BBC adaptation of Isaac Asimov's Original Foundation Trilogy

December 11, 2011 8:55 AM

In 1973, the BBC aired an adaptation of Isaac Asimov's original Foundation trilogy, in eight one-hour parts. It is freely downloadable (or streamable) here.
posted by SpacemanStix (19 comments total)

Awesome. Very neat.
posted by Saxon Kane at 8:59 AM on December 11, 2011

Harry Seldon lives exhibits a creepy tendency to project his influence down through the ages as if he were alive.
posted by JHarris at 9:02 AM on December 11, 2011 [3 favorites]

Great find, thanks.
posted by Huck500 at 9:02 AM on December 11, 2011 [1 favorite]

I look forward to this reenactment. Good times.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 9:15 AM on December 11, 2011 [3 favorites]

Thanks for this. I loved Foundation when I read it as a teenager, and I was just saying I wanted to try listening to radio plays/audiobooks again, so this is great timing for me!
posted by daisyk at 9:16 AM on December 11, 2011

The distinguished cast includes many from the various Doctor Who seasons, as well as Cybil Fawlty herself. Good stuff!
posted by Stoatfarm at 9:22 AM on December 11, 2011 [1 favorite]

Never heard about this. Thanks for sharing it. Have been meaning to re-read the books for the longest time.
posted by 2manyusernames at 9:27 AM on December 11, 2011

I look forward to this reenactment. Good times.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 12:15 PM on December 11 [+] [!]

I see what you did will be doing there, Mayor.
posted by hal9k at 9:37 AM on December 11, 2011 [3 favorites]

Very cool. Foundation 8 of 8 is listed with a nearly 8 hour duration but that is an error as it is :59 mins and change.
posted by bz at 9:55 AM on December 11, 2011

The Foundation Trilogy, unfortunately, is turning out to be the "Catcher in the Rye" to the politically psychotic. It turns out bin Laden was a fan, and that "Al Qaeda" may be translated as not "The Base" but an Asimov-inspired "The Foundation". Furthermore, Newt Gingerich's strange idea that he is a "defender of civilization" apparently grew from his too-enthusiastic reading of the trilogy.
posted by Schmucko at 11:44 AM on December 11, 2011 [1 favorite]

I totally listened to that in bed under the covers on a scratchy AM radio. Nostalgiariffic.
posted by Sebmojo at 11:52 AM on December 11, 2011 [1 favorite]

How have they dealt with the Mule? Somehow I always pictured Roddy McDowell in that role.
posted by infini at 12:25 PM on December 11, 2011

Schmucko: "The Foundation Trilogy, unfortunately, is turning out to be the "Catcher in the Rye" to the politically psychotic."

I wonder how this is at all possible, unless they didn't bother reading to the end of the series. (possibly spoilery:) There's every reason to believe that Asimov eventually concluded he had no idea what he was talking about, hence Galaxia.
posted by vanar sena at 2:44 PM on December 11, 2011

Never heard mention of this, not even in Asimov's exhaustive multivolume autobiography. Is it possible it was adapted without his knowledge?
posted by Larry Duke at 4:16 PM on December 11, 2011

I admit I had no more than rumors that Al Qaida and The Foundation were related, and that Osama was influenced by science fiction. I just thought it was an interesting possibility. Also hippybear's link points out that the Japanese subway poison gas attack may have been similarly motivated.
posted by Schmucko at 5:07 PM on December 11, 2011

Just listened to the first two episodes. It's not bad, but the weird sound effects kind of detract from the story. I guess that's the way people signaled "the future" back then.
posted by wuwei at 5:20 PM on December 11, 2011

Al Qaida could probably have picked up a few things about cell-level organizational hierarchy from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I mean, while we're talking about this.

Thanks for the post, SpacemanStix. Going to take me a while to work through 8 hours.
posted by penduluum at 5:23 PM on December 11, 2011

The Foundation Trilogy, unfortunately, is turning out to be the "Catcher in the Rye" to the politically psychotic.

No kidding.
posted by BobbyVan at 7:09 AM on December 12, 2011

An interesting piece on Newt Gingrich & Foundation which doesn't seem to have been posted yet?
posted by with hidden noise at 8:43 AM on December 12, 2011