Civilisation : Complete BBC Series (4 Disc Box Set) [DVD]

RRP: £51.99
Our Price: £20.96 (subject to change)

fantastic insight and subdued humour.
Review date: 2010-06-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

i first bought this item as a gift for my 10yr son, but rapidly realised the 60's static way of filming and the density of the matters evoked did not make it palatable for the kid. So i kept it for my myself and what a treat! Kenneth clarke is suppemely intelligent and knowledgeable and has this great witty way of abording matters. Some of the episodes are more obscure than others but on balance a fantatstic way to refresh one own view of the history of the western civilisation.

Reviews

A documentary series that entertains and teaches
Review date: 2010-04-14 Rating: 10 out of 10

Simply: one of the best documentary series ever made.

Kenneth Clark's assessment of what is Civilisation takes in architecture, art, music, religion, and Man's impact on the environment. It is a Western European view, but for Clarke, that is what has lasted well for almost 2000 years, and marks it out as a worthy Civilisation.

What is so great about this series is the photography, and where Clark takes the viewer. His journey is an odyssey around Europe, to all the great sites (another use of this series is as a travel guide... write down the many unusual places you would not otherwise visit) that support his thesis.

Perhaps the best thing is that Clark educates the viewer. Passive watching is a no-no... the viewer has to actively watch, and so nothing is dumbed-down, like in modern documentary making. There are no gimmicks here; the camera merely observes what the eye would otherwise see, and Clark's informative narration never misses a detail.

Repeat viewing is a must, and that's another sign of good film-making. I want to watch these whenever I have a lazy Sunday afternoon.

A fabulous DVD set, handsomely presented. A great gift, too.

As good as I remembered
Review date: 2010-03-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

Having watched the series as a youth I was delighted that it has withstood the test of time and is as relevent and enjoyable today as it was in my memory.

Excellent material
Review date: 2010-02-25 Rating: 10 out of 10

I found this series fascinating. The filming is masterly and Kenneth Clarke combines deep knowledge with personal charm.

Why The BBC Was Invented. A Grand Tour Leaving Us Wanting More.
Review date: 2010-02-22 Rating: 10 out of 10

From time to time you hear the name Civilisation dropped whenever the great days of TV are being discussed, so I felt it was about time I had a look at it myself.

Have you ever watched some soap opera or drama series where some twit yells "Don't lecture me!" when their interlocutor offers some well meaning advice? Well, here is the proof of how empty that usage of the word 'lecture' is.

In Civilisation: A Personal View, Lord Clark offers the viewer 13 lectures on civilisation as it is expressed through fine art, architecture, literature and music. Thousands go to university every year in the sincere hope of hearing some brilliant mind lecture in such a way as to warm, invigorate and inspire the listener to want to acquire further knowledge. In the late '60s the BBC was the kind of corp to invite just such a wise man to offer anyone and everyone a guided tour round the great churches, palaces, relics, ornaments and art works of western civilisation, all 'filmed' in glorious colour.

Nowadays, we get some celebrity, some egotistical familiar face for our history and culture shows. Watch this and you'll realise what a falling off there has been. Really, it is the kind of enterprise to return to again and again, because so much is packed into it. They wanted to commission a series about civilisation: they hired an expert to write and present it. So what if he's a lord and not some pleb with a regional accent. So what if he's a dapper gent with a richer command of the language than the kind of vain industry parasites we endure week on week in the new century. Fact is, he's obviously the real thing, obviously passionate about his subject, in possession of a vast knowledge which he communicates candidly, humbly and charismatically.

Have the good fortune to CHOOSE THIS opportunity for yourself. Nowadays they give the people what they want, so forget about civilisation, erudition, fascination. Instead, it's talent shows for the talentless and David Dimbleby wandering in the Brit Mus going "Wow, look a' that!"

We don't deserve Civilisation.

Product Details/Specifications

Actor(s):
Kenneth Clark
David Attenborough

Creators:
Kenneth Clark (Primary Contributor)
David Attenborough (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503160722
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2005-04-18
Aspect ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
Audience rating: Exempt
Region code: 2
Running time: 650 minutes
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)