Andromeda

Robert Wise is an under rated director but in his body of work are such gems as 'The Body Snatcher', 'The Set-Up', 'The Day the Earth Stood Still', 'Odds Against Tomorrow', 'The Haunting', 'West Side Story', 'I Want to Live!' and on its own terms, 'The Sound of Music'. He managed to make genre films more interesting and watchable than other more celebrated directors.

'The Andromeda Strain' is an engrossing film from beginning to end. It is science fiction, alien virus comes to earth type thing, but has more depth than just that. The scientists, played very well by Arthur Hill, David Wayne, Kate Reid and James Olson, are fallible and have real emotions. Yet in them is a longing to know, to discover, to solve. Most popular cinema celebrate the fist or the gun but part of the excitement of this film is the use of the intellect to tackle the problem. Brains and not brawn is key.

The early scenes in the town of Piedmont are fascinating. Nothing dramatic, only small details adding up to a large tragedy. Restrained film making is not common but in this case it is really effective. After these scenes the film moves on as fear and wonder grip the scientists to a satisfying conclusion.

The electronic music is just right, the sets are atmospheric, the hard ware plausible and the photography simple and effective. A mention should be made of Paula Kelly as a nurse, an excellent actor and shamefully under used in films. (She is great in 'Sweet Charity' too.)In a supporting role she gives an intelligent, spirited performance.

A near perfect film. Hopefully no one will re-make it.

These "old" science fiction movies always have a certain special tension and atmosphere like "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Capricorn One". Something I sometimes miss in todays movies.

Sure the pace is slow, especially the beginning but that's what helps to build up the tension. It certainly makes the race against time ending even more suspenseful.

The style of the movie can be called unique. Especially the camera work and editing. It's very experimental, almost Brain De Palma like and I like it a lot. It makes the movie's style special and unique and it adds to the atmosphere.

The story is good and is told in such a way that it actually becomes to some extend believable. With the exception of some clichéd moments and the ending. The movie begins slow and mysterious and builds up the tension extremely well, while the ending itself is quite spectacular and fast. This also makes the movie special and worth remembering. Some of the scene's you will never forget. The virus itself (the adromeda strain) is pretty scary and disturbing, mainly because you don't know what it is or what it does and how it can be stopped.

There are also some nice character played by not so well known actors. What's great about the characters is that they all feel very human and not perfect. I like the fact that they don't all like each other and don't always agree.

A classic science fiction/thriller that deserves to be better known.

8/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

OK. I'm reading these reviews and I keep seeing the same things. Its shows its age. What ? That's like saying the aircraft in a WWII movie show their age. Of course it shows its age - this was the 1970s. Did you expect to see Pentium 4s with DVD Drives? If thats you main criticism then the movie must be good.

It is good. Probably one of the most realistic and suspenseful movies of its kind ever made. Though PURSUIT was pretty good as well. Robert Wise does a very good job of building the story in a leisurely pace that keep you rivetted. I've seen the movie now about a dozen times and it still keeps me interested. Its not one of those movies where you can stop it and watch the remainder the next day. It has to watched in one sitting. I think the casting of ordinary Joes in the leads was very telling. This is a story about science not about characters.

It will be interesting to see what they will do with the remake. Obviously the story is still relevant today - maybe even more so then in the late 60s.

I saw this movie quite a while ago, but it made a cracking impression on me. Really if you like 60/70 sci-fi movies this is definitely the movie youve been searching for. Brilliant camerawork ,acting, scenary. And the story is so *****in good. Its too bad they dont make these anymore nowadays.

Believe me if i tell you that im a very critical moviefanatic but this movie is really the best sci-fi movie after A space Odyssey 2001.

9+ / 10 GREAT!!!!

Well on second hand 10 / 10

A satellite from the SCOOP project has crashed into the desert town of Piedmont, the SCOOP project basically entails that the satellite scoops outer space for any alien micro-organisms. After the crash all the residents of Piedmont are killed with the exception of a baby and an old gentleman booze hound. Mankind is on the verge of being destroyed by a leaked alien virus, so a crack team of scientists are gathered in the hope of containing and understanding the virus before the world gets devoid of human life!

Taken from the novel by Michael Crichton, this film is a wonderful lesson in tension building as we follow the scientists through a carefully structured sci-fi plot that will eventually become a race against time thriller. What makes The Andromeda Strain stand out against other genre pieces is the astute and believable approach to the subject matter, we are (in the main) in the presence of proper scientists. There's no super hero tricks forthcoming from these people, these are sensible honest intelligent folk using their combined knowledge to hopefully save the planet? A masterstroke from the makers is that they used largely unknown actors for the film, this gives the story an added grounded believable factor, thus a very useful way of drawing the audience into the drama unfolding. The direction from Robert Wise is very clued in for serio narrative drive, the set design for the underground research facility is top notch, and the actors all give stoic and intelligent performances.

However, it's not without a niggle, for after the excellence of the films first two thirds, it's disappointing to find that the final act reverts to type, which somehow seems misplaced given what the viewer has just been through. Don't get me wrong, it's a fine sequence of events that fuels the dramatic slant, but it comes off as just a bit too glossy in light of the preceding structure. Still, The Andromeda Strain is an intelligent, smart, mature, and knowing film that is standing the test of time for being a great piece of science fiction cinema. 8/10