IMDb > Coma (1978)
Coma
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Coma (1978) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   9,640 votes »
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MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Michael Crichton
Writers:
Michael Crichton (screenplay)
Robin Cook (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for Coma on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 January 1978 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller See more »
Tagline:
Imagine your life hangs by a thread. Imagine your body hangs by a wire. Imagine you're not imagining.
Plot:
When a young female doctor notices an unnatural amount of comas occurring in her hospital she uncovers a horrible conspiracy. Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
1 nomination See more »
NewsDesk:
(67 articles)
Five films to avoid during surgery
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 24 April 2013, 9:24 AM, PDT)
Earthquake, Coma Star Returns: Nominated for Canadian Oscar
 (From Alt Film Guide. 16 January 2013, 2:34 PM, PST)
Five Forgotten Gems From Five Great Movie Music Composers
 (From SoundOnSight. 14 January 2013, 11:19 AM, PST)
User Reviews:
"Someone's putting people into comas..." See more (74 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Geneviève Bujold ... Dr. Susan Wheeler (as Genevieve Bujold)

Michael Douglas ... Dr. Mark Bellows

Elizabeth Ashley ... Mrs. Emerson

Rip Torn ... Dr. George

Richard Widmark ... Dr. Harris

Lois Chiles ... Nancy Greenly
Hari Rhodes ... Dr. Morelind (as Harry Rhodes)
Gary Barton ... Computer Technician
Frank Downing ... Kelly

Richard Doyle ... Jim
Alan Haufrect ... Dr. Marcus

Lance LeGault ... Vince (as Lance Le Gault)
Michael MacRae ... Chief Resident

Betty McGuire ... Nurse

Tom Selleck ... Sean Murphy
Charles Siebert ... Dr. Goodman
William Wintersole ... Lab Technician
Ernest Anderson ... First Doctor
Harry Basch ... Second Doctor
Maury Cooper ... Third Doctor
Joni Palmer ... Dance Instructor

Joanna Kerns ... Diane
Kay Cole ... Sally
Tom Borut ... Dr. Cowans (as Tom Borut M.D.)
Philip G. Brooks ... Dr. Richards (as Philip G. Brooks M.D.)
Benny Rubin ... Mr. Schwartz
David Hollander ... Jimmy
Dick Balduzzi ... 1st Maintenance Man
Gary Bisig ... 2nd Maintenance Man
Kurt Andon ... 1st Cop
Wyatt Johnson ... 2nd Cop
Mike Lally ... Security Man (as Mike Lally Sr.)
John Widlock ... Norman
Duane Tucker ... 1st Man in Shower
Del Hinkley ... 2nd Man in Shower

Paul Ryan ... 1st Technician
Michael Mann ... 2nd Technician
Sarina C. Grant ... Woman in Elevator
David McKnight ... Man in Elevator
Gerald Benston ... Anesthetist (as Gerald Benston M.D.)
Robert Burton ... Pathology Residents

Ed Harris ... Pathology Resident #2
Joe Bratcher ... Surgical Residents
Martin Speer ... Surgical Residents
Roger Newman ... Surgical Residents
Paul Davidson ... Surgical Residents
Amentha Dymally ... Nurses
Lois Walden ... Nurses
Sharron Frame ... Nurses
Sue Bugden ... Nurses
Susie Luner ... Nurses
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jason Bernard ... Surgical Residents (uncredited)

Jeffrey Corazzini ... Patient (uncredited)

Bob Dio ... Subway Passenger (uncredited)
Edward C. Higgins ... Security Guard #2 (uncredited)
Gerry Vichi ... Ambulance Driver (uncredited)
Donald Wayne ... (uncredited)
Nicholas Worth ... Patterson Institute Chief of Security (uncredited)
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Directed by
Michael Crichton 
 
Writing credits
Michael Crichton (screenplay)

Robin Cook (novel)

Produced by
Martin Erlichman .... producer
 
Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith 
 
Cinematography by
Victor J. Kemper (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
David Bretherton 
 
Casting by
Joyce Agu  (as Joyce Robinson)
Sam Christensen 
 
Production Design by
Albert Brenner 
 
Set Decoration by
Rick Simpson 
 
Makeup Department
Carolyn Ferguson .... hair stylist
Don Schoenfeld .... makeup artist
Carrie White .... hair stylist: Miss Bujold's hairstyle designer
 
Production Management
Phil Rawlins .... unit production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan Brimfeld .... second assistant director (as Alan Brimfield)
Ronald R. Grow .... assistant director (as Ron Grow)
William McGarry .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Sam Moore .... property master
V.R. Bud Shelton .... assistant property master (as V. 'Bud' Shelton)
William Ladd Skinner .... set designer (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
William Griffith .... sound (as Bill Griffith)
Michael J. Kohut .... sound
William L. McCaughey .... sound (as William McCaughey)
John Riordan .... sound editor
Aaron Rochin .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Joe Day .... special effects
Andrew Miller .... special effects (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Bill Hansard .... process coordinator
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Gerald Hirschfeld .... photographer: Jefferson Institute sequence
Bruce McBroom .... still photographer
Doug Byers .... electrician (uncredited)
Thomas P. Powell .... rigging gaffer electric (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yvonne Kubis .... wardrobe
Eddie Marks .... wardrobe
 
Editorial Department
Chuck Ellison .... assistant editor
Steve Johnson .... colorist (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Harry V. Lojewski .... music supervisor
William Saracino .... music editor
Arthur Morton .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Chris Hutson .... technical advisor
John James .... location manager
John Lugar .... assistant to producer
Cydney Michaelson .... technical advisor
Don Morgan .... unit publicist
Betsy Norton .... script supervisor
Brent Sellstrom .... video coordinator
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
113 min | Belgium:104 min (video version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Norway:18 (1978) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 (f) | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:AA (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) | USA:TV-PG (2006) | Netherlands:16
Filming Locations:
Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts, USASee more »
Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)See more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Two versions of all scenes of the coma patients in the coma clinic were filmed. One version had them semi-naked whilst the other, for television screenings, had them covered-up.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: When Dr. Bellows and Dr. Wheeler are on the beach, during the kissing scene, the sand on Michael Douglas' cheek disappears and reappears between shots.See more »
Quotes:
Dr. Susan Wheeler:You did it.
[Put people in irreversible comas]
Dr. George A. Harris:No decision is easy, Sue. It only looks that way when you're young. When you're older, everything is complicated. There is no black and white, only gray.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in "Doctor Who: The Curse of the Black Spot (#6.3)" (2011)See more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
27 out of 32 people found the following review useful.
"Someone's putting people into comas...", 17 April 2002
Author: Poseidon-3 from Cincinnati, OH

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.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Coma (1978)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Worst hospital ever? acdc_mp3
Jefferson Institute darthquincunx
Vaughn Armstrong as security guard? Frohike-2
Farrah Fawcett shamosfisher-1
Tommy Udo (*spoiler*) ncdwbmk6
The piece of crap A+E 'remake' of this... lizblueeyes
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