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The Cold Equations

  • TV Movie
  • 1996
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
425
YOUR RATING
The Cold Equations (1996)
DramaSci-FiThriller

Lt. John Barton is sent on a special mission to deliver a special vaccine to a distant mining colony. He is infuriated to find Lee, a stowaway aboard his spacecraft. Barton has only enough f... Read allLt. John Barton is sent on a special mission to deliver a special vaccine to a distant mining colony. He is infuriated to find Lee, a stowaway aboard his spacecraft. Barton has only enough fuel to carry himself and his precious cargo, and Lee's added weight insures that they will... Read allLt. John Barton is sent on a special mission to deliver a special vaccine to a distant mining colony. He is infuriated to find Lee, a stowaway aboard his spacecraft. Barton has only enough fuel to carry himself and his precious cargo, and Lee's added weight insures that they will crash if she stays on board. They have gone too far to turn back, and Barton's superiors ... Read all

  • Director
    • Peter Geiger
  • Writers
    • Stephen Berger
    • Peter Geiger
    • Tom Godwin
  • Stars
    • Billy Campbell
    • Poppy Montgomery
    • Daniel Roebuck
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.4/10
    425
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Peter Geiger
    • Writers
      • Stephen Berger
      • Peter Geiger
      • Tom Godwin
    • Stars
      • Billy Campbell
      • Poppy Montgomery
      • Daniel Roebuck
    • 24User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    The Cold Equations (1996)
    The Cold Equations (1996)
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    Top cast

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    Billy Campbell
    Billy Campbell
    • Lt. John Barton
    • (as Bill Campbell)
    Poppy Montgomery
    Poppy Montgomery
    • Marilyn 'Lee' Cross
    Daniel Roebuck
    Daniel Roebuck
    • Mitch
    William R. Moses
    William R. Moses
    • Adrian Cross
    John Prosky
    • Markham
    Heidi Swedberg
    Heidi Swedberg
    • Board Member
    Derk Cheetwood
    Derk Cheetwood
    • Corporal
    Nicki Micheaux
    Nicki Micheaux
    • Ground Controller
    Albert Hall
    Albert Hall
    • Capt. Keynes
    • Director
      • Peter Geiger
    • Writers
      • Stephen Berger
      • Peter Geiger
      • Tom Godwin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Based on the story "The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin
    • Quotes

      Lt. John Barton: One word: captain's orders.

    • Connections
      Version of Out of This World: Cold Equations (1962)

    User reviews24

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Not bad, but a spurious subplot detracts...
    Nice to see a show that sticks pretty closely to the original story -- one of Ben Bova's discoveries when he took over at Analog from John Campbell, if I remember rightly.

    However, I recall that the original story did not have the odd subplot about the corporation and the fungus quite the way the movie showed it. This seems to be a by-product of the times in which the film was made, when there had to be a "bad guy" to blame. (Other comments here are more harsh about the story treatment, perhaps with cause, but it's very difficult to turn most short stories into films -- take a look at "Enemy Mine" for example.)

    The printed story in this case had more pathos, because of the implacability of the Cold Equations -- simple laws of physics and nature that none of the characters could overcome. No corporation needs to be blamed; the story tells clearly of the danger of innocence and naivety in the face of a universe which neither knows of nor heeds the actions of puny individual human beings.

    When I first read the story, it was very reminiscent of Robert Heinlein (two of his lunar stories) and Arthur C. Clarke. Worth looking up -- I don't know if it's been anthologized, but the original was published in the early 70s in Analog.
    helpful•3
    4
    • tonyhig
    • Nov 4, 2000

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 7, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hideg fejjel
    • Production companies
      • Alliance Communications Corporation
      • Chanticleer Films
      • USA Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby

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