Civilisation

TV Mini Series
1969–19701969–1970
TV-GTV-G
50min

Sir Kenneth Clarke guides us through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilisation in western man. Beginning with the bleakness of the dark ages to the present day, we consider civili... Read allSir Kenneth Clarke guides us through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilisation in western man. Beginning with the bleakness of the dark ages to the present day, we consider civilisation's articulations and expressions in some of man's finest works of art.Sir Kenneth Clarke guides us through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilisation in western man. Beginning with the bleakness of the dark ages to the present day, we consider civilisation's articulations and expressions in some of man's finest works of art.

8.7/10

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Awards
- 4 wins & 2 nominations total

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1 Season

2 years

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Goofs
In the segment titled "The Light of Experience", narrator Lord Clark discusses the great developments in Europe of the XVIIth century - mathematics, measurement, observation - and notes that these "were not hostile to architecture; nor to music, for this was the age of one of the greatest English composers, William Purcell." Here he is misquoting himself, for in the book that accompanies this series (Civilisation. New York and Evanston: Harper & Row, 1969, p.218) he correctly names the composer as Henry Purcell.

Quotes
Narrator: It's arguable that the nonexistence of a clear, concrete German prose has been one of the chief disasters of European civilisation.

Connections
Edited from Mozart's Don Giovanni (1955)

Top review

10/10

Best thing the BBC ever made

Yes opiniated, yes patrician, but also an enlightening, exceptional documentary series. Nothing else I've seen on the BBC can match it (though I enjoyed The Ascent of Man very much). A profoundly intelligent look at Western 'Art' History covering music, painting, architecture, sculpture, writing (poetry, drama, prose, philosophy) and celebrating the astonishing achievements of individuals. "There they are, you can't dismiss them". Quite.

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