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Lewis Mumford on the City, Part 1: The City: Heaven and Hell

1963 27 min
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This short documentary is part of a series hosted by American historian, sociologist, philosopher of technology, and literary critic Lewis Mumford, who was particularly noted for his study of cities and urban architecture. This episode presents an outline of the opposed natures—creative and destructive—of the city throughout history. In this film, the focus is on the elements that created the first cities about 5000 years ago, and the forces that now threaten our "most precious collective invention."

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Lewis Mumford on the City, Part 1: The City: Heaven and Hell

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This short documentary is part of a series hosted by American historian, sociologist, philosopher of technology, and literary critic Lewis Mumford, who was particularly noted for his study of cities and urban architecture. This episode presents an outline of the opposed natures—creative and destructive—of the city throughout history. In this film, the focus is on the elements that created the first cities about 5000 years ago, and the forces that now threaten our "most precious collective invention."

  • director
    Christopher Chapman
    Robert Humble
    Derek Knight
    Claus Loof
    Ian MacNeill
    Terence Macartney-Filgate
    Reginald Morris
    Erik Nielsen
    Bryan Probyn
  • camera
    Christopher Chapman
    Robert Humble
    Derek Knight
    Claus Loof
    Ian MacNeill
    Terence Macartney-Filgate
    Reginald Morris
    Erik Nielsen
    Bryan Probyn
  • producer
    Ian MacNeill
  • script
    Ian MacNeill
  • executive producer
    Guy Glover
  • sound
    Joseph Champagne
    George Croll
    Ted Haley
  • editing
    Réjane Charpentier
  • sound editing
    Kathleen Shannon
  • narrator
    Budd Knapp
  • music
    Robert Fleming
  • host
    Lewis Mumford

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Lewis Mumford on the City, Part 1: The City: Heaven and Hell
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