Cosmos (1980– )

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

Stars:

Carl Sagan, Jaromír Hanzlík, Jonathan Fahn

Won 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Carl Sagan	...	Himself - Host (13 episodes, 1980)

Storyline

Astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan is host and narrator of this 13-hour series that originally aired on Public Broadcasting Stations in the United States. Dr. Sagan describes the universe in a way that appeals to a mass audience, by using Earth as a reference point, by speaking in terms intelligible to non-scientific people, by relating the exploration of space to that of the Earth by pioneers of old, and by citing such Earth legends as the Library of Alexandria as metaphors for space-related future events. Among Dr. Sagan's favorite topics are the origins of life, the search for life on Mars, the infernal composition of the atmosphere of Venus and a warning about a similar effect taking place on Earth due to global pollution and the "greenhouse effect", the lives of stars, interstellar travel and the effects of attaining the speed of light, the danger of mankind technologically self-destructing, and the search, using radio technology, for intelligent life in deep space.

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Plot Keywords:

earth | universe | library of alexandria | star | greenhouse effect | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 September 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Carl Sagan: Kozmosz

Filming Locations:

Alaska, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

KCET, Carl Sagan Productions, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (13 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The series featured the most extensive use of special effects ever conducted for a documentary. In one notable episode, special effects were used to make it seem as if host Sagan was walking through a model recreation of the Library of Alexandria.

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Quotes

Carl Sagan: The cosmos is interesting rather than perfect, and everything is not part of some greater plan, nor is all necessarily under control.

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Connections

Referenced in C.O.D. (1981)

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Soundtracks

"Cosmos"
(Main Theme)
Composed by Vangelis

User Reviews

A plain, simple WOW just isn't good enough!!!

Hey folks - THIS is pure heaven!

Today I got the Cosmos DVD box set and went completely bananas! I love it for two reasons.

First: Even for todays standards it is a well made documentation that will make you think about yourself and the world you live in. The Cold War may be over, but people are still as stupid as ever. Cosmos is not just a simple documentation about stars and planets with numbers, technobabble and nice pictures - it's a manifest for peace and understanding that EVERYBODY should see.

Second: I remember when I used to watch the series when I was ten years old. I didn't miss a single episode. Cosmos may not have CHANGED my life - but it certainly gave it a new direction. It taught me to keep an open mind and to care more about my surroundings. When I saw Cosmos today, I felt again like the little boy I was two decades ago. I'm in awe of the whole world and the wonders of the Universe that surrounds every one of us.

If you have kids: show it to them! If you want to know more about life on earth or on other planets: see it! If you think, ordinary documentations about outer space are too complicated to understand: see it! If you don't really care about the Universe, the stars and the planets, but you wonder what all the fuss is about: see it!

In any case: SEE IT!!!