Tango01 | 11 Nov 2014 11:14 a.m. PST |
" "The Andromeda Strain" is a great movie that still holds up as a sci-fi techno thriller 43 years after it's release. Directed by Robert Wise ('The Day the Earth Stood Still') this classic is the original story of averting a doomsday from an alien virus. The camera work and sound-track are first rate. Most of the action takes place in a deeply buried bio-lab bunker. The climax comes when the bug gets loose, triggering an automatic nuclear self-destruct protocol. Realizing that instead of destroying the contagion the fission blast will only nourish it (yeh, well sci-fi) there is a nail biting race to disarm the self-destruct. Only one of the visiting VIP scientists has the key to halt the countdown. The explanation reads like a Strategic Air Command reliability study: "Hall and Leavitt enter a conference room where Stone and Burton are already present. Stone explains that at the lowest level of the lab is a nuclear device. This is just in case that all five levels of the facility become contaminated. Stone has made it ready for detonation with his key, and his key cannot be removed. When detonation is ordered, there is a five-minute period during which it can be called off but only if Hall uses his key. No one else can do so. Hall is given this crucial role, Stone explains, because of the Odd Man Theory. He hands Hall the missing page from the Scoop file that explains the theory. Research showed that single men made more reliable and correct decisions than married men. Therefore the final decision on whether to detonate the atomic weapon rests with Hall, who is single."
YouTube link Do you remember? (smile) Amicalement Armand |
skippy0001 | 11 Nov 2014 11:23 a.m. PST |
Great movie. Loved the installation. Never saw the remake. Liked the code phrase: "There's been a fire." |
Dynaman8789 | 11 Nov 2014 11:49 a.m. PST |
> Never saw the remake. Do yourself a favor and NEVER DO… The original is one of my favorites. |
Lion in the Stars | 11 Nov 2014 12:53 p.m. PST |
There was a remake? I think I caught bits and pieces of the original way back when… |
jpattern2 | 11 Nov 2014 1:29 p.m. PST |
I've seen the original at least a dozen times. Excellent movie. No plans to ever see the remake. |
RavenscraftCybernetics | 11 Nov 2014 1:36 p.m. PST |
I had no idea there was a remake. |
Saber6 | 11 Nov 2014 1:47 p.m. PST |
Great book to. IIRC Michael Chricton's first |
Robert666 | 11 Nov 2014 2:09 p.m. PST |
Top film, apart from some clunky old computer systems, this film has aged really well if you watch it in its comtempary setting. |
Ragbones | 11 Nov 2014 2:28 p.m. PST |
Great movie. This is one of my all-time favorites along with Colossus: The Forbin Project. |
MHoxie | 11 Nov 2014 2:45 p.m. PST |
"Hell of a way to run a hospital!" |
Dynaman8789 | 11 Nov 2014 3:43 p.m. PST |
the remake was a made for TV movie or mini-series done within the last ten years or so. When it stuck with the original it was fine. [spoiler] – when it veered off into buckyballs and time travel it went totally off the rails. |
capncarp | 11 Nov 2014 5:55 p.m. PST |
I loved the sign/countersign at the Agricultural Research Station: Station Ranger:"Howdy" Dr. Leavitt: "Howdy-Doody" |
JammerMan | 11 Nov 2014 10:28 p.m. PST |
another vote for great classic film. Keep the remake away. |
hocklermp5 | 12 Nov 2014 3:47 a.m. PST |
Encouraged by the above I rented the 1971 version and it is still as good as it was when I watched it many years ago. |
TNE2300 | 12 Nov 2014 5:56 a.m. PST |
"> Never saw the remake. Do yourself a favor and NEVER DO…" I agree with the POSSIBLE exception of the chainsaw scene: YouTube link |
grommet37 | 12 Nov 2014 11:35 p.m. PST |
Loved this movie when it first came out. Saw it at a Saturday afternoon matinee when it came out. I was, 9, 10 years old, loved science fiction, loved science fiction movies, loved Saturday afternoon matinees. Between this and Silent Running, I thought we were in for a Golden Age of Hard Science Fiction Films. Then this science fantasy serial yarn came out called Star Wars… |