I don't know if anyone has flagged this up, but all 13 episodes of the old TV series presented by Kenneth Clark are currently available on BBC i-Player. Watched episode 1 last night. Wow. That's the way to produce a programme. Organ music too.......
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Civilisation indeed. I mentioned to a colleague yesterday that I was reading a book about the evolution of intelligence, to which his response was "does it say when that's going to happen?"Originally posted by ardcarp View Post -
This marked something of a milestone in our family. A friend of my mother had a colour TV and invited us round to watch the first programme. Not only did my mother accept and come(she loathed TV for the most part) but my father did too - he who never socialised, never went out even to see his daughters playing in concerts. As a consequence a colour set appeared in our home and we were able to watch the rest of the series.Comment
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Originally posted by Richard Barrett View Post
He was possibly thinking of Ghandi's famous answer when asked for his opinion about British civilisation: "It sounds like a good idea".Comment
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Our next doors got colour TV before we did. I remember my mother beckoning me into an upstairs window, and us enviously taking turns watching their telly* through binoculars!Originally posted by oddoneout View Post
*Just their telly, mind!Comment
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Thank you for mentioning that this classic series is on the I-Player.Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
I will be dipping in.
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This was a series where everything worked. Alan Tyrer was probably the best film editor the BBC ever had, and the sound was mixed by a top man, Alan Dykes. It was also shot on 35 mm film, which was unusual for the BBCOriginally posted by ardcarp View Post
I'm not sure whether the rather patrician style would be effective today, and of course the civilisation under discussion was entirely western. It will be interesting to see what the planned remake will be like. I gather that they are having a little difficulty in finding a new Kenneth Clarke.Comment
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probably one of the top five series ever made by the BBC. thanks for the thumbs up for this. Great music as well!Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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Probably just as effective...but a no-no to current BBC producers. They'll search for someone who looks and sounds cool. I'm sure such a person exists who is also civilised....if only they can find him/her.I'm not sure whether the rather patrician style would be effective todayComment
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...just so long as they don't go for the usual default options of Dan-Son-of-Snow and, and, and......
Clare BaldingComment
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I think it's going to be interactive:
"Then, in our spare time after solving the meaning of life and the future of the world, we’ll turn to civilisation. Well, Civilisations — inspired by Kenneth Clark’s seminal documentary series, but in many ways the opposite of the original. Rather than a single view of civilisation, we will have three presenters. Rather than looking at Western civilisation, we will look at many, and question the very concept of civilisation.
The BBC’s new Charter started on the 1st of January. So we also had a new year’s resolution — to reinvent public service broadcasting for a new generation. Some asked whether, with young audiences having so much more choice, the BBC would have to lower its standards to chase younger audiences.
But that’s to misunderstand what younger generations want. OFCOM surveyed them and found that they want the same things from broadcasting as their parents. We just have to achieve those goals differently. That means new types of programmes and new ways of distributing them.
Most of all, the new generation wants to be involved. So this series of programmes is also an experiment for what the BBC makes, how we work with other organisations and how we involve the audience.
This new Charter will last for 11 years, and will take the BBC to its centenary. The BBC that turns a hundred will have come a long way from its beginnings. It won’t be the Auntie that dispensed culture from on high. It will be much more of a thoughtful friend. Prodding us to keep our resolutions, helping us ask and find answers.
Just as any friendship, it will be mutual. With our audiences asking the questions, helping choose and curate, reflecting and taking part."It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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...average age?Comment
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An impressive trio of proper historians - and it seems hurrah no sign of Lucy Worsley, Neil Oliver or Dan SnowOriginally posted by french frank View PostComment
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