Original TV Battlestar Galactica 1979 commercial

[NoSpringRooster]

You simply can't understand how good the series pilot is until you see it in a proper movie theater (remember those). Technically speaking, it beats the original Star Wars. This was far beyond the constraints of television of the day…i.e., it simply didn't belong on the tube.

[yearofthecity2274]

audionautas. com/2010/09/how-to-wreck-nice-­­beach-dave-tompkins.html Now everyone reading this will know that the voicing of the Cylon Centurions from BSG:TOS was done on an EMS Vocoder 2000 and NOT on a Sennheiser Vocoder VSM201!!!

[BALDMAXXX]

You can play that game at Scifi.com. How many of us over 40 saw that in the theater? The Sensoround was nothing more than two huge speakers that they tucked in the corners at the back of the theater. Oh well, when you are twelve, that was Damn impressive. Lol.

[Starglance]

@BALDMAXXX

We had 4 huge speakers, one in every corner. When I saw Mission Galactica I thought the theatre curtains must come down any second.... But they didn't.

When the Battlestars flew by or during explosions the complete flor was vibrating and your stomach was in a rollercoaster. When I came out of the cinema afterwards all the traffic outside (wich was quite a lot) seemed so quite as an picturesque winter snow scene...

Of course I watched it a second time :-)

[FourManArmyHD]

Wow I'm glad they made it good...

[borgduck]

Oh! The innocence of those times!

[alpino22]

I saw this when I was seven years old in Manhattan. I must've gone to a premiere or some special preview because I remember that outside the theater there were actors dressed in full Cylon gear, including the red eye going from side to side. Does anyone else remember this or am I imagining it?

[racefan32]

PG in Canada, I think it was there was a brief sex scene where Cassiopia showed her tit(s)

[Calavicci9]

@racefan32 Nope. I have both the television version and the theatrical version of this film. There is absolutely no nudity in it. It was rated PG for violence and images that could be disturbing for children, much like Star Wars was rated PG for the same reasons.

[racefan32]

@Calavicci9 Hmm I do recall a scene I saw in the Theater that was not in the ABC broadcast were Athena burned Starbuck because she caught him with Cassiopeia?

[Calavicci9]

@racefan32 There was a scene with that but Cassie was just scantily dressed like in the entire series. In the 70s, any showing of a woman's breasts caused a movie to be instantly rated R or X, depending on the scene. Nudity in general sometimes got the same treatment. Superman was nearly rated R because Kal-El coming out of his pod naked. They kept the rating PG because thy decided that a small boy wasn't sexually enticing. Cass topless in that scene would have definitely gotten an X rating.

[Calavicci9]

@racefan32 Oh, and the scene was in the ABC broadcast.

[wonderglory]

I remember the sensurround being so dang loud when I saw the film. I was 8 years old at the time.

[jtkirkfan2002]

That was such a cool shot of the vipers screaming out of the bays from above. After the pilot, I don't remember them using it much.  They always showed them from the side.

[JakeConhale]

Of all the things to highlight in the movie, why the daggit?

[yeanyourpoint]

I was 13 and I went to see it in theaters. It was awsome!

[MattTheSaiyan]

Looks like a fun movie.

[Raunoland]

where does people get this stuff?

[rjkral]

Thanks to the person for adding tech details at Wikipedia regarding sensurround. I saw Battlestar Galactica and Mission Galactica at a very good sensurround theater in Australia. Believe me, it wasn't just "the soundtrack cranked up" like naysayers write on the internet. It was an impressive and fantastic experience, one that I do miss.

[ThoughtTraveler]

@rjkral

I wish I was with you to see this movie in 78 in Australia.

[rjkral]

@ThoughtTraveler

Yes it was a blast! I saw it in senserround and then went all over the neighborhood raving about it. The other kids and their parents didn't believe me until I insisted they go see it with me again. (going to see a movie twice was unheard of back then at least for us). Serioiusly it was far beyond just "turning it up loud", and from what I now learn it was the best and most refined implementation of it ever.

[dsdffdsfdsdsffsd]

@rjkral i was reading that earthquake was also in sensurround but that was a little before my time...

[GasmaskAvenger]

I miss the use of models in films

so much more authentic

[CallumJStewart]

Yeah, because the bloody robot dog is the main selling point of BSG!

[drbotanus]

@CallumJStewart

That is so not true.

[technomikelyons]

The movie was released in some countries (such as Canada where I am) a few months before the TV series began.

I remember this for a fact because I was in grade 5 when I saw the promo for it to come out on TV and told my dad, who said "I don't think so... it was just out at the theatres." Yet, it came on within a week.

[drbotanus]

The Canadian cut was the original cut. Impossible to find now. It is the full length version, but with the original death of Baltar and no epilogue with Lucifer.

I remember that the novelization of Lost Planet of the Gods (The paperback had a different title) started with Lucifer bringing Baltar back from the dead and the suggestion that he may now be a Cylon or at least partially. All of this was cut from the TV series.

[technomikelyons]

You can find the DVD up here in Canada that has the movie version, complete with the beheading of Baltar and without the extra footage of the new Imperious Leader and Lucifer.

I own a copy of the DVD in fact.

[drbotanus]

But. Is it the three hour cut?

There are four versions:

#1 the final work print. Long cut. Has a temporary music score & the scene where the med tech tells Serena she's dieng of radiation poisoning. This is what Marvels comic is based on.

#2 The Canadian test market cut. The Long version with the Serena scene cut & Baltar killed. No epilogue.

#3 The TV cu, Same as #3 but with Baltars death removed and the new epilogue added. (You can tell it was shot later; the lighting is very different)

[drbotanus]

(John Colicos is wearing a different toupee, I believe.)

It was shot for Lost Planet of the Gods and is repeated there.

#4 The US theatrical version. This is the same as #2 but cut down to about 2 hours. The picture is cropped and the sound is in Sensuround. This is available on DVD and is likely the version you have.

The TV series DVD has version #3. But you know that.

[technomikelyons]

I just pulled out the DVD to have a look -- it's the 2003 Canadian packaging (with preview of the reimagined series as bonus material).

Length is 2hr 5 min according to the box. I know it has Baltar being killed, and there is no Lucifer scene. Widescreen format.

Although the liner shows Dolby Digital, and a note about having up to 5.1 channels, it also lists mono 1:1 English and French soundtracks. Doesn't say anything about Sensurround.

[drbotanus]

Sensuround is a theatrical speaker setup.

What you own is the American Theatrical Cut. I own it too. it is #4 in my list. This version has been consistantly commercially available since 1980.

[quacksacker]

The greatest sci-fi series EVER.

[SuperSaiyanAl]

Unless you have standards.

[bolton2121]

I still have the 11x17 original comic book.

[drbotanus]

I've got that too!!! Its the only comic I still have in that format.

Those big ones tended to get knocked around quite a bit and get torn. There was place on my shelf that it fit into. I also have/had the two issue Star Wars compilation and the Batman Revenge of the Dragon with Ras AlGhoul Thats a illy name, like "Vlad ScariMonster". why not call him "Boris Lugosi"?

The Galactica book is the only one that is still intact.

[transitrider1]

I knew about BSG before it came out I thought the movie came first than the TV series because they changed the ending for the TV series so that Baltar lives.

I worked for Tektronix when the movie came out they loaned the test and display and computer monitors for the bridge set. At the time I was a junior tech that calibrated the instrument. Some time after the show ended we received the instruments back very dusty from being in storage. We had to clean retest & calibrate them for resale.

[Usul573]

Must of been awesome back then

[drbotanus]

@Usul573

Tell me about it. It actually got cancelled because it was far too expensive to produce. It was between 12 & 15 in the ratings when they stopped production. That would never happen today. If you are in the top 25 you are on easy street.

[lovemylogics]

BSG was an absolutely awesome use of Sensurround. When the Atlantia explodes, you could actually feel the 'wind' as the bridge explosively decompresses. Those who claim Sensurround to simply be a 'gimmick' are wrong - not only did it win a Class III Academy Award, but even the best modern theater systems suffer in comparison to the bass Sensurround produced - those who didn't get to experience Sensurround really cannot imagine how spectacular it was. No modern Digital system comes close.

[TrevWks]

This was for the May 1979 U.S. theatrical release, which was done to determine if there was an audience sufficient for the series to continue a second year. Too bad it didn't work out as hoped. Instead we got "Buck Rogers."

[hilarioph]

There is a movie of Battlestar galactica? I have it on the dvd

[klw8131]

I saw it in sensurround. Whenever a viper would launch, the entire theater would vibrate!

[44skins]

Loren Greene as Commander Adama was the absolute,100% true blue original..."THE MAN!" I was in the Marines and I would of LOVED for Loren Greene to of been my CO! I would follow him into anyplace on earth!!! Loren Greene was fantastic for that part! There are no actors like him anymore!!! NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!

[MiddletownDreamz]

There were two Canadians in that series: John Colicos (Baltar) and Lorne Greene(Adama)

[AndycorpPro]

thank god for new BSG

[shk9664]

Without old BSG there would of been no new BSG.

[scifihunnybunny]

"Unfortunately, we're out of trained daggits, so we had to shove an acid-crazed chimp in a furry suit so your kid doesn't whine and cry through the whole damn movie like a grown-up Anakin Skywalker."

[OktoberSunset]

TRAINED DAGGATS!!

[vacendak97]

Wish I had a trained daggat!

[muir020]

gay

[IntermittentSprocket]

Oh, yeah this rumbled the ABC screen 1 at Westover road Bournemouth, England, when it played in (((sensurround)))!

[TheOriginalEAGLE]

LOL. Funny stuff. Get to writin'. At very least you gave me a killer idea for a Viper paintjob on a model....red with white instead of light grey with red..

[jwyocum]

These kind of short commercials were usually shown on Saturday mornings, if I remember correctly. Thus, the bang boom fights and the robot dog. I also rmemebr ads for the re-release of the original Invaders from Mars on Saturday morning as well.

[liamhen]

I love old school BSG, but boy this add was horrible!

[nervouspete]

Average child's reaction circa 1970's...

*Space! Wow! Ships! Cool! A dog. Why are they telling me about a dog? Who are these people. What? Wow! More ships! PEW PEW! MUST SEE! What the hell was that dog about though?*

[firmingitup]

LOL! Oh, they probably didn't even question the dog.

[Lumotaku]

i was 5 I loved dagget!

[rjkral]

I LOVED this movie and saw it in Sensurround.

However, How they sold a single ticket with this God-awful ad is a bit beyond me.

[TheOriginalEAGLE]

Dand this seems so old. I was still in High School when it had already been on TV, and was making the rounds in theaters. Saw it again at the drive in, drinking beer with my friends in my 1975 Gran Torino. Fun times.

[arfwoof2003]

Hardcore old school BSG!!

[muir020]

I recently found out the dagget was a poor midget that was in a chimpanzee trapped in a monkey suit, that looks like a fucking dog. Ugh! Oh well ... chalk it up to the 70.5's.

[TheOriginalEAGLE]

Umm.. what?

[stegaflaps]

Thats right! I couldnt believe it either.....but its true! I saw the making of it on the DVD release........you actually saw it getting dressed! A full-on chimp! (wonder if it was the same one as on The eastwood movie " Any which way but loose"?)

[skink200]

Heroes season 3 = Galactica 1980

[dsdffdsfdsdsffsd]

i saw a preview for battlestar galactica in sensurround when i saw superman 1 or 2 in the theatre. i don't know if the sensurround system was already in place for the preview, but when they showed a scene with the galactica, my god the rumble from that ship was so loud it was like an earthquake shaking the theatre. i don't remember if i saw the actual film in the theatre though. oh well. sorry about the earlier posting, i accidently hit the post comment button too soon. you can just delete it.

[dsdffdsfdsdsffsd]

i saw a preview for battlestar galactica in sensurround when i saw superman 1 or 2 in the theatre. i don't know if the

[jhutch524]

SENSURROUND? What the frak?

I recently found out the dagget was a poor chimpanzee trapped in a suit. Ugh! Oh well ... chalk it up to the 70's.

[kidstl]

SENSURROUND? What the frak?

its sorta like "cinamagic"...

i am taking a sh1t, in cinamagic....like in the angry red planet !

[eeepic]

Jill Lockhart, the definition of Foxy.

[beutelkompost]

Sensurround. whats that?

[goldcylon]

Sensurround is a extremely heavy bass like sound. Like the fly by of a Viper would be about 10 times louder than off a TV set, or a laser blast would rumble the building. The low tones are a rumbling low that you feel.

[beutelkompost]

thankyou goldcylon!

[MarkFartman]

Think of the vibration you feel from the car next to you when the hom boy is playing his beats. You would feel the same thing in a theater equipped with Sensurround during a viper launch or a flyby of the Galactica

[battlestarmarc]

greatest sci fi series ever.

[yetanotheraccount838]

Ebay. There was only one season.

[theville666]

jane seymour so young...

[lpkid17]

thanx old series for givin us the re-imagined galactica! love ya! :)

[LostMercenary99]

However no bloody thanks for giving us Boxy the annoying little shit that he is, who just has to burn :)

[lovemylogics]

Has anyone come across the Sensurround press kit for the US release of Battlestar? MCA reworked the system to 'Mod-III' and making it capable of far more impressive and subtle special effects. I'm also looking for the Mod-III instruction manual. I have a Mod-III control box.

The last Sensurround film, Zoot Suit, in Sensurround+Plus, didn't use the rumble in any form, just dbx Type-II NR on the 4-track mag. Nor did any theater install Lightsurround, although the one-sheets advertised it.

[lovemylogics]

Battlestar... used the Mod-III version of Sensurround and was the final, and most impressive, use of the system. Regardless of what others have claimed, no 70mm prints were offered and the soundtrack was mono optical - the 16Hz Sensurround effects were recorded directly on the film and the Sensurround horns were activated by two tones that controlled a special box in the projection booth. I've added more info on Sensurround in Wikipedia.

[goldcylon]

I believe your correct about the 70mm part, I don't think I have seen any claims on the size of film. I have spoken with Peter Berkos who did the audio track for the Sensurround released BSG. I wish I knew these details then and would have asked him more about this subject. Thanks for the information.

[lovemylogics]

I've collected extensive documentation on MCA's Sensurround (and MCA DiscoVision), including installation manuals, original schematic diagrams, notes for theaters, etc... the only stereo film in Sensurround was Earthquake, and it had 70mm prints outside the USA only. After that, Sensurround was re-engineered to work only with mono optical tracks because optical could do 16Hz and magnetic on film could not.

Battlestar... in Sensurround was just incredible. No current THX system can match it!

[Mrster]

Why does Apollo (?) sound high?

[goldcylon]

The person you hear speaking is the Doc that designed the Daggit. Apollo isn't speaking at all. Odd that the person speaking isn't even in the clip.

[quarqill]

I watched the commercial that aired on ABC-TV and it was good.The scene of the Cylon fighter flying above the Battlestar didn't show the Centurians in the cockpit as is in the film.The Cylons can beat Darth Vader's empire's butts.

[bsdnyc]

This blows away the horrible new Galactica. I am a very proud owner of the Cylon head DVD set! But it is strange that the daggit gets a good deal of the commercial.

[piip4]

WOW! I'm soo going to that movie! Can't wait.

[IntermittentSprocket]

Oh this does bring back a few memories when I saw this in (((Sensurround))) at the Bournemouth ABC screen 1, which was equipped for 70mm, I think it was 35mm with the (((Sensurround II))) controller that is triggered by a pulse on the film to generate this deep low almighty rumbling effect.

[MarkFartman]

I saw "Galactica" and heard it in Sensurround in the theater in 1979. The viper launch sequence was LOUD.

[deckard97]

Still a treat to watch.

[RazorCylon]

Right on, very 70's SciFi.

[intromix]

Definite memorabilia!!!