Starring: Arthur Hill, David Wayne, James Olson, Kate Reid, Paula Kelly Directed By: Robert Wise Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: G (General Audience) Binding: DVD Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Universal Studios Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: April 01, 2003 Running Time: 131 minutes Theatrical Release Date: March 12, 1971
Amazon.com: The best-selling novel by Michael Crichton was faithfully adapted for this taut 1971 thriller, about a team of scientists racing against time to destroy a deadly alien virus that threatens to wipe out life on Earth. As usual with any Crichton-based movie, the emphasis is on an exciting clash between nature and science, beginning when virologists discover the outer-space virus in a tiny town full of corpses. Projecting total contamination, the scientists isolate the deadly strain in a massive, high-tech underground lab facility, which is rigged for nuclear destruction if the virus is not successfully controlled. The movie spends a great deal of time covering the scientific procedures of the high-pressure investigation, and the rising tensions between scientists who have been forced to work in claustrophobic conditions. It's all very fascinating if you're interested in scientific method and technological advances, although the film is obviously dated in many of its details. It's more effective as a thriller in which tension is derived not only from the deadly threat of the virus, but from the escalating fear and anxiety among the small group of people who've been assigned to save the human race. The basic premise is still captivating; it's easy to see how this became the foundation of Crichton's science-thriller empire. --Jeff Shannon
Sci Fi at its Best Made in the 70's, this movie still has the suspense and good acting as it did when it was first released. Moreover, the film does a masterful job of staying close to the book. Indeed, having read the book, I feel I can make this statement with a clear conscience. Whether the newer made for TV version of the Michael Crichton book is better, I will leave for the younger reader to decide
Good Movie Loved this movie. It kept me interested from start to finish. It's far better than the TV rendition.
unpressed After watching the one on TV i was disappointed in this one.Not enough gore for me and the girls were much better looking on the one on TV.I guess this is what happens when you get old.
DRAMA WASNT AS EXCITING AS I REMEMBER AS A YOUGIN BUT STILL INTERESTING MOVIE
The original outdoes the new version I saw Robert Wise's version of "The Andromeda Strain" when it first came out and I was immediately impressed by it. I hadn't read the book (for comparison purposes), but the movie had a continual level of subdued suspense that made it fascinating to watch. The use of so-called "non-stars," a conscious choice on the part of the director, turned out to be a good choice. The solid acting from the cast gave the feel of "real" people dealing with an unthinkably unreal situation. I was prompted by the showing of A&E's new version to finally read the book, as well as to purchase this DVD of the original and I must say that I still stand by the original. Though minor detail changes were made by Robert Wise in this version, they were unobtrusive and didn't detract from the original storyline of the novel. In fact, he was really very faithful to the book and the author, Michael Crichton, was pleased overall with the result (according to one of the DVD extras). The new version was the book filtered through Star Trek and the X-Files, changing the plot of the book to include wormholes, messages from the future and a terrorized investigative reporter. Whereas the original movie relied on the subtler tensions of the characters' step-by-step discoveries of the Andromeda Strain's nature and threat, the new version often devolved into "action" sequences and overdone dramatics, especially at the end. The finale of the original version is less involved, yet every bit as exciting. Modern audiences tend to be rather jaded and unimaginative, but if you have the ability to put yourself into the cinematic situation, then you should enjoy the restrained acting and suspenseful pace of this version of "The Andromeda Strain."
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
