The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Based on the book by Michael Crichton.

Directed by Robert Wise.

Scientists must work frantically to neutralise an infected village, knowing that the smallest infection will cause their laboratory to self-destruct.
 
Originally posted by david676
Based on the book by Michael Crichton.

Directed by Robert Wise.

Scientists must work frantically to neutralise an infected village, knowing that the smallest infection will cause their laboratory to self-destruct.
Click to expand...

Yes, and survived the book-to-movie process better than some of Crichton's other works.

The movie was probably a bit before its time. Remember a few years ago when the general public finally became aware of the real threat of viruses we cannot control? And books like The Coming Plague and The Hot Zonewere popular, along with similarly-themed movies?


lttle star :)
 
I read that the 'Ebola' virus is not much of a threat as a plague, precisely because it is so deadly, people become very ill and die before they have time to infect many other people, it acts so fast.

Plagues such as the 'Black Death' which wiped out 14th Century Europe acted on the immune system, much as AIDS does. A TV programme said that people decended directly from 'Black Death' survivors carry a genetic immunity to AIDS.
 
The Andomeda Strain is an extraordinary film and is very relevant to todays audience. A film about contamination and containment--subjects we are more and more concerned with. It is a cold/clinical look at what is involved in "sorting " this problem. We feel the danger and frustration of it all. I still think it's scary stuff - yes?
 
This is a great movie. Very suspenseful, and looks beautiful. I am always reminded of staying up all night cramming for uni exams when it is on for some reason.

I liked the cranky old woman - she totally cracked me up - at one point she makes some comment about her 'alabaster body' which still makes me chuckle even though I can't remember it exactly.

Does anyone remember exactly how it ends?
 
Which bit?

The bomb is stopped with 8 seconds remaining (a cliche missed!:lol:)
Meantime the infectious virus cloud is seeded with alkaline and heads out to sea to be absorbed.

It is a cracking film though and I agree well before its time.
 
Aaaah. I kind of remember. The auto-destruct sequence gets set off, but they manage to shut it down in time. There's a scene there where our hero (sorry, I forget the character's name) is climbing up a ladder and being targeted by lasers - I remember that being incredibly frightening. I was sure he wasn't going to make it.

Did they discover that the virus was quite easy to defeat in the end, or did it lose its potency naturally?
 
The virus required a very neutral ph in which to live and breed. Something that was missed by the crumbling old bird in her tests because the results flashed at her in red, which set her fits off (I can't remember names either ;)).

Hence the solution to let it drift out to sea and bomb it with peroxide
 
This is still my favorite biohazard from space movie next to 1968 film Night of the Living Dead. A friend of mine has the original album soundtrack, which included a replica of the "red key" from the movie. I love that eerie electronic and haunting music sorce from the film.

Michael Crichton wanted a cameo in the movie, but since he is so tall, he had to be seated in his small scene.
 
As a die hard SF fan for 30 odd years, i can't believe that i haven't seen this yet. I did go through a classic SF phase last year, but wasn't able to get the original movie on DVD for some reason. (I have a copy of the remake, but i wanted to watch the two side by side to compare.)

I'm off to play.com to see if i can get a copy. :)
 
clovis-man said:
Whatever you do, avoid the 2008 remake.
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Thanks for the warning. I was very curious if the remake was any good. I remember at the time it was released there was a great deal of advertising for it, but I suppose that was all hype.
 
Starbeast said:
Thanks for the warning. I was very curious if the remake was any good. I remember at the time it was released there was a great deal of advertising for it, but I suppose that was all hype.
Click to expand...

To say it was "glacial" would be giving it too much credit.
 
Agreed. Just this side of unwatchable. (I'm speaking of the remake of course)
 
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