Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7825 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-08-27
• Rating: Exempt
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 350 minutes

DVD Description
This DVD release features David Attenborough’s original 1975 Tribal Art: The Complete Series and includes all seven programmes commissioned for the BBC. Through the series, Attenborough gives viewers a fascinating guide to the world’s tribal art traveling to intriguing places and tribal communities.

Attenborough’s love of tribal art grew out of his early programme-making days at the BBC and took him to all corners of the world. From his first trips he accumulated souvenirs and eventually became a serious collector of tribal art. This series was commissioned shortly after he resigned from his job as Director of Programmes. He believed there was room on television for totem poles and masks as well as old master paintings. The resulting lavish series examined sculpture, weaving, metal casting and other artistic activities in tribal societies around the world.

Synopsis
Engrossing and informative series of seven programmes from 1975 examining masterpieces of tribal art and the people and places that produced it.

Customer Reviews

Worth the long wait
I'm sure I'm not the only person to remember this marvellous series and to wonder why it did not have a place in the repeat schedules. I also remember that the book from the series was sadly lacking in colour photos, so all the more reason to welcome the DVD. The only reason I've not given five stars is that the third disc is entirely about Bali - much of it fascinating, but you need to be a fan of gamelan music to watch the whole disc.

Showing its age but David is spot on as always
As a regular devourer of anything David Attenborough makes, I approached this with eager anticipation, but found it to be a bit of a let down. The insights into tribal life are certainly interesting, but watching these disks makes you appreciate how far TV has come. As a previous reviewer noted, a significant part of the package is an extended look at Bali, which drags after a while.
This one's for the Attenboro completists only. For those who don't yet have the full collection, all of the "Life" or "planet" series are excellent, and far more accessible.

Big Man Nambawan
If you enjoy tribal art - then this is for you it'll widen your appreciation. From great Dogon sequences to Rhamparamp footage in Vanuatu to some wonderful looking characters at a london auction room this series may be little known to the legion of people who know David Attenborough more for his natural history documentaries yet it is an incredibly powerful document looking at it now after thirty years in which all societies shown (including the chaps with bad jumpers and big glasses in the auction sequence) have undergone change.
Great stuff - spend you money happily.