The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Michael Crichton (novel)
Nelson Gidding (screenplay)

Release Date:

12 March 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The picture runs 130 minutes!... The story covers 96 of the most critical hours in man's history!... The suspense will last through your lifetime!

Plot:

A group of scientists investigate a deadly new alien virus before it can spread.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Alien | Baby | Satellite | Virus

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Arthur Hill	...	Dr. Jeremy Stone
David Wayne	...	Dr. Charles Dutton
James Olson	...	Dr. Mark Hall
Kate Reid	...	Dr. Ruth Leavitt
Paula Kelly	...	Karen Anson
George Mitchell	...	Jackson
Ramon Bieri	...	Major Manchek
Peter Hobbs	...	General Sparks
Kermit Murdock	...	Dr. Robertson
Richard O'Brien	...	Grimes
Eric Christmas	...	Senator from Vermont
Mark Jenkins	...	Lt. Shawn (Piedmont team)
Peter Helm	...	Sgt. Crane (Piedmont team)
Joe Di Reda	...	Wildfire Computer Sgt. Burk (as Joe DiReda)
Carl Reindel	...	Lt. Comroe
Ken Swofford	...	Toby (technician)
Frances Reid	...	Clara Dutton
Richard Bull	...	Air Force Major
John Carter	...	MP Capt. Morton
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Ballantyne	...	Hospital Director (uncredited)
Ivor Barry	...	Murray (uncredited)
Joe Billings	...	Scientist (uncredited)
Patty Bodeen	...	Girl (uncredited)
Michael Bow	...	MP at Stone's (uncredited)
Walter Brooke	...	Assistant to Cabinet Secretary (uncredited)
Susan Brown	...	Allison Stone (uncredited)
Jan Burrell	...	Mother - Piedmont (uncredited)
Dee Carroll	...	Technician (uncredited)
Duke Cigrang	...	Father - Piedmont (uncredited)
Rhodie Cogan	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Michael Crichton	...	Bearded Surgeon (uncredited)
Lisa Daniels	...	Woman (uncredited)
Sandra de Bruin	...	Technician (uncredited)
Bill Dunbar	...	Vandenberg AFB Sergeant (uncredited)
Harold Dyrenforth	...	(uncredited)
Walker Edmiston	...	Voice (uncredited) (voice)
Sandra Ego	...	Girl (uncredited)
Don Ellis	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Judy Farrell	...	Pam (uncredited)
Lance Fuller	...	Man (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	...	Dempsey - Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
Sheila Jo Guthrie	...	Girl - Piedmont (uncredited)
Ray Harris	...	Scientist (uncredited)
Rob Hughes	...	Air Force Technician (uncredited)
Jason Johnson	...	Dr. Benedict (uncredited)
Bart La Rue	...	Medic Captain (uncredited)
Jamie Lamb	...	Boy - Piedmont (uncredited)
Glenn Langan	...	Cabinet Secretary (uncredited)
Johnny Lee	...	Boy (uncredited)
Theodore Lehmann	...	Scientist (uncredited)
Tom McDonough	...	Stetson (uncredited)
David McLean	...	Sen. McKenzie (New Mexico) (uncredited)
Cliff Medaugh	...	Civilian (uncredited)
Don Messick	...	Alarm Voice (uncredited)
Victoria Paige Meyerink	...	(uncredited)
Midori	...	Bess - Lab Technician (uncredited)
Carl B. Morrison	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Robert 'Bob' Olen	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Francisco Ortega	...	Gateman at Agricultural Center (uncredited)
Emory Parnell	...	Pete 'Old Doughboy' Arnold (uncredited)
Michael Pataki	...	Operator of 'The Hands' (uncredited)
Alma Platt	...	Woman (uncredited)
Quinn K. Redeker	...	Capt. Morris (uncredited)
Clark Savage	...	M.P. Sergeant (uncredited)
Georgia Schmidt	...	Old Lady - Piedmont (uncredited)
Reuben Singer	...	Dr. Rudolph Karp (uncredited)
Robert Soto	...	Manuel Rios - Baby (uncredited)
Gilchrist Stuart	...	Man (uncredited)
Joan Swift	...	Decontamination Receptionist (uncredited)
Lorna Thayer	...	Woman (uncredited)
Garry Walberg	...	Technician (uncredited)
Len Wayland	...	Utah Crash Site Officer (uncredited)
Gary Waynesmith	...	Air Force Technician (uncredited)
Russ Whiteman	...	Civilian (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Wise

Writing credits
Michael Crichton		(novel)
Nelson Gidding		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Wise	....	producer

Original Music by
Gil Melle		(as Gil Mellé)

Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stuart Gilmore
John W. Holmes

Production Design by
Boris Leven

Art Direction by
William H. Tuntke		(as William Tuntke)

Set Decoration by
Ruby R. Levitt		(as Ruby Levitt)

Makeup Department
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist
Richard Blair	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Carol Scarlatti	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Ernest B. Wehmeyer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ridgeway Callow	....	assistant director
Walter Dominguez	....	assistant director trainee (uncredited)
James Fargo	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Thomas J. Wright	....	production illustrator
Frank Barbero	....	third assistant props (uncredited)
Jack Hamilton	....	second assistant props (uncredited)
Ed Keyes	....	prop master (uncredited)

Sound Department
James R. Alexander	....	sound (as James Alexander)
Ronald Pierce	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound
Jack Danskin	....	mikeman (uncredited)
William Griffith	....	recordist (uncredited)
Joseph Kite	....	cableman (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Whitey McMahon	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jamie Shourt	....	special photographic effects (as James Shourt)
Douglas Trumbull	....	special photographic effects
Albert Whitlock	....	matte supervisor
John Whitney Sr.	....	early video effects for film (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric D. Andersen	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Larry Barbier	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Mike Benson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
James R. Connell	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Everett Lehman	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Joseph Praskins	....	best boy (uncredited)
Karl Reed	....	key grip (uncredited)
Kenneth Smith	....	second grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Colvig	....	costumes
Robert Ellsworth	....	costumer: men (uncredited)
George Harrington	....	costumer: men (uncredited)
Grace Kuhn	....	costumer: ladies (uncredited)

Music Department
Gordon Clark	....	music engineering
Allan Sohl	....	music engineering

Transportation Department
Sol Goldberg	....	driver captain (uncredited)

Other crew
W.M. Blackmore	....	animal sequences filmed under supervision of: The American Humane Assn.
Attila De Lado	....	titles & opticals: Universal Title (as Attila de Lado)
Richard Green	....	technical advisor (as Dr. Richard Green)
George Hobby	....	technical advisor
Marie Kenney	....	script supervisor
William Koselka	....	technical advisor
Harold Mendelsohn	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents) (as Universal)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1972) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1971) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Cinema Classics (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• DiscoVision (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc) (unreleased)
• Esselte CIC Video (1983) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1990) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  animal sequences filmed under supervision of (as The American Humane Assn.)
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)  scientific background support by (as Cal Tech)
• Central Research Labs  scientific equipment from
• Concord Electronics  scientific equipment from (as Concord Electronics Corp.)
• Du Pont Instrument Products Division  scientific equipment from
• Hollywood Video  TV by
• Honeywell  scientific equipment from (as Honeywell Corp.)
• Image Transform  video effects for film (uncredited)
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory  scientific background support by (as The Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
• Korad Lasers  scientific equipment from
• Perkin-Elmer  scientific equipment from (as Perkin-Elmer Corp.)
• Project Scoop at Vandenberg Air Force Base  we received the generous help of many people attached to
• R.C.A.  scientific equipment from
• Technicon  scientific equipment from (as Technicon Corp.)
• Universal Title  titles and opticals
• Van Waters & Rogers  scientific equipment from
• Wildfire Laboratory  we received the generous help of many people attached to (as Wildfire Laboratory in Flatrock, Nevada)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

131 min | Belgium:115 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (2003) | Canada:G (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:G | West Germany:12 | UK:AA (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Michael Crichton was invited to take a tour of Universal Studios during the production of this film. His guide was none other than Steven Spielberg, who went on to adapt his most successful novel, Jurassic Park (1993).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: James Olson goes under several decontamination procedures. During one early procedure, he has a very thick amount of body hair that looks like it is fake and applied. In a later procedure, the hair is much thinner and more natural. There is no explanation for the changes in hair thickness or texture.

Quotes:

Dr. Mark Hall:Most of them died instantly. A few had time to go quietly nuts.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Stargate SG-1: Message in a Bottle (#2.7)" (1998)

You alread know how it ends

And yet, you just can't help yourself. Under Robert Wise's direction, this tale of microbiological Armageddon unfolds with such perfectly metered suspense that by the 100th viewing, you STILL find yourself glued to your couch. You HAVE to see how it turns out, even though you already know.

Although the film is well over 20 years old, and the computer equipment at the Wildfire laboratory shows its age, this is a perfect change-of-pace film for any movie monster fan. Heck, you've probably already let your kids see the bloody carnage in "Jurassic Park" anyway.

Instead of the usual radioactive mutated towering apparition that flattens cities and topples skyscrapers, the monster in "The Andromeda Strain" is so tiny, it takes powerful electron microscopes to see it. The average movie monster can only cause damage wherever he can stomp, smash or exhale a blast of fiery breath. Andromeda has the potential to be carried to every corner of the world by the winds, where it could conceivably wipe out all life. Try to top THAT, Godzilla!

The real star of the film is Wildfire itself. A government facility located (we thought) safely away from populated areas, it bristles with everything a microbiologist needs to avert a biological disaster. . .or does it?

Seeking an unprecedented realism, director Robert Wise insisted that everything on the set be real, from the computer terminals (with their quaint light pens) all the way to the electron microscopes. The Wildfire set is every microbiologist's dream come true and it's populated by a quartet of actors!

Since the presence of a big-name star might blunt the impact of this high-tech visual feast, Wise carefully assembled a cast of fine actors who just don't happen to be household names. Without rehashing the characterizations, we'll just say that Arthur Hill, David Wayne, James Olson and Kate Reid couldn't possibly have been more perfect for their roles. With a less competent cast, "The Andromeda Strain" could have degenerated into a parody of itself. This is gritty work, saving the world from biological annihilation. It takes real ACTORS, not just pretty-boy movie stars!

Go ahead. Be scared out of your wits by something so tiny, you can't even see it. I dare you to try and get up before it's over.