Starring
Arthur Hill who played Dr. Jeremy Stone, the group leader investigating the probe
I am very familiar with Mr. Hill, so I looked him up. Mr. Hill starred from 1971 to 1974 in the television series Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law. Another of his television roles was Grandpa Lansford Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie (1976) and the narration of Something Wicked This Way Comes1, a 1983 film based on the novel by Ray Bradbury2
James Olson who played the Doctor and was the Odd Man
The Odd Man means he qualified as the one to shut off the nuclear bomb at the facility they were in. This was because he was a single male. Would a single man be more clear-minded? This idea shows the age of the film
Kate Reid who played Dr. Ruth Leavitt
She was given the role of a male scientist who was changed to a cranky female scientist in the trio called to investigate the killer virus gene. This woman is so like my grandmother: bold, unafraid, and funny. She reminded me of my father’s mother. Dad was a kind and quiet man, not anything like his mother who was a character in her own right
David Wayne who played Dr. Charles Dutton
This actor has been in many movies and is a very recognizable character actor
Paula Kelly who played Nurse Karen Anson
She also played the new Furniture in Soylent Green
George Mitchell who Played Peter Jackson, a 69-year-old alcoholic who drinks ‘Squeeze’
Robert Wise who Produced and directed this film
His well-known films are West Side Story (1961), The Sound of Music (1965), Citizen Kane (1941) (considered to be the best film ever), The Sand Pebbles (1966), and my favorite, The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Michael Crichton who wrote the novel (1969) which the movie was based on
The 11 Best Movies based on Michael Crichton Books, Ranked3
1. Jurassic Park (1993)
2. The Great Train Robbery (1978)
3. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
4. Congo (1995)
5. The Terminal Man (1994)
6. Disclosure (1994)
7. The Andromeda Strain (1971)
8. The 13th Warrior (1999
9. Rising Sun (1993)
10. Sphere (1998)
11. Timeline (2003)
Synopsis of the film– a satellite crashes back on Earth in the remote town of Piedmont, New Mexico. Everyone but two people have died; their blood crystallized into a powder. A trio of scientists, led by Dr. Stone, are brought into an underground research station evidently made for an event like this. Step by step, they investigate the satellite’s contents as they battle their own demons. The tension builds well. In fact, the theaters didn’t allow entry (Ew!!) for the film’s last few minutes. Lots of fun. Very well done with modern facilities and believable problems.
My comments– It is well worth the watch. Be forewarned: It is very ‘science speak’. It has excellent pacing and is considered up-to-date for the time. In fact, it is so up-to-date that I shudder to think what is ‘up-to-date’ now.
©JM Strasser April 22, 2024 All Rights Reserved
Places to stream
Rent on:
Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, VUDU, Microsoft, and YouTube
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Hill_(Canadian_actor)
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-andromeda-strain-1971
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Andromeda_Strain_(film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wise
Footnotes
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Hill_(Canadian_actor)
2. https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/ray-bradbury-books
3. https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2557339/the-best-movies-based-on-michael-crichton-books-ranked
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