The Andromeda Strain

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.

 

Upgrading their old Blu-ray  to a new 4K Dolby Vision presentation, Arrow’s UHD is sharp as a tack and bursting the color, lifted from a newly restored 4K scan of the original negative.  If this is one of your favorites, it was well worth the wait. Extras include a commentary, video appreciation by Kim Newman, archival Making Of and Michael Crichton profile, annotated visual screenplay, trailers and collector's booklet.

 

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