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THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN MiniSeries Cast Ready For Contamination!!

Published at:  Jul 12, 2007 10:12:56 AM CDT


Merrick here...



The cast of A&E's four hour ANDROMEDA STRAIN remake / miniseries has come together. Ricky (err, Rick) Schroder, Andre Braugher (so cool), Eric McCormack, Christa Miller, and Benjamin Bratt.

As previously announced, Mikael Salomon will direct. Salomon's directed many projects, including A FAR OFF PLACE (one of my mom's favorite films), HARD RAIN, ROME, and ALIAS, and was cinematographer of films like THE ABYSS, BACKDRAFT, and FAR AND AWAY. Ridley and Tony Scott will produce; Robert Schenkkan (THE QUIET AMERICAN) will adapt Michael Crichton's novel.

Says...

THIS ARTICLE!!!




Robert Wise's original adaptation is about as plodding, procedural, and dry as it could be. But, I'll be damned if it doesn't pull me in every single time I see it. It's been making the rounds on one of the High Def channels (I want to say it's Universal HD, although I'm not sure about that). If you can check it out, do. Looks great in HD - lots of funky atmosphere. Might be a fun point of comparison.

Gill Melle's FORBIDDEN PLANET-esque score still freaks me out. Perhaps the new miniseries will be scored as non-traditionally?










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    Readers Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:11:57 AM CDT

    first?

    by fleshmachine

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:12:01 AM CDT

    First!

    by uss cygnus

    And...LOVING IT.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:12:04 AM CDT

    Shut that baby up!

    by billyeveryteen

    That old man too.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:13:07 AM CDT

    having said that

    by fleshmachine

    s and of the owthis probably wont be any good...or will it?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:13:20 AM CDT

    having said that

    by fleshmachine

    this probably wont be any good...or will it?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:17:54 AM CDT

    The Original Is Highly Underrated and Overlooked.

    by uss cygnus

    It's almost documentary-matter-of-fact-like in it's style, and that makes it all the more chilling. And it's taken absolutely seriously, almost like a nuclear war film like the real SAC footage that's used in the attack sequences in "The Day After". And, i'll tell you what...the pre-credits sequence in "The Day After" where the commander of the Looking Glass Alert plane gets his daily briefing on the state of the world as the jet engines spool up...is as chilling as when the bombs fall. Point being; the original "Andromeda" carries that kind of chilling weight to it at many points. I hope they get this right.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:21:05 AM CDT

    RICKY WILL RUIN THIS!!!

    by shermdawg

    JUST LIKE HE HELPED RUIN 24...TWO SEASONS AFTER IT STARTED SUCKING!!!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:37:16 AM CDT

    Great film

    by homer40

    I remember seeing this film as a child, and it scared the shit out of me. It was probably Robert Wise's first foray into plodding, slowly paced sci-fi, which reached its pinacle in Star Trek - The Movie.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 10:38:34 AM CDT

    He's going by Ricky again

    by blacklodgebob

    I saw some 24 interview with him, and he said he abandon the rick thing and is just going with "Ricky".

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 11:01:19 AM CDT

    I thought this was going to be on SciFi

    by pviii

    or am I wrong?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 11:05:25 AM CDT

    Can't wait to see how they fuck this one up!

    by the equalizer

    I'm buying the original all day long! The look, the feel, the really fucking ugly female element - all to soon be replaced by 'Hollywood Tarts'. 90% of the appeal for the original was that all of the cast actually looked like they were geeky scientist types. As soon as this all becomes 'pretty', it all goes the way of the pear.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 11:09:53 AM CDT

    No - we don't need no beautiful people!!

    by the equalizer

    The appeal of the original was the fact that all of the nerdy scientists look exactly like nerdy scientists! It was believable! The old girl with Red-O-Vision and NHS glasses looked like she belonged in a secret lab. I sincerely doubt that you would've seen Britt Ekland doing the same back then!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 11:11:01 AM CDT

    Damn my lousy Netgear router!

    by the equalizer

    It blocked me and then decided that it hadn't at all! Fuck shit bollocks and wank!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 11:28:43 AM CDT

    "Wildfire was built for germ warfare!"

    by newc0253

    if they keep to the tone of the original novel and film, it oughta be great. Despite the cast and crew, though, i suspect that it's probably gonna blow chunks. Like the Homeland Security guy Chertoff, i just have this gut feeling...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 11:54:26 AM CDT

    Love the original

    by mister man

    Looks great, and quite realistic.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 12:18:57 PM CDT

    The original was fucking amazing

    by photoboy

    I doubt they'll be able to recreate the spooky atmosphere of the original with its sterile and harshly lit laboratories, but I'm excited to see another take on the Andromeda Strain.

    And Merrick is spot on, Gill Melle's score for the film is insanely atmospheric, it really imbues those lab scenes studying the strain with a sinister and forboding atmosphere.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 12:30:05 PM CDT

    Give Merrick's mom a blackbox...

    by alonzo mosely

    Lord knows I did last night... I have no clue what I am talking about, I haven't slept in three days...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 12:53:41 PM CDT

    Hopefully they change the ending

    by jimmy_009

    The book and movie had the biggest letdown endings since War of the Worlds.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 1:26:37 PM CDT

    new razor spot:

    by pviii

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShOls47ha1s

    sorry to hijack the talkback. Bear McCreary is amazing.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 1:29:27 PM CDT

    Hey doc!

    by skimn

    Hell of a way to run a hospital!! Loved the cranky sterno guy. Ricky Schroder? Really? Gonna blow chunks.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 1:29:57 PM CDT

    Trailer for BSG Razor is up at scifi.com/battlestar

    by secretcylon

    http://www.scifi.com/battlestar

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 1:30:42 PM CDT

    oops

    by secretcylon

    sorry PVIII i was so excited I didn't notice your post.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 1:37:59 PM CDT

    I totally understand where you're coming from

    by pviii

    when I saw it during Eureka I almost crapped myself with anticipation.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 1:45:29 PM CDT

    Hell, you just know they're gonna...

    by kid z

    ... make it NOT be a virus from space, it'll be a nanobot swarm/computer virus. They'll have to have the geek/hip hacker dude, the divorced hottie scientist chick, the clueless by-the-book military guy, the protaganist who failed in some way and solving this case is his last chance to redeem himself, the wise old philosopher/scientist. Ugh... no thanks. Hope I'm wrong but I just know H/Wood will f**k this up like they have every other remake from the last... well, from forever, really.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 2:07:01 PM CDT

    PVIII

    by secretcylon

    One thing i'm excited about is seeing Starbuck look all bad ass again and not all relationshipish and love triangley. Can't wait for November. Plus, the season is not starting until April.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 2:33:57 PM CDT

    only ex-tv stars will be in this?

    by boomers_lips

    is eric mcormack playing Will in this mini?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 2:42:28 PM CDT

    I missread Eric McCormack

    by jccalhoun

    When i first read Eric McCormack I though it said Maureen McCormick. That would be the awesomeness...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 3:00:07 PM CDT

    Ricky (err, Rick) Schroder

    by palewook

    damn. everything sounds good but for that. even doggie howser would have been a better choice that ricky.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 3:11:24 PM CDT

    Probably the single most accurate adaptation

    by gorrister

    The movie is very, very close to the original novel. That's something that is very ususual for a film version of a book. The only significant difference I can recall (it's been several years since I last read it) was the changing of one character from male to female (for purely PC reasons). Making the character female contributed absolutely nothing to the storyline. Of course, some may say that it took nothing from the storyline either. Hell, in that case, make the entire scientific cast female. That would make the decontamination scenes a LOT more interesting to watch. LOL

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 3:35:59 PM CDT

    Marsha Brady as an exobiologist...

    by kid z

    ... ya know, that WOULD have been the bomb!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 4:04:18 PM CDT

    secretcylon

    by pviii

    You know, I actually didn't mind the boxing episode, but after that it just started to look like Melrose Place. I too am a bigger fan of Kara during season 1.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 4:17:05 PM CDT

    Still waiting for Jurassic Park 2. LOL

    by gorrister

    The second movie had almost nothing to do with the second novel. The second novel was fucking awesome! But, for some reason, they decided to throw away the best parts of that story and turn it into a hybrid Environmental Terrorism/Godzilla movie instead. For those who never read the novel of "Lost World", the entire story took place on the island and it dealt with a science team lead by Dr Levine (with Ian and Co.) and they had to deal with another team lead by Dodgeson (the 'shaving cream can' guy from the first movie) as well as the dinosaurs (including a chameleon breed). Anyhow, I'm still waiting for THAT Jurassic Park movie to be made, because I really loved that novel.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 4:31:24 PM CDT

    Ah

    by pandas-r-us

    They knew how to make trailers in those days. "No one will be seated in the last ten minutes!". What does that mean? Everyone will have left? Anyone just turning up to catch the credits will be told they cannot now take their seat?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 4:55:53 PM CDT

    I fucking love that film.

    by grando

    Nuff said.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 6:34:23 PM CDT

    The Lost World novel...

    by cadillac jones

    ...was a re-write of the first book with more elaborate set pieces that strung it together. I, for one, am glad The Lost World movie veered away differently.

    I do concede on one point - Carnotaurus - the "Meat-Bull" which had the Chameleon-esque abilities was quite with the awesome and I was let down not seeing it in the film.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 7:00:32 PM CDT

    Touche

    by gorrister

    However, the Lost World movie version was, in itself, just a re-hash of the first novel in that it took elements from the first novel that were cut from the first film (like the waterfall sequence) and inserted them into the film. Of course, Jurassic Park 3 did the same thing via the Aviary sequence. But I still think the Lost World novel would have made a better movie than the version they put out in theaters.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 7:55:36 PM CDT

    Love the original!

    by ar42

    Yet more proof that Robert Wise was a genius. But I'm a little skeptical about a four-hour run time for the remake. Wise's version was pretty much a line by line adaptation (including the exact computer readouts from the book in the exact same font) and it was only a bit over two hours. ...Oh, wait, I got it. They'll add a romantic subplot. And probably a montage or two. And ninety minutes of commercials. Perfect!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 8:11:37 PM CDT

    NO REMAKE NEEDED HERE. THANK YOU

    by mace tofu

    The original holds up just fine. " This would be a great place to grow pot" lol. Even the sets hold up today. How is making this 2 hours longer going to be any better? Oh, now we can see the rubber gaskets get eaten in CGI. Can't wait. Really. The original is out on DVD for under $10.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 8:27:36 PM CDT

    Originality

    by gorrister

    Occassionally, a remake turns out to be better than the original. But it's extremely rare and usually a result of being more faithful to the original source material than the original version was (assuming the movie was based on a novel, historical event, etc). But I tend to automatically lose respect for people who decide to make remakes because I see it as the height of arrogance. A good example is Gus Van Sant, Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche who decided that, for some reason, they could re-make Psycho and do a better job than Hitchcock. You have to have the ego of Paris Hilton on heroine to put a remake of a great movie out for the public to watch and actually expect them to flock to it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 8:32:02 PM CDT

    Movie versions of novels

    by gorrister

    A couple of people (myself included) have commented on how Andromeda Strain was very, very faithful to the original story. I thought it was great for the movie to stay true. But I felt the need to comment that, on rare occassions, the director is actually smart to make changes (sometimes very drastic ones). The movie version of Jaws comes to mind. The movie is far, far better than the novel on so many levels. For one thing, I Quint was the most 'lovable' character in the novel. Brody, Ellen and even Hooper were all assholes. Not to mention Ellen and Hooper were fucking each other behind Brody's back. Then there is the fact that Hooper dies (although you don't feel too bad for him in the book because he IS such an asshole). The worst part is the ending. The shark dies.....by bleeding to death! Very anti-climatic. Quints attacks on the shark finally took it's toll and the shark bled to death before it could eat Brody. *Yawn* The movie was much better. (Although, I do admit the novel was far better than any of the Jaws sequels)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 8:57:27 PM CDT

    now THAT is a proper trailer

    by sir loin

    ...old school style. "over 100 minutes!" and so forth. Plus the original still holds up today. Today's remakes are all glossed-over and quick-cutting. Screw that. How can you build tension when everything's quick-cut and darkly lit? I fully expect HALLOWEEN to be like that. Dark and MTV-generation edited for the ADD kids who have zero attention span. Wonderful.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 9:19:39 PM CDT

    Graphics shit in original was like "Hulk."

    by christopher3

    But Wise is no Ang Lee.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 12, 2007 9:32:50 PM CDT

    But but but but but where are the teens?

    by kabong

    Teens could run Project Wildfire.

    Anyway, anyone who likes "The Andromeda Strain" might also like "Phase IV."

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 12:59:57 AM CDT

    Phase IV also fucking rules.

    by grando

    I love bleak 70's sci-fi!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 3:14:51 AM CDT

    2 out of 5 are not good odds.

    by the selecter

    If they must, Bratt and Braugher I'll take. Dump the rest.In totally unrelated, but good, news, It's Always Sunny returns September 13th!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 6:04:26 AM CDT

    The originals a classic. REal atmosphere

    by col. tigh-fighter

    Cool. Bring it on.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 6:31:38 AM CDT

    Is Nothing sacred?

    by yeti

    Well ok then! Carry on....

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 9:42:35 AM CDT

    I heard they were going to do Viral Marketing...

    by thebloop

    ...for this miniseries but people got sick of it.
    Thanks folks, I am here all week.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 12:10:00 PM CDT

    This was rated G?

    by christopher3

    What a nanny state we've become.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 2:22:22 PM CDT

    Crichton: Andromeda and Westworld

    by itchy

    both would be great as remakes. The first A.S. was outstanding, but the science is so hokey by modern standards, it detracts from the movie. Update it and it would be awesome. Hell, end of the world contagions are always cool - just read the Stand if you're not convinced.

    And remake Westworld as well. Except instead of a cowboy, have the killer robot be a sex robot. And have it played by Natalie Portman. Nude.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 3:49:59 PM CDT

    SACRILEGE!!!

    by ray gamma

    Anyone on this talkback who doesn't appreciate the original movie version of The Andromeda Strain has to be either a 16-year-old "2Fast 2Furious" fan, or a moron.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 13, 2007 9:07:54 PM CDT

    Good to see Andre Braugher in something other than...

    by rbatty024

    Fantastic Four. I too enjoyed the original. Those 70's sci-fi films had a very detached feel to them.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 14, 2007 5:43:35 PM CDT

    The Equalizer is soooooo correct

    by yamato

    The original was a very good movie with "real" type characters. It was thought provoking. It was a tale of possibilities and how they have to be dealt with. This new version will have a bunch of pretty faces and lack depth. These days hollywood has no idea how to do "smart" people. Look at what they did to Reed Richards in FF movies.
    I own a copy of the Andromida Strain and I still watch it. I loved all the characters as they come across more real then anything being spewed out of hollywood today. I look at the cast of this train wreck in waiting and I know, I will give it a pass.
    PS
    Why do they have to re-make good movies? Soooooo freaking stupid!!!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jul 15, 2007 3:42:59 AM CDT

    Good Lord II...

    by palimpsest

    I agree. Maybe we should call him Mr Butt2000, or perhaps just Monkey once we get to know him better.

    Reply to Talkback

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