BBC4 has been broadcasting a string of documentaries that simply show something happening, very slowly, with no commentary, no music, no nothing. There was Frederick Wiseman's typically leisurely three-hour stroll around the National Gallery, three rather shorter films showing people working with glass, metal and wood (half an hour each) and - the big successes of the series - an hour devoted to the Dawn Chorus (beautiful) and a two-hour canal trip, with nothing to see but the canal and its ever changing banks, nothing to hear but birdsong, the faint drone of the motor and the susurration of the narrowboat's prow easing through the still water - on which, from time to time, captions floated past, giving snippets of information.Needless to say, I didn't have time to watch it myself, but I would have loved to.
The success of the Canal Trip has no doubt taken the BBC by surprise, but I hope it is making them think of the possibilities of Slow TV. There is, I'm sure, a big unmet demand for this kind of television, the ultimate in restful viewing. There really ought to be a 24-hour channel devoted to it - it would be a public service, improving the nation's mental health no end.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I wonder whether they were inspired to do this slow TV by the Norwegians' example:
ReplyDeleteNorwegian state TV broadcasts a fire burning for 12 hours
Yes indeed - 'slow but noble television'.
ReplyDeleteI believe you can buy a 'burning fire' app to make your flat-screen TV look like something a lot cosier.
Thanks Dave.
Did you know that you can shorten your long urls with Shortest and make dollars from every visitor to your shortened urls.
ReplyDeleteشركة نقل عفش بالدمام
ReplyDeleteشركة نقل عفش بالدمام
شركة نقل اثاث بجدة
شركة نقل عفش بالرياض
شركة نقل عفش بالمدينة المنورة
شركة نقل عفش بالدمام
شركة تنظيف خزانات بجدة
شركة نقل عفش بالخرج
ReplyDeleteشركة نقل اثاث بالخرج
شركة نقل عفش بمكة
شركة نقل عفش بمكة
نقل عفش بمكة
نقل عفش بالخرج
شركة تنظيف فلل بجدة
شركة تنظيف فلل بالرياض