Morts suspectes

I just revisited this movie after 25 years and was surprised how well it held up, even given the rather absurd plot and advances in medical technology in the interim. Genevieve Bujold has forever been underused and underrated, and she is simply superb here. And while I wouldn't tarnish Hitchock's reputation by comparing Coma too closely to any of his work, Crichton does a good job of maintaining suspense. I love the scene where Richard Widmark explains the crazy rationale behind it all, and we see it through Bujold's drug-addled eyes, which somehow makes it more palatable than if we were watching it straight.

And I love all the cameos -- Lois Chiles! Tom Selleck! Ed Harris! Many other recognizable faces. Elizabeth Ashley is so over-the-top she's camp. All in all, a fun movie.

In COMA, petite heroine Genevieve Bujold shows you don't have to be an amazon like Sigourney Weaver or Lucy Lawless to get physical with the bad guys. Set against a hospital backdrop ranking in verisimilitude with that of THE HOSPITAL (the only other accurate medical drama of the 1970's), this is a gripping thriller even on repeat viewing over twenty years later. Bujold's acting has been mentioned by other reviewers, but I would award special accolades to Richard Widmark, whose character's unctuous avuncularity is executed with superb subtlety. Plus, he even comports himself just like a real physician of seniority.

I do have a few complaints, not least of which is the gratuitous and grossly inaccurate portrayal of clinical lab personnel and the laboratory environment. Shame on Crichton, who must have missed out on visiting the lab through his entire tenure as a medical student. The laserdisc transfer is technically one of the worst I have in my collection. The monaural soundtrack is overdriven and distorted; the colors are washed out; and careless unmasking of the print (COMA is not letterboxed) results in visible boom mikes in several shots.

Still, this is a classic film, and anyone who wants to get up to speed on medical movies wouldn't want to exclude COMA.

From now on I'm staying away from hospitals, no matter how cute the nurses, and especially if they stick something up my nose. The movie may be a one-track screenplay, but it's a first- rate thriller accelerating suspense by the minute. So what the heck is going on at this prestige hospital where too many folks are collapsing into comas after ordinary procedures. From the marquee, you'd expect Michael Douglas (Dr. Mark) to be the heroic bloodhound. But he's not. Instead, it's a she, sweet looking, little Bujold (Dr.Wheeler) who takes all the risks from climbing into the clouds to burying assassins in a pile of cadavers—an unforgettable scene. Underneath the riveting suspense, this is really a sneaky feminist-type film.

I really like the way we can never be sure about Douglas. Sometimes he's helpful and affectionate, but then there are the darker fleeting moments that add a good unsettling note. At the same time, the great Richard Widmark (Dr. Harris) is suavely slimy as the head doctor. And what about that Jefferson Institute. It may be the most sinister looking modern building I've seen, more like a futuristic prison, which I guess it is. Anyway, there are a number of unforgettably imaginative scenes that, along with a riveting screenplay, make this a first-rate nail-biter.

I decided to pick up this film originally because it was an early Michael Douglas movie, and Michael Crighton wrote and directed this screenplay. By the cover it had all the elements for a great movie, and the movie brought no disappointment. It was absolutely intriguing and brilliantly filmed. The background of the cold sterile hospital was haunting and perfect. Each actor whether big or small brought a twist to the story. The main character who played Dr. Susan Wheeler was perfect as the stern, and cold Doctor who's best friend goes in for a routine operation and then is rendered into a mysterious brain dead Coma. Dr. Wheeler begins to notice strange "coincidences" around the hospital and starts to investigate other "Coma" cases. What she unravels is a top secret plot that goes right to the very top. The story unravels perfectly and the tension and clues are superb. You can't get a much better 2 hour movie. It's definately a movie that you might be tempted to pass by but it's worth renting. Michael Douglas is even great, although only in it as a supporting character, as Dr. Wheeler's Doctor boyfriend who she tries to convince something terrible is going on within the hospital. You never know who might be involved in this plot and you're waiting for it all to unravel. The only negative aspect of this movie was the ending happens very very quickly, kind of leaves you feeling a little hurried but still an first class movie. Also look for Tom Selleck portraying a patient/dead body. You can't go wrong with this movie. 8/10

Not for those who fear the medical profession, this creepy thriller takes it's time getting started, but then kicks into high gear. It creates a mood and builds suspense to an almost unbearable degree. Elfin Bujold (sporting a truly unappealing hairstyle) is Dr. Susan Wheeler, a principled, dedicated intern at a major hospital. She begins to notice a disturbing trend...that folks with purportedly minor surgeries are not coming out of their operations conscious. From this point on, it is virtually Bujold against the world as a gallery of sexist, condescending doctors (including her own lover Douglas) tries to poo-poo her findings or encourage her to lay off. Naturally, she can't leave well enough alone and is soon up to her ears in intrigue and violence. The film has a blatantly frank point of view. People eat sandwiches while they are examining cadavers. Brains are sliced like deli meat. It's all very clinical and unsettling to non-medical viewers. There are several highly-charged moments including a duct hole exploration and a chase through a seemingly abandoned hospital. Jerry Goldsmith's clanking score doesn't take center stage until late in the film, but is wonderfully nerve-wracking when it needs to be. Bujold and the Chief of Staff Widmark make wonderful counterparts as they come from different generations and different eras of medicine. Best of all is the brief, but unforgettable, appearance of Ashley as the world's most intimidating nurse. In her opening scene she blinks exactly once! Her voice is a monotone terror and her stare is up there with Medusa's. The section that contains her is surreal, but arresting and very campy! Adding to the fun is a series of small appearances by people like Torn, Chiles, Selleck and Harris. This is a frightening film with some memorable imagery and a startling amount of skin for a PG film.