Friday 8 November 2019

A for Andromeda (novelisation of TV series)

A for Andromeda is a novelisation of one of the most famous science fiction television series of all time, screened on the BBC in 1961. Only one of the seven episodes has survived. The television series was co-written by astronomer and science fiction author Sir Fred Hoyle and John Elliot. A novelisation was commissioned in 1961.

Although a reconstruction of the television series, using the surviving audio and production stills, was attempted the novelisation (which is actually extremely good) is now really the only way for us to appreciate what a tragedy the loss of the series was.

Here’s the link to my review of the novelisation.

2 comments:

  1. I've heard of this of course, but had no idea there'd been a reconstruction - I've seen the Doctor Who recons, so I'm sure these are probably not bad. The TV show was remade some years ago (I think for the now defunct BBC4)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard of this of course, but had no idea there'd been a reconstruction

      It's not quite a reconstruction, more of a semi-reconstruction.You get the original audio with a series of production stills but there's no animation and no attempt at CGI. It's not entirely satisfactory but it gives some idea of what the series was like. And of course there's the one surviving episode pus a few minus of footage of one other episode.

      It was done quite a few years ago. Today they'd probably attempt a more ambitious reconstruction.

      It was released on DVD along with the sequel, The Andromeda Breakthrough (which survives in its entirety). Unfortunately I don't think the DVD is in print any longer. If you ever come across a copy grab it.

      Delete