andromeda strain running man

Although it's grandfather of modern outbreak movies, 1971's The Andromeda Strain feels more like a reaction to the technological tsunami of 2001: A Space Odyssey than a trendsetter in its own right. Based on Michael Crichton's novel, this is a film that has an endless amount of enthusiasm for the scientific method and emergency quarantine procedures; it's the cinematic equivalent of a TV disclaimer announcement, listing possible side effects and health warnings. Suffice to say, the thrills are few and far between. But director Robert Wise brings some signature style to this story of an alien organism that wipes out a small New Mexico town...and threatens to destroy the world.

Dr. Jeremy Stone (Arthur Hill) and his team of academic all-stars are rushed to an underground government facility called Wildfire, specifically designed to handle extraterrestrial threats of the microbiological sort. After working their way through several levels of decontamination procedures, they get down to the business of studying the only two survivors of the mysterious plague: an infant and a elderly drunk. Their effort to thwart an organism that turns blood into dust and kills almost instantly relies entirely on discovering just what this unlikely pair has in common.

To say that The Andromeda Strain loses itself in the minutia of germ warfare is an understatement. But the production design, which includes a series of color-coded futuristic sets, outlandish costumes and spot-on technological predictions (a Crichton trademark) offer a cornucopia of visual stimulation. It's a film that, like 2001, challenges the audience to keep up with its casual display of genius. And Wise's camerawork, full of split diopters, deep focus and Woodstock-inspired split screens work overtime to compensate for the dry stretches of dialogue. While it might not stand up to the thrill-a-minute scrutiny of modern blockbusters, you can't argue with the science behind it all.

Arrow Video's Blu-ray presentation is sharp as a tack and bursting the color, lifted from a newly restored 4K scan of the original negative. Extras include a commentary, video appreciation by Kim Newman, archival Making Of and Michael Crichton profile, annotated visual screenplay (and PDF), trailers and collector's booklet.

Not to be confused with the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi flick, 1963's The Running Man is an overlooked thriller by director Carol Reed (The Third Man) who had just come off an aborted filmmaking experience on with Marlon Brando on Mutiny on the Bounty. Here he's working with another legendary troublemaker in Laurence Harvey, whose on set shenanigans didn't win him much support with co-stars Lee Remick or Alan Bates. But for all its behind-the-scenes drama and poor critical reviews, The Running Man is altogether too well constructed to dismiss as just a later career tax write-off to sunny Spain.

After staging his own death in a glider accident, Rex Black (Harvey) assumes the identity of an Australian millionaire and waits for his wife, Stella (Remick), to arrive with the insurance check. But upon her arrival, the pair runs into a familiar tourist, Stephen Maddox (Bates), who just so happens to be the very same insurance agent that questioned the validity of their claim. But is he there on assignment...or simply to pursue a romantic relationship with the new widow? As the love triangle grows more complicated, Stella finds herself less attracted to the man her husband has become; a man who just might be willing to kill someone besides himself this time around.

Critics who were dismissive of the film at the time trotted out endless comparisons to Reed's earlier work. But on its own merits, The Running Man is a well acted, compelling bit of post-noir melodrama that keeps its cards close to its chest. Harvey is perfectly cast as the ambitious chameleon who gets too into his role as a traveling playboy. But the film revolves around Alan Bates as the mysterious third wheel, either a masterful investigator or a hopeless romantic. Reed may have lost a step, but he's still good enough to keep the audience guessing right up to the bitter end.

Arrow Academy's new 2K restoration looks gorgeous on Blu-ray and comes with great new extras like an audio commentary, all-new featurette, Lee Remick audio interview, isolated music and effects track, image gallery and collector's booklet.