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(More customer reviews)Of the three major British TV series in the past that took a 'big vision' of the development of civilisation in technical and/or intellectual senses: Clarke's 'Civilisation', Bronowski's 'Ascent', and Burke's 'Connections' by far the most conceptually penetrating and diverse was Bronowski's.
I would characterise it like this, with Clarke we get the Aristocrat/Scholar, superb and singular in his erudition and exemplary sensibility, with Burke we get the hip materialist university prof who with wit draws together individuals and science in easy-to-understand argument/narratives that make him look clever. With Bronowski we get depth and intellectual risk taking. I think this has to do with how Bronowski chooses to articulate a sense of oblique contemplation about the events he describes as he explains things - that is for him communicating his points is always tied into synthesising a symbolic language of attributes about humanity's progress with scientific or empirical facts. This comes from a variety of things, Bronowski's early interest in literature (particularly William Blake), his heritage as an eastern European Jew, and his experiences as an assessor of the effects of war both as a scientist and as a Jew.
His book on Blake, although at times meandering and searching, is the most original attempt at contextualising the poet I've ever read - in a way its a critical assessment of Blake and the associative implications of his writing that models Blakean thought to 20thc conclusions as if it were Blake himself writing it.
Bronowski just simply has more depth and a much greater originality of thought and ethical outlook than the other two. He's a real thinker rather than simply an academic and this comes out in his agility with shifting arenas of investigation during the programs.
Put your kids in front of this guy - its the sort of mind our education system should be producing. I certainly would not say that he is a bad presenter, he's just one that demands a different kind of attention than the shlock sound-byte cardboard cut-out presenters you get so much on TV today. You actually have to spend time observing him as he imparts ideas - his mannerisms are crucial to his public performance and if you can find a way to dig it its endlessly inspiring.
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The Ascent of ManThe New York Times called itquite simply, a milestone in programming Now, watch Dr. Jacob Bronowski as he has never been seen before. New video masters have given us the ability to digitally re-master this classic series enabling you to give your students a 21st century viewing experience.
An American Film Festival Award winner, this 13 volume series attempts a massive survey of science, from flint tools to the theory of relativity. The series, a co-production of the BBC and Time-Life Films was made as a science counterpart to Civilization. It is given superb technical support, with two crews using innovative filming techniques, shooting in 27 countries. Dr. Jacob Bronowski, makes for an unorthodox narrator, his non-scripted delivery ranging from hushed awe to trembling passion. He uses the crawling infant, the performing athlete, the development of the hunt and the discovery of fire to illustrate the most distinctive feature of man: imagination.
Programs in the series:Lower than AngelsHarvest of the SeasonsGrain in the StoneThe Hidden StructureMusic of the SpheresStarry MessengerMajestic ClockworkDrive for PowerLadder of CreationWorld within WorldKnowledge or CertaintyGeneration upon Generation Long Childhood
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