l Geographic Vid
• VHS Release Date: April 7, 1998
• Run Time: 30 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0792233115
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,074 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This Amazing Planet video finds Captain Rip Rayon and his crew landing on Earth near an erupting volcano, and boy is it hot! As these intergalactic explorers tour volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Ocean, Caribbean, and Iceland, they encounter orifices that blast ash and noxious gasses and others that ooze lava. Orb, a computerized crew member, explains the differences between these two types of volcanoes and also describes the Earth's three layers. She dispels the common misconception that lava comes from Earth's core, explaining that it actually comes from just beneath the surface in the mantle. Orb also discusses the movement of plates beneath the Earth's surface, magma chambers, and the different types of lava, and describes the study of volcanoes and our attempts to predict eruptions.

Fantastic footage of real eruptions is broken up with comic interludes such as a rap-style report to Admiral Lump and a "Bubble Zipple" commercial that Orb uses to liken the bubbles in soda pop to the pressure building within a volcano. Orb asserts that 500 million people live near volcanoes, explaining that they reap the benefits of rich, fertile soil and often build power plants to convert volcanic heat into usable energy. This is an informative and entertaining video that's very appealing to kids. --Tami Horiuchi

Product Description

Flame-Broiled Adventure! Things heat up fast for a zany band of intergalactic adventurers on a red-hot tour of the earth's active volcanoes, Captain Rip Rayon and his crewman Squeege embark on a molecular transport mission that has them walking on 2,000F lava - yeow! They soon find out that there's more to volcanoes than scorched feet: You just can't outrun the fastest lava! Pillow lava is anything but soft! Why some 500 million earthlings live near volcanoes! All this hot stuff guarantees you a LAVA BLAST! - just one of the AMAZING PLANET adventures available from National Geographic Kids Video.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Educational and fun, January 15, 2002

By 

Jeffrey Fogg (Graham, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: National Geographic's Amazing Planet: Lava Blast [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I read the other reviewer's opinion and I admit to a blush and a chuckle. While I cannot argue with what was written in that review, my 4yo son dearly loves this video, and as a result enthusiastically tells friends and strangers all about subduction and lava volcanoes and about the layers of the earth from core to crust. Being sci-fi fans my husband and I also chuckle at the goofy in-jokes.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My kids love it, and they learn, January 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: National Geographic's Amazing Planet: Lava Blast [VHS] (VHS Tape)

... It is both educational and stupidly funny - that's why my kids (4 and 6) have watched it dozen's of times. My older son now has a great interest in volcanoes, and has checked out several books on the subject. And yes, the cheezy comedy keeps them entertained, without being vulger. Compared to what else kids are exposed to today, I'll take a couple of "snot" jokes...
MK

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Shame on National Geographic, August 13, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: National Geographic's Amazing Planet: Lava Blast [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I watched this video with my sons (aged 4 and 6). There is some great footage of volcanos, as one would expect, and I did learn some things about different kinds of volcanos that I didn't know. However, the dumb cast and story of them landing in an alien spaceship on volcanos leaves a lot to be desired. Typical of the rubbish remarks in this video are: "No, you pinhead.";"'No, it's not.' ' Snot?'"; "The volcano barfs its guts out." And it goes on and on. We have a collection of informative videos, which my boys enjoy every bit as much as this one, that don't use this sort of language. Do kids really need this kind of crudeness to get them interested in volcanos? I think not. In the future I shall borrow National Geographic titles from the library to preview them before buying.