Some impressive videos there! Some of those show the Zodiacal light, maybe that's what your friend captured too? I saw it from Paranal in 2008 it was very prominent like a cone extending up at an angle from the horizon.
BTW don't know where your friend took his pictures from but the night sky around Mt. Ruapehu in NZ is extremely dark, I remember being completely in awe one night after skiing. I've never seen it so dark anywhere, it was truly spectacular - yes even darker than at Paranal
