• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Cosmos - Sagan

FYI i was very inspired by "The demon haunted world" and you can hear the results here:

http://www.mixposure.com/song.php?songid=25203

I have to tell you that my girlfriend and I had "God of the Gaps" playing on a continuous loop for like 15 minutes straight when we 1st heard it. An excellent, excellent piece of music.

"Evolution Rocks" was also a solid... great lyrics and I love the singer's voice: very clean.
 
I’ll add my 2 cents on the “funny squiggles” comments.

I have to admit that often see funny squiggles posted in the forums here. They appear to be written in English. However, when you use the standard English syntax to interpret the message, you’re left with a translation that makes no logical sense. So I seem to have no other way of interpreting what is on my screen other then funny squiggles. I keep thinking, maybe it is an ASCII picture and I just can’t see it. :)

-- To rerail.

I’ve only seen a few episodes of Cosmos on the Science Channel, but I watch it whenever I get the chance. Makes me wish I had TiVo or something, as I don’t watch TV very often and when I do get a chance it seems like what I would like to watch isn’t on. Perhaps I’ll just have to look into the DVD set, that’s what I did for P&T’s BS.
 
"funny chinese squiggles"

Ah, you mean the language that the majority of the world writes in. Ok then.

Have no idea what it is. Nor do you, unless you can read many languages, some comprised of funny squiggles.
 
Ed, might you be able to do me a favor? It's a long shot, perhaps, but I'm trying to find a copy of Cosmos that uses an elusive piece of music in one of the episodes -- "Blues for a Red Planet" to be specific. Can you identify the music used in the background as the simulated Martian lander is touching down on the red planet? Some copies have Stravinsky's "Firebird" while others have used Jupiter from Holst's "The Planets" -- but I've aso seen a version that uses a piece of music by (I believe) Bill Conti. Can you let me know if perhaps this is a copy that uses that odd selection? Also, do you know which version (date) your Cosmos series is?

Thank you.

I'd be happy to if you can tell me which disk it is. I will be watching episodically so if you can point me it would be helpful.
 
Does anyone know where you can buy single disks?

I loned disc 2 to a friend because he was all horoscopes. I have not seen it since and he has moved. THAT WAS THE BEST DISC TOO! It also had the episode on evolution on it!

Any Ideas!!!???

Help?!?!?

Well, you might get a buddy to rip/burn a dvd copy. You might contact the seller on ebay and ask politely (do not reference funny chinese squiggles tho). You might check out a P to P network for a copy then burn.
 
I'd be happy to if you can tell me which disk it is. I will be watching episodically so if you can point me it would be helpful.

As to which disc it's on depends on how they made your series (number of episodes per disc and all that) -- but in other sets it's episode 5 titled "Blues for a Red Planet". Hope that helps .... and thanks again!
 
As to which disc it's on depends on how they made your series (number of episodes per disc and all that) -- but in other sets it's episode 5 titled "Blues for a Red Planet". Hope that helps .... and thanks again!

I am sorry to report that the closing credits do not credit the music. I checked the disks at Amazon and carlsagen.com (different collections) and could not find Conti. Neither collection is complete though. I suggest that you email sagens website person and ask.

Are you sure it was from Cosmos? He did The Right Stuff too.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086197/board/nest/35487351

Oddly, the IMDB does not show a credit for Cosmos for him.

Sorry.
 
I am sorry to report that the closing credits do not credit the music. I checked the disks at Amazon and carlsagen.com (different collections) and could not find Conti. Neither collection is complete though. I suggest that you email sagens website person and ask.

Are you sure it was from Cosmos? He did The Right Stuff too.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086197/board/nest/35487351

Oddly, the IMDB does not show a credit for Cosmos for him.

Sorry.

Actually, Ed, I did e-mail the Sagen website, but they were unable to supply any information. I also doubt that Conti would be credited with the music (as odd as that might sound) because there have been several versions with different background selections (musical) for the exact same sequences, and not all of the music was credited. The only way to actually be certain of what you have is to listen to the section I described and see if you can identify it (the background music). I don't want you to go out of your way with this, but to please just let me know what turns up as you're watching the series at your leisure -- I would be interested to see if on this particular release you by chance have the version with Conti's music during that part.

I'm also trying to see if there's a way to contact Bill himself directly -- oh well. Thanks again.
 
Actually, Ed, I did e-mail the Sagen website, but they were unable to supply any information. I also doubt that Conti would be credited with the music (as odd as that might sound) because there have been several versions with different background selections (musical) for the exact same sequences, and not all of the music was credited. The only way to actually be certain of what you have is to listen to the section I described and see if you can identify it (the background music). I don't want you to go out of your way with this, but to please just let me know what turns up as you're watching the series at your leisure -- I would be interested to see if on this particular release you by chance have the version with Conti's music during that part.

I'm also trying to see if there's a way to contact Bill himself directly -- oh well. Thanks again.

Could the music in question be from Vangelis? I have the episode in question, and I'll give it a listen tonight and see if it might be from him.

Jen
 
Actually, Ed, I did e-mail the Sagen website, but they were unable to supply any information. I also doubt that Conti would be credited with the music (as odd as that might sound) because there have been several versions with different background selections (musical) for the exact same sequences, and not all of the music was credited. The only way to actually be certain of what you have is to listen to the section I described and see if you can identify it (the background music). I don't want you to go out of your way with this, but to please just let me know what turns up as you're watching the series at your leisure -- I would be interested to see if on this particular release you by chance have the version with Conti's music during that part.

I'm also trying to see if there's a way to contact Bill himself directly -- oh well. Thanks again.

I will listen but, I must warn you, if it isn't the Firebird (which I think I might recognize) I will be useless. However, if the software is still working perhaps I could rip the soundtrack and pop you an .mp3. Gotta see if my trial on the "freeware" is up. If it is, do you know of any dvd-soundtrack ripper software?

How could he not get a credit? I thought that the movies were as unionized as the damn French?
 
I'm also fairly sure some of the incidental music was by Vangelis. "Heaven and Hell" possibly.

I'm afraid I was rather disappointed by the "Cosmos" series. (Though I should admit I did not see all of it.) I felt it was overproduced, relying on unnecessary effects which detracted from what Sagan was so very good at- talking straight to an audience about science.

I recently treated myself to the full set of Jacob Bronowski's "The Ascent of Man"- about 50 quid at hyperinflationary BBC prices, but worth it. Despite its age, this remains among the best TV the BBC ever produced, in any field, but especially in science.
Part 11, "Knowledge and Certainty", reduced me to tears, as it did when I first watched it over thirty years ago.
And Bronowski's warning about the loss of confidence in science in the West is perhaps even more ominous now than it was then.
 
Last edited:
Well... it wasn't Vangelis (at 32 minutes in: the simulated Viking 1 landing), and just as Ed said, no music credits.
 
I will listen but, I must warn you, if it isn't the Firebird (which I think I might recognize) I will be useless. However, if the software is still working perhaps I could rip the soundtrack and pop you an .mp3. Gotta see if my trial on the "freeware" is up. If it is, do you know of any dvd-soundtrack ripper software?

How could he not get a credit? I thought that the movies were as unionized as the damn French?
Ed, I'm almost as curious as Just Thinking to solve the mystery. We've been discussing the issue here, BTW.

This is the landing sequence JT is talking about, from Episode 5 "Blues for a Red Planet":

http://www.streamload.com/pelicer/Clip2.wmv
http://www.streamload.com/pelicer/Clip3.wmv

Notice that the music selection is different, but none of them is the seeked one.
 
Well... it wasn't Vangelis (at 32 minutes in: the simulated Viking 1 landing), and just as Ed said, no music credits.

Can you please describe what you heard (as background)?

Two versions had used the Firebird (Stravinsky) or Jupiter (Holst) -- but I am certain I also heard the Conti (other) selection once, and it was during the exact same Viking Lander simulation. This is not unusual, as several Cosmos sites do indicate that over the years the background music was changed -- and more than once.
 
Can you please describe what you heard (as background)?

Two versions had used the Firebird (Stravinsky) or Jupiter (Holst) -- but I am certain I also heard the Conti (other) selection once, and it was during the exact same Viking Lander simulation. This is not unusual, as several Cosmos sites do indicate that over the years the background music was changed -- and more than once.

I'm not familiar with any of those selections, so I don't think I would be able to describe the music very well. :(
 

Back
Top Bottom