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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.
Written by
Kevin McCorry <mmccorry@nb.sympatico.ca>
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The filming of the series lasted one year during which
Carl Sagan and his production team traveled around the world, filming in places like India, Egypt, Italy, Cambodia, France, Alaska, Mexico and USA, among others.
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Quotes
Carl Sagan:
Alexandria was the greatest city the Western world had ever seen. People of all nations came here to live, to trade, to learn. On any given day, its harbors were thronged with merchants, scholars, and tourists. This was a city where Greeks, Egyptians, Arabs, Syrians, Hebrews, Persians, Nubians, Phoenicians, Italians, Gauls, and Iberians exchanged merchandise and ideas. It is probably here that the word 'cosmopolitan' realized its true meaning - citizen, not just of a nation, but of the Cosmos. ...
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Alternate Versions
For the German version, all episodes were cut down to ca. 43 minutes to fit into the programming schedule of public broadcaster ZDF.
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Connections
Featured in
Miracle Mile (1988)
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Details
Release Date:
28 September 1980 (USA)
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Also Known As:
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage
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Box Office
Budget:
$8,250,000
(estimated)
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Company Credits
There really is no way to convey how much of an impact this series had on me when it first came out back in 1980. The views of our life here on this little blue marble seemed so insignificant compared to the vastness of the cosmos. It came to pass then my views on science and technology forever changed and turned my life around. One of the most significant features of the series was the selection of soundtrack music. It was also an example of appreciation for the finer things in life that we take for granted. For anyone with even the slightest interest in space and technology truly needs to spend time in the "Cosmos" to get a view of our world from a different perspective. Bottom line, true brilliance and creativity at its best.