Customer Reviews

Civilisation Box Set [VHS]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

There have been many fine video lecture series by prominent cultural figures, from Joseph Campbell to Robert Hughes, but for me, the finest is still the first, Kenneth Clark's landmark, "Civilization, A Personal View". The sub-title is important, for Clark's survey of western civilization through its art and architecture is certainly opinionated. And this gives the series a wonderful intimacy that previous televised surveys never approached.

Not only is there a wealth of information and insight in this beautiful production, but there is Kenneth Clark himself. A scholar of culture and art, admirer of Ruskin and student of Bernard Berenson, Clark was director of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and the National Galley in London. This man is one of the great teachers of the 20th century.

"Civilization, a Personal View" has been criticised by some art critics being a bit "facile". I disagree. Clark's argumentation is always reasoned and never arbitrary. It certainly is facile for pop commentators to repeat the old tourist-pleasing but phony assertion that Michelangelo designed and built St. Peter's dome. But it is Clark who points out that St. Peter's dome is the work of Giacomo della Porta, not Michelangelo. Is it facile for Clark to confess that when he was young he scorned Frans Hals out of snobbery, but later, "as i grew older," began to appreciate Hals's "convivial" figures? Facile indeed. Everything Clark says carries weight.

Aside from questions about Clark's personal views, it cannot be denied that he delivers them in such a lucid, congenial and engaging manner, that only the pedantic and churlish could fail to be delighted with a dapper, eloquent, beautifully spoken gentleman's tour through western history. Where else do pronunciations like caPITalism and "lie of the land" sound so wonderful than from the mouth of this erudite Scotsman? "And please allow me two minute's digression on the subject of tulips." I love it!

Clark's series is by far the best televised course in Western Civilzation ever created. I doubt if it will ever be surpassed. There are two men I dearly miss having met before they died - Joseph Campbell and Kenneth Clark. Upon meeting Clark in "Civilization, a Personal View," I think you'll understand why.

There have been many attempts at a comprehensive history of Western art on film, but none have succeeded as well as this wonderfully opinionated and often-wrongheaded series. The photography remains among the best in the genre, with skillful use of contemporaneous music adding to the charm. What comes through most clearly is Clark's love of his subject, a warmth which covers a multitude of sins. One cannot always agree with his conclusions, and subsequent scholarship has not always borne out his theories, but the series is never less than stimulating, and a powerful incentive to further study.

I first saw this series when it was released by the BBC to Public Television over thirty years ago, and would beg my local station, WHYY, to keep running it until their money ran out. Why? Quite simply, to my mind, it is the most superior series ever seen on television, public or not. Lord Clark was not only brilliant, witty and engaging, but he was a teacher and, surprisingly, a most charming television presence. Of course he was opinionated; that was part of his charm. But every "personal view" came well defended. He has become my lifetime companion, and if this series ever comes out on DVD, I will buy it again. Also, were it not for this groundbreaking series, we would never have seen its many imitators, fine creations in their own right - the Ascent of Man, America, Cosmos, Life on Earth, The Living Planet. Need I go on? Do not wait for this video to become unavailable. For anyone with a need to know about the visual arts, history, music and how they all should share space in our lives, let this program be your companion as well.

One star? Surely some mistake? Read on....

The BBC Shop has just released a 4 disc dvd boxset in the UK. Rightly described as an epic journey and a monumental series from the BBC, I have long awaited a superb DVD release. It's not what we've got. Picture quality is outstanding.....it's the sound quality I take issue with. It's terrible. Some effort has been made to remove clicks, pops, hiss and crackle but there's an intrusive throbbing on the soundtrack. Anyone familiar with the wonderful releases from the Criterion collection will know what audio restoration tricks can achieve nowadays. Don't believe me? Take a look at "The Leopard" or "Hearts and Minds" and listen. Use your eyes and ears.

Picture quality gets five stars. Sound quality gets one star. If a kid got a report card like that I'd be asking for a meet with the teachers.

A landmark five-star television series such as 'Civilisation' deserves better than this sub-standard release.

The thing is, I bought the darn thing and am now stuck with it.

Whinge finished.

The BBC shop is taking orders for November - beware, it is region 2 so you will need a multiregion DVD player. I'm sure it will be available in the US soon. Hopefully Amazon will stock it!

See http://www.bbcshop.com/invt/civdvd1

Although there have been a number of very good documentaries over the last few years, with spectacular venues and budgets, the wonderful series 'Civilisation' still remains the benchmark for erudition and entertainment in documentaries with regard to history, culture and art.

Make sure your children see this, if you wish them to be 'civilised,' since it does not repeat on television anymore these days. This is a necessary framework to help them get the "big picture" of the Western tradition which the schools are rarely able to accommodate anymore.

A must see, again and again over the years. It reminds us of who we are, and how we have gotten here.

This series was shot on 35mm film so its reproduction ought to be flawless. Sadly, the VHS copies are poor quality, transferred as they are at the slowest VHS speed to get three 50 minute programs on most tapes. The final episode is unplayable on the two VCRs I own. Shame on Amazon and the BBC. $94 is too much to pay for lousy video quality. The sound is intelligible but suffers from bursts of noise at times. I should ask for a refund but Lord Clark had little sympathy for the "civilisation" of the 20th century so the last episode is the least interesting.

Kenneth Clark's Civilisation is a genuinely inspiring overview of the best of Western culture--with special emphasis on the visual arts--from the early Middle Ages to the mid-twentieth century. Every aspect of this wonderful series--Clark's eloquent, deeply knowledgable yet entirely accessible commentary, the excellent photography, the subtle use of appropriate music--contributes to make this the best introduction to some of mankind's supreme accomplishments. WHY has it not been reissued on DVD?

I have watched Clark's Civilization series at least 5 times and it still fascinates. Amazing the number of locations and the amount of history and thought covered. Even bought an out-of-print copy of the series companion book. For those who think that there are some missing items in the TV series - they would be right. He admits in the book's introduction that the title should have been "Western European Civilization from the Fall of Rome to Present" not generic "Civilization". Chinese, Spanish, Indian, et al. contributions are missing as well as e.g. the impact of Palladian architecture. That was beyond budget, time and politics. I wish Clark was around today to expand and update this great series. We certainly could use some more of his insight, wit and wisdom. And for heavens sake put it on DVD!!! Maybe include a tribute.

I have watched this three times and can hardly wait to see it again.

Should be five stars. However, the color is very washed out as so often happens with a VHS tape that is many years old. This should be re-released on a DVD to do this magnificent work justice.