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TV Criticism
Visions Before Midnight
From the man who made TV criticism an entertainment in its own right comes Visions Before Midnight , a selection from the column hundreds of thousands of devoted fans would turn to first thing on a Sunday morning.Clive James's comic brilliance is displayed here, from the 1972 Olympics ( But your paradigm no-no commentary can't be made up of fluffs alone. It needs flannel in lengthy widths, and it's here that Harry and Alan come through like a whole warehouse full of pyjamas ) to the 1976 Olympics (' Jenkins has a lot to do ' was a new way of saying that our man, of whom we had such high hopes, was not going to pull out the big one ). In between we have 'War and Peace' ( Tolstoy makes television history ), the Royal Wedding ( Dimbling suavely, Tom Fleming introduced the scene ), the Winter Olympics ( unintelligibuhl ), the Eurovision Song Contest ( The Hook of their song lasted a long time in the mind, like a kick in the knee. You could practically hear the Koreans singing it. 'Waterloo . . .' ), and much more.
Hardcover
First published April 14, 1977
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About the author
Clive James
94 books289 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
An expatriate Australian broadcast personality and author of cultural criticism, memoir, fiction, travelogue and poetry. Translator of Dante.
An expatriate Australian broadcast personality and author of cultural criticism, memoir, fiction, travelogue and poetry. Translator of Dante.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 19, 2023
Clive James became famous by appearing on television but he did his best work writing about it. I picked this up in an idle moment and had difficulty putting it down again. I also couldn’t stop laughing. James was such a funny critic that he often found himself accused of performing stand-up routines rather than writing criticism. In fact, as demonstrated by this selection of reviews first published in the Observer newspaper in the 1970s, he combined wit and critical insight with rare skill.
His often mesmerising prose was suffused with high intelligence and a refreshing lack of snobbery. James subjected himself willingly to the full sanity-threatening diversity of ‘70s British television and found a deranged sort of enlightenment. He was the first television critic to appreciate that its supposed ephemera could be more entertaining and culturally significant than the alleged ‘quality’ output. He knew that the weather forecaster telling you about the coming storm, with the irritatingly chirpy manner and wildly strobing jacket, the hysterical and barely articulate sports commentators, the hapless continuity announcers unable to get through the shortest of links without fluffing, were the true stars of the medium; they were of television in a way that the passing famous thespians and playwrights were not. He was always quick to praise the well-written sitcom or popular drama serial over the latest pedestrian adaptation of a classic novel. Some concluded that James preferred trash to art, but they were mistaken. He just recognised that TV had its own unique strengths and they had little to do with Great Literature or Art.
For those of us of a certain age and background Visions Before Midnight carries an intoxicating Proustian rush as the once famous and now forgotten names of TV personalities and shows roll by. But there’s more to this book than the dubious if seductive pleasure of nostalgia. What happened on the box was a reflection, however distorted, of what was happening outside it and these wittily perceptive pieces are also valuable cultural history.
His often mesmerising prose was suffused with high intelligence and a refreshing lack of snobbery. James subjected himself willingly to the full sanity-threatening diversity of ‘70s British television and found a deranged sort of enlightenment. He was the first television critic to appreciate that its supposed ephemera could be more entertaining and culturally significant than the alleged ‘quality’ output. He knew that the weather forecaster telling you about the coming storm, with the irritatingly chirpy manner and wildly strobing jacket, the hysterical and barely articulate sports commentators, the hapless continuity announcers unable to get through the shortest of links without fluffing, were the true stars of the medium; they were of television in a way that the passing famous thespians and playwrights were not. He was always quick to praise the well-written sitcom or popular drama serial over the latest pedestrian adaptation of a classic novel. Some concluded that James preferred trash to art, but they were mistaken. He just recognised that TV had its own unique strengths and they had little to do with Great Literature or Art.
For those of us of a certain age and background Visions Before Midnight carries an intoxicating Proustian rush as the once famous and now forgotten names of TV personalities and shows roll by. But there’s more to this book than the dubious if seductive pleasure of nostalgia. What happened on the box was a reflection, however distorted, of what was happening outside it and these wittily perceptive pieces are also valuable cultural history.
October 10, 2021
funny insightful and a great read
November 7, 2020
This review covers Visions Before Midnight/The Crystal Bucket/Glued to the Box.
I frequently re-read these selections of James’ TV criticism (1972-1982), partly because of the quality of the writing and the humour, and partly because he is the critic who demonstrated that important topics (the Nazis, opera) and trivia (Eurovision, disco dancing) both deserve serious and percipient analysis. He is marvellous, for example, on Star Trek, Wimbledon and Richard Nixon. And he frequently finds the perfect form of expression that encapsulates an experience for ever.
‘You have to realise that McEnroe is serving around the corner of an imaginary building and that his wind-up must perforce be extra careful. He has a sniper’s caution.’
Abba at Eurovision: ‘As the girls clattered off in their ill-matching but providentially chosen clobber, their prospects looked unnervingly good. The hook of their song lasted a long time in the mind, like a kick in the knee.’
‘The big film of the week was directed by George P. Cosmatos, whose creations are much valued by insomniacs since it is impossible to view them without becoming George P. Comatose.’
I frequently re-read these selections of James’ TV criticism (1972-1982), partly because of the quality of the writing and the humour, and partly because he is the critic who demonstrated that important topics (the Nazis, opera) and trivia (Eurovision, disco dancing) both deserve serious and percipient analysis. He is marvellous, for example, on Star Trek, Wimbledon and Richard Nixon. And he frequently finds the perfect form of expression that encapsulates an experience for ever.
‘You have to realise that McEnroe is serving around the corner of an imaginary building and that his wind-up must perforce be extra careful. He has a sniper’s caution.’
Abba at Eurovision: ‘As the girls clattered off in their ill-matching but providentially chosen clobber, their prospects looked unnervingly good. The hook of their song lasted a long time in the mind, like a kick in the knee.’
‘The big film of the week was directed by George P. Cosmatos, whose creations are much valued by insomniacs since it is impossible to view them without becoming George P. Comatose.’
January 2, 2020
Archive TV Criticism
I have owned this book and it's two sequels for many years. Initially it was the wit of Clive James, whose TV co!umn in the Observer was read avidly by many at the time, that was the attraction. That still holds true, but now this is increasingly mingled with nostalgia for the programmes under discussion -even some of the bad ones. Whether readers too young to remember them will find anything here I feel unqualified to say. For myself, reading them again in the wake of his death, I find a lot to laugh at, but also a lot to reflect on. Being so much older I find myself less prone to unquestioning adulation. Occasionally the commentary seems rather mean, and I take issue rather than nodding wisely. But overall I retain affection for the man and his work, and so recommend it.
I have owned this book and it's two sequels for many years. Initially it was the wit of Clive James, whose TV co!umn in the Observer was read avidly by many at the time, that was the attraction. That still holds true, but now this is increasingly mingled with nostalgia for the programmes under discussion -even some of the bad ones. Whether readers too young to remember them will find anything here I feel unqualified to say. For myself, reading them again in the wake of his death, I find a lot to laugh at, but also a lot to reflect on. Being so much older I find myself less prone to unquestioning adulation. Occasionally the commentary seems rather mean, and I take issue rather than nodding wisely. But overall I retain affection for the man and his work, and so recommend it.
December 8, 2020
A heady combination of humour, nostalgia, history and well observed critique; there is much to be gleaned from this selection of Clive James television reviews from the early Seventies. His prose is sharp and often cutting, provoking almost as much in the way of thoughtful reflect as it does laughs. Looking forward to the next two volumes (The crystal bucket and Glued to the box).
October 10, 2022
It's not necessary to have seen any of the programmes or know any the names mentioned to appreciate the quality and the gags. As, apparently few read Clive James' criticism, I'm going to pinch most of the jokes.
July 31, 2008
Clive James invented the quick witted smart approach to TV criticism. Charlie booker follows on from that tradition. Both deserve to be read. James understands that TV is both trivial and important. May be dated now - I must read it again one day.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews