Dominic Sandbrook: Let Us Entertain You

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[edit] General Information

History Documentary hosted by Dominic Sandbrook, published by BBC in 2015 - English narration

[edit] Cover

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Dominic Sandbrook: Let Us Entertain You Dominic Sandbrook explores British post-war culture, arguing that it is a crucial part of Britain's modern identity - yet one firmly indebted to our Victorian past. Like the industrial revolution before it, our postwar culture is a success story built on geographical opportunism and an indefatigable entrepreneurial spirit. Just as the industrial revolution transformed British society, creating new wealth and a thriving mill-owning middle class, so too have money, marketing flair and creative invention underpinned our cultural development. It is, after all, a development that has been driven by a handful of inventive, single-minded, and savvy entrepreneurs, from J Arthur Rank to Brian Epstein and Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

[edit] The New British Empire

In the first edition, Dominic examines the way in which culture has become one of Britain's newest exports, claiming that it is an industry in itself, in the same way as shipbuilding and textile production. He suggests that cultural revolution has occurred in the old industrial regions, taking influence from the former connections of the Empire, as well as the global

[edit] In with the Old

Dominic Sandbrook explores the effects of the industrial revolution in Britain, looking at how it presaged an upheaval of British society and an overturning of traditional social hierarchies. For the first time, innovation, technical knowledge and entrepreneurial skills - rather than an accident of birth - were rewarded with wealth. However, rather than challenge and reshape society, men like Richard Arkwright and Josiah Wedgewood became the new aristocracy. Similarly, in post-war British culture, working class voices railing against the inequalities of society and calling for change often ended up as Lord of the Manor. Pop culture's reinforcement of old order has therefore led to an enduring fascination with class, history and breeding.

[edit] Modern Victorians

Dominic explores how British post-war culture demonstrates the same anxieties and preoccupations as Victorian Britain, particularly in terms of the state of the nation and the desire to export British values. Where Dickens was concerned with the impact of industrialisation on poor urban communities, post-war artists, writers and filmmakers are preoccupied with the impact of de-industrialisation and the lack of work for these communities. Similarly, the civilising mission of the Victorian period has now become translated into science fiction and fantasy, where values can be exported to an Empire of imagination.

[edit] Me Myself and I

Dominic Sandbrook explores the rise of the individual in post-war culture. The idea first took hold during the Victorian period - in the era of the novel and self-help - despite industrialisation leading to the growth of a collective identity. The concept of individual identity and self-determination reached fruition after the war, and saw the emergence of those such as John Lennon, John Self, Kate Bush, and the seemingly endless stream of TV talent show contestants.