Warning Sign (1985)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Hal Barwood

Writers:

Hal Barwood (written by) &
Matthew Robbins (written by)

Release Date:

23 August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Horror

Tagline:

A secret experiment has gone wild - and they're all going to pay! (Video Australia)

Plot:

In an ultra secret laboratory for the developing of biological weapons, covered as "Biotek", a research center for agriculture...

Plot Keywords:

Biological Weapon | Bacteria | Quarantine | Poison | Disease

Cast

Sam Waterston	...	Cal Morse
Kathleen Quinlan	...	Joanie Morse
Yaphet Kotto	...	Major Connolly
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Dr. Dan Fairchild (as Jeffrey De Munn)
Richard Dysart	...	Dr. Nielsen
G.W. Bailey	...	Tom Schmidt
Jerry Hardin	...	Vic Flint
Rick Rossovich	...	Bob
Cynthia Carle	...	Dana
Scott Paulin	...	Captain Walston
Kavi Raz	...	Dr. Ramesh Kapoor
Keith Szarabajka	...	Tippett
Jack Thibeau	...	Pisarczyk
J. Patrick McNamara	...	Connolly's Aide
Tom McFadden	...	Deputy Grazie

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #27450) | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

La Crescenta, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The working title for the film was "Biohazard".

Quotes:

Dr. Dan Fairchild: Relax. I'm a scientist. I know what I'm doing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 28 Days Later... (2002)

Above average Sci Fi quasi Living Dead drama.

I remember seeing this 20 yrs ago and having a very favorable impression, but the recent copy I bought and viewed this week showed both better and worse aspects, different from what I recalled. Anyway, the story is quite catching and most of the acting is above average, thanks to a good ensemble cast of quality folks. Very well done art/set design makes up for rather standard plot direction, with some nicely eerie moments. There's well written, believable dialog interspersed with silly, and well developed characters interspersed with stereotypes. So it's a mishmash but a good one. Would have been nice to see a more believable military response to the viral outbreak, but the budget must have only been enough for a small crew of national guard type soldiers rather than a more believable crack platoon outfit that would have been all over the locals, and sent them packing. Definitely a good half of a double feature with Endangered Species, or Andromeda Strain.