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Teenage Drinking

Facts and Fiction
NOT- -AVAIL-ABL-E.
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Gr 7 Up—Focusing on binge drinking, this Australian-produced film discusses the reasons, effects, risks, responsibilities, and consequences of teenage drinking. Diverse teens are depicted in social situations such as parties where drinking is most common. A male narrator describes a youth culture that accepts drinking as "a means of enjoying a happy lifestyle," and points out similarities between his country, the UK, and the U.S., in terms of problematic drinking—regardless of differences in drinking age, legal limits, and punishments. An adult alcohol counselor covers the obvious reasons teens drink, such as wanting to be popular, and discusses harmful affects on the body and ancillary problems of binge drinking, such as sexually transmitted diseases and financial or job difficulties. A teen boy and a girl appear at intervals with snippets of their stories involving drinking to excess. The counselor reviews mains points and ends with an appeal to plan ahead, know your limits, put safety first, and "look out for your mates." An additional purchase for the health or guidance curriculum.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia Jr. Sr. High School, NY
In this beautiful, heartrending, yet horrifying film, North Koreans tell their stories of imprisonment, sexual slavery, torture, murder, and escape to China or South Korea during the nearly 50-year regime of Kim Il Sung (1912—94). The interviews are illustrated through the interspersion of dance sequences, archival news footage, and drawings. Particularly interesting are the North Korean propaganda films celebrating Kim Il Sung as God and showing in the face of mass starvation happy workers, elaborate military displays, and the creation of a new flower in 1988 in honor of the 46th birthday of Kim's son and successor, Kim Jong Il. A valuable time line traces 20th-century events in Korea. Bonus features include previously unreleased footage of camp refugees. This mesmerizing film displays excellent production values and is highly recommended for Asia collections.—Kitty Chen Dean, formerly with Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, NY
Reviewed by Kitty Chen Dean , Dec 01, 2010

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