tomatoman
|
CIVILISATIONS BBC NEW SERIES
Mar 02, 2018, 11:08
|
|
You may or may not like Simon Scharma, but his first episode of this series broadcast last night gave a way-overdue reboot of the origins of human art. This and Mary Beard's second episode are available on iPlayer now.
|
tjj
|
Re: CIVILISATIONS BBC NEW SERIES
Mar 02, 2018, 15:25
|
|
tomatoman wrote: You may or may not like Simon Scharma, but his first episode of this series broadcast last night gave a way-overdue reboot of the origins of human art. This and Mary Beard's second episode are available on iPlayer now.
I started watching this on iplayer at lunchtime today, the day interrupted me so will have to go back to it later. I do like Simon Scharma (what's not to like) and I can say the opening episode starts with Scharma paying tribute to Maamoun Abdulkarim the 82 year old archaeologist, who was beheaded by isis rather than say where hidden ancient artefacts were. Which sort of brings it up to date from the original Kenneth Clark 1969 programme.
Scharma then goes on to talk about Cave Art, starting with a 77,000 year old South African cave. Inspiring stuff ... and all in the first 15 minutes. Will watch in its entirety later this evening.
|
moss
|
Edited Mar 03, 2018, 08:10
Re: CIVILISATIONS BBC NEW SERIES
Mar 03, 2018, 07:15
|
|
tomatoman wrote: You may or may not like Simon Scharma, but his first episode of this series broadcast last night gave a way-overdue reboot of the origins of human art. This and Mary Beard's second episode are available on iPlayer now.
It was excellent, made me go back and find this poem by Snyder which manages to capture the mystery of how creative we are, especially in death. All those beautiful cave paintings come from the mind, ritual seems unimportant when faced with the human need to express itself......
Under the Hills near the Moravia River
She lay there midst
Mammoth, reindeer, and wolf bones;
Diadem of fox teeth round her brow
Ocher under her hips
26,640 plus or minus 110 years before "now".
Burnt reindeer-pelvis bone bits
in her mouth,
Bones of two men lying by her side,
one each side.
And then there is this - Werner Herzog's film - Cave of forgotten Dreams..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIlEfNbcz7g
|
tomatoman
|
Re: CIVILISATIONS BBC NEW SERIES
Mar 03, 2018, 11:05
|
Well done to set up the Herzog link........wonderful film.
As to African cave art, if you're able to visit, it's everywhere if you get the right guiding. We've visited the Drakensburg Mts in the Western Cape and Twylfontein in Namibia. Also wonderful exhibits in Cape Town Museum.
|
spencer
|
Re: CIVILISATIONS BBC NEW SERIES
Mar 03, 2018, 11:27
|
|
I'd forgot about that film..thanks for the link
|
tomatoman
|
Re: CIVILISATIONS BBC NEW SERIES
Mar 03, 2018, 19:19
|
|
Just read a review of the programme by Will Gompertz who gives it 2 out of 5 stars. He thinks Scharma is a plonker. I think that's rich coming from a true plonker!
|
tjj
|
Edited Mar 04, 2018, 13:16
Re: CIVILISATIONS BBC NEW SERIES
Mar 04, 2018, 10:13
|
|
tomatoman wrote: Just read a review of the programme by Will Gompertz who gives it 2 out of 5 stars. He thinks Scharma is a plonker. I think that's rich coming from a true plonker!
Hi T, I've read Will Gompertz's review and needless to say disagree with him. He compares Civilisations to the original made in 1969 saying the original was better. I wonder how many people have actually seen it as made a very long time ago - I for one do not remember it.
Gompertz gets paid to write that sort of thing, I'm sure he's a clever man - but what he fails to mention is first and foremost the programme is educational. To quote him ..
The record of human history brims over with the rage to destroy," the historian tells us with his passion dial turned up all the way to 11 (it rarely dips below 10). There is no mention made of similarly barbaric acts that have taken place over millennia - on occasion perpetrated by a civilisation much closer to home - or an explanation as to the cultural rationale behind the actions of those wielding the sledgehammers in this instance.
Did we need to have the cultural rationale of the barbaric actions of 'those wielding the sledgehammers' explained to us - surely that is a different sort of programme. And one that would be depressing rather than inspiring.
The footage of Petra is stunning, it felt like a privilege to see it. If nothing else Gompertz's has that piece embedded in it - so well worth a look.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43132334
|
tomatoman
|
Re: CIVILISATIONS BBC NEW SERIES
Mar 04, 2018, 13:46
|
I'm old enough (it shows) to remember seeing Kenneth Clark's CIVILISATION when it first appeared on TV in 1969 and Bronowski's ASCENT OF MAN in 1973. Both, in their separate ways, were groundbreaking television.
I don't believe CIVILISATIONS set out to reboot anything, but the fact is that world knowledge on the origins of culture has expanded at a terrific rate in recent years and I, for one, appreciate their efforts to capture some of that.
|
