MovieMonday.com - The Andromeda Strain with Arthur Hill, David Wayne, James Olson, Kate Reid, Paula Kelly

Techno Films

The Andromeda Strain (A-)

STARS...
Arthur Hill, David Wayne, James Olson, Kate Reid, and Paula Kelly.

PLOT SUMMARY...
A space satellite carries a deadly virus back to Earth, where it wipes out everybody in a small town, except an old man and a baby.

QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "The Stand". The multi-level, isolation lab set, courtesy of Production Designer, Boris Leven, is impressive. The views of the Andromeda Strain virus, provided by FX guys, Douglas Trumbull and James Short, are pretty cool. This film, in retrospect, offers a spooky prophecy of the current AIDS epidemic.

DIRECTOR: Robert Wise

YEAR & RATING: 1971 (G)
SYNOPSIS...
A U.S. space probe lands near a small town. Soon, most of the residents of that town die.

A special, scientific team is called to a secret, underground installation, to study the problem. The probe, under examinations proves to contain a deadly space virus.

The virus begins to mutate at an alarming rate, threatening those in the station, as well as the world at large. Eventually, the alien virus mutates into a harmless form.

Review:

Director Robert Wise ("The Day the Earth Stood Still") working from a Screenplay by Nelson Gidding (based on the novel by Michael Crichton) delivered THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, a classic of realistic Sci-Fi.

When a U.S. satellite comes to Earth in Piedmont, New Mexico, a government team is sent to retrieve it. They are surprised to find the town apparently lifeless. When they drive into town, they find bodies littered everywhere.

Director Wise makes good use of an oscilloscope showing the guy's voices as they talk to home base. When the guys stop talking, and the oscilloscope line goes flat, we know they're dead. While not an elaborate Special Effect, it is quite visual, and very effective.

Wise wastes no time pulling together a special scientific/medical team to deal with the emergency: team head, Arthur Hill, ("Harper"), is escorted by armed military men from his home, after being told curtly, "There's a fire, sir." Surgeon James Olson, ("Rachel, Rachel"), is yanked away from an operation just as he's about to cut into a patient. Each such scene is crisp, suspenseful and moves the action forward.

Soon, scientists in white, astronaut like environment suits are sent to Piedmont, New Mexico to investigate. They find many dead bodies. A scene where a scientist cuts into the arm of a dead person, only to have red, dried, sand like blood pour out of the cut has real impact. The only people found alive are an old man and a baby. Why these two survived an epidemic that killed everyone else in town is a neat mystery that keeps the viewer guessing throughout much of the film.

Meanwhile, at a special, multi-level underground base, the team is assembled and the old man and child brought in and kept in special sealed rooms. The multi-level base set, created by Production Designer Boris Leven, is a visual treat, with its sleek, futuristic surfaces and its color coded levels. (Such places like this actually exist, but they're probably not this cool looking!)

As the scientists examine the satellite, they eventually find a microscopic virus brought back to Earth from space. Named "Andromeda Strain", we get great crystalline views of the virus, courtesy of FX wizards, Douglas Trumbull and James Short.

The Music, by Gil Melle, establishes an eerie, otherworldly tone, during the opening credits, a mood which it maintains throughout the film.

My favorite scene in the film is when James Olson must climb up a steel shaft, and dodge laser beams, in order to deactivate a nuclear bomb set to go off in mere minutes. Unlike films like "Goldfinger," the lasers here look quite realistic. You can almost feel the pain when one of the beams sears through Olson's cheek!

If you like your Sci-Fi realistic, as opposed to bizarre looking aliens, and wild dogfights in space, this is the film for you. THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN should be very watchable for most Sci-Fi fans.

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The Andromeda Strain (A-)
	STARS... Arthur Hill, David Wayne, James Olson, Kate Reid, and Paula Kelly. PLOT SUMMARY... A space satellite carries a deadly virus back to Earth, where it wipes out everybody in a small town, except an old man and a baby. QUICK SCAN... This film could be compared to "The Stand". The multi-level, isolation lab set, courtesy of Production Designer, Boris Leven, is impressive. The views of the Andromeda Strain virus, provided by FX guys, Douglas Trumbull and James Short, are pretty cool. This film, in retrospect, offers a spooky prophecy of the current AIDS epidemic.
DIRECTOR: Robert Wise YEAR & RATING: 1971 (G)	SYNOPSIS... A U.S. space probe lands near a small town. Soon, most of the residents of that town die. A special, scientific team is called to a secret, underground installation, to study the problem. The probe, under examinations proves to contain a deadly space virus. The virus begins to mutate at an alarming rate, threatening those in the station, as well as the world at large. Eventually, the alien virus mutates into a harmless form.
Review: Director Robert Wise ("The Day the Earth Stood Still") working from a Screenplay by Nelson Gidding (based on the novel by Michael Crichton) delivered THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, a classic of realistic Sci-Fi. When a U.S. satellite comes to Earth in Piedmont, New Mexico, a government team is sent to retrieve it. They are surprised to find the town apparently lifeless. When they drive into town, they find bodies littered everywhere. Director Wise makes good use of an oscilloscope showing the guy's voices as they talk to home base. When the guys stop talking, and the oscilloscope line goes flat, we know they're dead. While not an elaborate Special Effect, it is quite visual, and very effective. Wise wastes no time pulling together a special scientific/medical team to deal with the emergency: team head, Arthur Hill, ("Harper"), is escorted by armed military men from his home, after being told curtly, "There's a fire, sir." Surgeon James Olson, ("Rachel, Rachel"), is yanked away from an operation just as he's about to cut into a patient. Each such scene is crisp, suspenseful and moves the action forward. Soon, scientists in white, astronaut like environment suits are sent to Piedmont, New Mexico to investigate. They find many dead bodies. A scene where a scientist cuts into the arm of a dead person, only to have red, dried, sand like blood pour out of the cut has real impact. The only people found alive are an old man and a baby. Why these two survived an epidemic that killed everyone else in town is a neat mystery that keeps the viewer guessing throughout much of the film. Meanwhile, at a special, multi-level underground base, the team is assembled and the old man and child brought in and kept in special sealed rooms. The multi-level base set, created by Production Designer Boris Leven, is a visual treat, with its sleek, futuristic surfaces and its color coded levels. (Such places like this actually exist, but they're probably not this cool looking!) As the scientists examine the satellite, they eventually find a microscopic virus brought back to Earth from space. Named "Andromeda Strain", we get great crystalline views of the virus, courtesy of FX wizards, Douglas Trumbull and James Short. The Music, by Gil Melle, establishes an eerie, otherworldly tone, during the opening credits, a mood which it maintains throughout the film. My favorite scene in the film is when James Olson must climb up a steel shaft, and dodge laser beams, in order to deactivate a nuclear bomb set to go off in mere minutes. Unlike films like "Goldfinger," the lasers here look quite realistic. You can almost feel the pain when one of the beams sears through Olson's cheek! If you like your Sci-Fi realistic, as opposed to bizarre looking aliens, and wild dogfights in space, this is the film for you. THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN should be very watchable for most Sci-Fi fans.