KennethClark

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  • Kenneth Clark's famed documentary 'Civilisation' returns tonight on BBC HD

    by 
    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    02.09.2011

    When it first aired in 1969, Civilisation was one of the BBC's first documentaries produced in color and it was popular enough to earn producer Kenneth Clark the title Baron Clark of Saltwood. Newly restored for high definition television from the original 35mm film, it's ready to come to a new generation now on BBC HD, surely looking even better than the original run which was said to have often prompted Civilisation viewing parties at the homes of the lucky few with color TVs at the time. Telling the story of the growth of western civilization, it was commissioned by David Attenborough and set the bar for most modern documentaries as Clark actually took viewers to visit the works of art he described. There's no word on any US broadcast schedule, but since PBS picked up the original 40 years ago we'd hope they see fit to do the same sometime soon.