Based on the book by Michael Crichton 'The Andromeda Strain' is a very good science fiction film. Like so many science fiction films, it was made in 1970, with good special effect a fast moving plot and a chilling realism when it comes to the possibility of a global biological hazard (considering ... Read review
Directed by Academy Award winner Robert Wise, this compelling account of the earth's first ... more
biological crisis is perhaps the most chillingly realistic science fiction thriller ever made. After an errant satellite crashes to earth near a remote New Mexic...
Directed with clinical precision by Academy Award winner Robert Wise this compelling ... more
account of the Earth's first biological crisis is perhaps the most chillingly realistic science fiction thriller ever made. After an errant satellite crashes to earth...
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A space probe designed to collect organisms and dust for study falls to earth in a ... more
desolate area of north-eastern Arizona. In a nearby town bodies lie flung about faces frozen in surprise. The terror has begun. This bestseller is by the author of "Jurassic Park".
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Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
Science Fiction - Director: Hiroyuki Yamaga - Original Language: Japanese - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Ayako Kawasumi, Fujiko Takimoto
Advantages: Good past paced movie, good effects and plot Disadvantages: Jumps about between past and present at times
Based on the book by Michael Crichton 'The Andromeda Strain' is a very good science fiction film. Like so many science fiction films, it was made in 1970, with good special effect a fast moving plot and a chilling realism when it comes to the possibility of a global biological hazard (considering the fact that we have had Bird Flu already) has become more of a problem than nuclear war.
The Andromeda Strain (1970)
Directed ... ...Stood Still)
The story....
A satellite returning to Earth with the mission of collecting space dust, collects something more deadly, and when the satellite goes off course and lands next to a remote New Mexico Village called Piedmont. The villagers curious about the find, take it to their village doctor, who promptly opens it. At this point he was doomed, together with the rest of the village.
Based on the book by Michael Crichton 'The Andromeda Strain' is a very good science fiction film. Like so many science fiction films, it was made in 1970, with good special effect a fast moving plot and a chilling realism when it comes to the possibility of a global biological hazard (considering the fact that we have had Bird Flu already) has become more of a problem than nuclear war.
The Andromeda Strain (1970)
Directed Robert Wise (Star Trek - Motion Picture / Day The Earth Stood Still)
The story....
A satellite returning to Earth with the mission of collecting space dust, collects something more deadly, and when the satellite goes off course and lands next to a remote New Mexico Village called Piedmont. The villagers curious about the find, take it to their village doctor, who promptly opens it. At this point he was doomed, together with the rest of the village.
The American Air force recovery team approach to find the village a graveyard, but continue on to recover the satellite. The recovery team die in agony. Major Manchek realises what this means and sets about the activation of Project Wildfire.
Project Wildfire was conceived by a leading scientist Dr Jeremy Stone when he wrote a letter to the president recommending a project that was specifically designed to deal with the threat of a biological hazard / disease to the United States. A short while later a facility was built in the desert with five stories hidden beneath the sands. Equipped with a very smart computer and laboratories equipped with the latest gear and a thermo-nuclear device at the core to explode in the event of containment being lost. The centre and personnel specifically chosen for the purpose of examination, classification and destruction of the organism / disease.
Each of the chosen scientists including Dr Mark Hall, Dr Ruth Leavitt, Dr Charles Dutton, are rounded up by the Army and brought to the centre to start work. Meanwhile Dr Hall and Dr Dutton go to Piedmont in suits and look around for the cause of the death and recover the satellite. They then find two people did survive; a baby and a homeless man. Why didn't they die? Are they immune? The questions need answers and it's the teams mission to find the answers and a remedy for this invisible enemy. They order an immediate nuclear detonation in order to destroy the unseen killer, before it spreads.
Later both patients are examined and the bodies of those who have died. They discover that every drop of blood is instantly solidified on contact with the air collected at Piedmont.
Later at the end of the film the bacteria destroys the rubber seals causing the automated alarm system to trigger the count down for the nuclear device to go off. Dr Hall who has a key to stop the device, has to run a gauntlet to get to one of the stations on each level and de-activate the weapon. Incidentally they discover that the weapon wouldn't kill the bacteria but would multiply it.
Conclusion
The film is fast paced and will keep you on the end of your chair especially at the end. Full of effects and super computers, gadgets and photography. It does swap about a bit, from past events to present, but you soon get used to it. The characters are good and have been casted well. The bonus program showing how the film was made is interesting, and shows you the 'behind the scenes' efforts.
Actor / Actresses (main)
Arthur Hill ... Dr. Jeremy Stone David Wayne ... Dr. Charles Dutton James Olson ... Dr. Mark Hall Kate Reid ... Dr. Ruth Leavitt Paula Kelly ... Karen Anson George Mitchell ... Jackson Ramon Bieri ... Maj. Manchek
Running time 2 hours 11 minutes Colour Cert PG
Bonus Material Making of the Andromeda Strain A portrait of Michael Crichton
Advantages: Entertaining, good special-effects, interesting. Disadvantages: None
, they are confronted by something none of them have ever seen. The virus is alien in nature, however, the casing it was in is not alien? it's from earth. As they attempt to decipher the coded message found on the broken casing, hoping that it will give them a clue on how to kill the virus that is quickly mutating and spreading throughout the USA, corrupt military and political officials attempt to cover up their blunders by getting rid of people who know too much? and the next person on their hit list is Jack Nash, the wily journalist who is intent on uncovering the truth.
Based on Michael Crichton's 'The AndromedaStrain', the 2008 mini-series does not follow the original movie nor the book. Although there are similarities, such as the satellite crashing to earth and the two survivors, the virus itself is totally different ...
When a small space probe falls to earth in a remote village of New Mexico, all but two of the town's inhabitants--an infant and an old alcoholic--meet death as their blood turns to powder. After two reconnaissance pilots have also perished, a national state of emergency is declared. The two survivors and the recovered space probe are transported to a mammoth five-story underground laboratory, and a team of scientists--biologist Jeremy Stone (Arthur Hill), microbiologist Ruth Leavitt (Kate Reid), blood chemistry authority Mark Hall (James Olson), and pathologist Charles Dutton (David Wayne)--is swiftly brought to the lab to discover the nature of the deadly organism brought by the space probe. The team is subjected to gruelling hours of precautionary decontamination measures--which are filmed with extraordinary art direction in stunning monochromatic sequences--and informed that the laboratory complex is equipped with an automatic self-destruct device that will be triggered should infection spread. Through exhaustive tests, the team learns that the minute organism, dubbed the ANDROMEDA STRAIN, is alien in nature, and the scientists must quickly find a cure before all of humanity is wiped out. Quietly thrilling, with superb pacing from director Robert Wise, THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, based on the novel by Michael Crichton, is one of the most stylistically beautiful science fiction films ever made.
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