Coma (1978)

When a young female doctor notices an unnatural amount of comas occurring in her hospital she uncovers a horrible conspiracy.

Director:

Michael Crichton

Writers:

Michael Crichton (screenplay), Robin Cook (novel)

Stars:

Michael Douglas, Rip Torn, Geneviève Bujold

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

A young doctor at a hospital, Susan Wheeler (played by Geneviève Bujold), starts noticing a pattern of strange occurrences with patients. Healthy patients are suddenly developing complications and ending up in comas. She starts investigating and what she reveals is astonishing.

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Plot Keywords:

conspiracy | hospital | coma | investigation | comatose patient | 

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Taglines:

Imagine your life hangs by a thread. Imagine your body hangs by a wire. Imagine you're not imagining.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 January 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Koma

Filming Locations:

Worcester Square, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min 104 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A number of changes were made when adapting the film's source novel to the screen. The story's central protagonist, Dr. Susan Wheeler, was a feminist blonde medical student in the book. In the film, she is a brunette second year surgical resident. The feminist content of the novel was substantially cut down for the film, except for some arguments between the main couple. Moreover, the medical institute building in the book was situated in the city, whereas in the movie the building is located in an outer suburb.

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Goofs

In the scene toward the end, where Dr. Susan Wheeler discovers Tom Selleck's body after it has been "harvested" it is Tom himself laying on the table. Later shots show that a dummy with a bad wig has been substituted for the actor.

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Quotes

morning radio host: [on the car radio as Susan drives up to the Boston Memorial Hospital where she works] Good morning. It's 6:00 am on a beautiful New England morning in Boston and these are the top stories: Mayor White's assistant, Kep Maloney, had met with the Boston redevelopment authority over the continuing controversy on the Charlestown Heights project. Police have arraigned John McMannus on $23 million dollar grant and bribery charges in connection of the Mystic River extension. High out of court...

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Connections

Spoofed in Mr. Pickles: Coma (2014)

User Reviews

Fine medical thriller; good work by Bujold and Widmark

In COMA, petite heroine Genevieve Bujold shows you don't have to be an amazon like Sigourney Weaver or Lucy Lawless to get physical with the bad guys. Set against a hospital backdrop ranking in verisimilitude with that of THE HOSPITAL (the only other accurate medical drama of the 1970's), this is a gripping thriller even on repeat viewing over twenty years later. Bujold's acting has been mentioned by other reviewers, but I would award special accolades to Richard Widmark, whose character's unctuous avuncularity is executed with superb subtlety. Plus, he even comports himself just like a real physician of seniority.

I do have a few complaints, not least of which is the gratuitous and grossly inaccurate portrayal of clinical lab personnel and the laboratory environment. Shame on Crichton, who must have missed out on visiting the lab through his entire tenure as a medical student. The laserdisc transfer is technically one of the worst I have in my collection. The monaural soundtrack is overdriven and distorted; the colors are washed out; and careless unmasking of the print (COMA is not letterboxed) results in visible boom mikes in several shots.

Still, this is a classic film, and anyone who wants to get up to speed on medical movies wouldn't want to exclude COMA.