"Cosmos" (1980) TV mini-series

User Rating:

9.6/10   

Director:

Adrian Malone

Writer:

Ann Druyan (writer)

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

28 SZEPTEMBER 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Astronomer Carl Sagan leads us on an engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the Universe.

Plot Keywords:

Earth | Universe | Star | Venus | Library

Awards:

Won 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Carl Sagan

...

Himself - Host (13 episodes, 1980)

Runtime:

60 min (13 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Alaska, USA

Company:

Carl Sagan Productions

Trivia:

Many of the studio sequences filmed in rooms with entirely black walls and floors, in the middle of which various minimal set elements would be arranged, were shot in the studio classrooms of the iEAR (Integrated Electronic Arts at Rensselaer) at Renssalear Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York, near Albany. RPI students also constructed the prototype "Mars rover" shown in one of the episodes speculating on robotic exploration of other planets.

Quotes:

Carl Sagan: We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational Quarterfinal 1 (#26.4)" (2009)

A dreamy and hopeful meditation on science and the universe

This thirteen part series is Carl Sagan's personal account of the universe and how humans have interpreted it through time. In Cosmos, Carl Sagan takes us on location to places in the world where the most important people and ideas in science and astronomy were born, and to places in outer space where those ideas have revealed the universe to us. Carl Sagan shares a sense of wonder that is both intelligent and humorous, while occasionally warning us of our capabilities of self-destruction. Though Cosmos was made during the height of the cold war, it still stands as a reminder of global problems and dangers we still need to resolve. This series has either consciously or unconsciously set the standard for the format of almost every hosted science show or series on Television since it was made, and it's no wonder. Carl Sagan is a charismatic and sincere authority on the subject matter, and the music score is mostly by Vangelis (Bladerunner, Chariots of Fire, 1492) Synergy, Tangerine Dream, Vivaldi, and more. The visuals are amazing and remain as relevant as they were on the release date.