TCM Party screens The Andromeda Strain in disaster movie spotlight
Turner Classic Movies is screening The Andromeda Strain (1971) tonight at 5:00 PM PT as part of its 'Disaster Movies' spotlight, with viewers invited to follow the watch-along tag #TCMParty. Directed by Robert Wise and adapted from Michael Crichton’s novel, the film runs 2 hours 11 minutes and stars Arthur Hill, David Wayne and James Olson. The plot follows four scientists racing to isolate and eradicate an extraterrestrial pathogen that wipes out a small U.S. town. Its procedural focus on lab containment, systems breakdowns and techno-thriller pacing helped set the template for later biological-threat dramas and disaster films.
Tonight on TCM #TCM THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN (1971) Remember when science was good? This one of the best, most realistic science-fiction films of the 70s. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton and directed by the great Robert Wise. Well worth watching.🎥
Iron Rain Band23This movie affected me deeply. When COVID hit and some people were like "I'm not gonna mask", I told them I guess you never saw the movie The Andromeda Strain then have you.
Christian McIntire22One of the best depictions of the scientific method, as well, and as someone who has seen it countless times, extremely re-watchable and intense every time.
carloskentscomics.bsky.social20I enjoyed the book quite a bit
Steg6813Love the steady increasing threat of the whole film. Excellent stuff.
stephon in nm here12Oh, this movie. Scared the hell outta me when I first watched it, at about age 6 or so. Haven't seen it since and I wonder what my reaction would be now. May have to hunt it down and find out.
rhialto2.bsky.social10Watching this as kid set me on path to my PhD in virology in 1990 and a career with 150 publications that included working with HIV and other viruses in BL3 labs. Yes... I wanted to be Jeremy Stone.....
JJShortarm9This movie fucked me up as a kid. Still fascinating.
Iago Grimaldo9The typeface in the poster--"Data70"--was ubiquitous on sci-fi film graphics of the period. www.tumblr.com/vintagegeekc...
Steven Keppler8Legit scary book, decent movie (saw it in the 90s, i may be jaded)
schnoidl710 year old me read that book in one night
Tactical Moon Pie6I would love to see this redone as a modern film.
Christopher Laird Simmons6Still one of my fave movies. Great soundtrack, too.
scubapopeye.bsky.social5Have it on disk. Gonna watch it tonight. 🤣 for the millionth time.
Sara Martín5I was very disappointed to re-read the novel and realize that badass Dr. Ruth Leavitt was not Crichton's character. My thanks to script writer Nelson Gidding for her.
tinarallen.bsky.social5Back before Trump et al., when science was an important part of forming a more perfect Union.
scott-macshlibber.bsky.social4The first novel he published with his real name, he was 27 when he wrote it in 1969
caesarrodney2025.bsky.social4I just rewatched it about a month ago. Hadn't seen it in many years, and it was just as good as I'd remembered it.
Dead Deer4I've always loved this film so much since I saw it quite young. Re watch it regularly!
DeMarcusD4Been watching a lot of old classics. Might go re-watch The China Syndrome tonight.
@Crowebarre3The lights are flashing red again.
Iago Grimaldo3IMO this has inexplicably fallen through the cracks. I liked James Olson in just about everything I saw him in, including episodic television. Kate Reid steals the picture. All of the central cast is gone now, but not forgotten. Excellent work in an excellent film.
N.J. Gallegos is Dr. Spooky (she/her)3I’ve never watched the movie but read the book… maybe I need to remedy that
Tyra Mizou3I didn't know that scifi went bad. When did it happen? And did that take place on OUR earth or are you from another dimension?
jimmiedave3And Colossus: The Forbin Project was positively prescient.
jimmiedave3Andromeda Strain and Colossus: The Forbin Project - two Science Fiction movies that weren't so blinky or light-sabery or shootin' shit outta space as we have now. They're worth seeing to understand what Science Fiction was like. It's not all comic books now, but Sci-Fi used to always be brain food.
BluePleiades, Messier (than) 452Watched it a few months back. Great film!
dragbunt.bsky.social2The look of the film screams 1949...
SteveInAshland210/10. No notes. The book also is 10/10. Michael Crichton at his best.
YakHappy2I saw this with my father and brother at a huge theatre in San Mateo, CA. I remember being freaked out by it for weeks.
gdad213.bsky.social2One of my comfort films! I watch this film annually if not more. I first saw it upon its original release in the theater and have since bought it on DVD, bluray, and if it's ever released on 4k I'll buy that too!
Paul2Saw it when I was eight. Walked right into the theater and paid $1.25 (I believe). Rated G despite dead kids on a basketball court, a dead, topless hippie chick, and a dead guy in his bathtub. Somehow I survived and went on to read several of Crichton's books.
Michael Anderson2I saw this in the theater and read the book in 1971. It was well done for its time. The story proved incredibly prescient.
Angry Blue Man2The coolest sci fi movie ever made I think.
DebbieLynn (she/her)2It is an awesome film! A must watch!!
Sam Puzzo2I read the book when it came out. Went to the movie on opening night. 👍🏼👍🏼
Przemek Makowski 🇵🇱🇪🇺2I disagree. Ending is so trivial and unsatisfying.
westguineapig.bsky.social2"Remember when science was good?" that's odd phrasing for this film. the experiment killed an entire community. when they isolated the organism it became obvious that a nuclear blast (which was their failsafe scenario) would provide endless power to the organism. it was a story of near misses.
Pam in NC2Fantastic movie! I've watched several times and it still grabs you for a ride.
@JohnBGilman.bsky.social2Loved this film! First watched it in 8th grade science class!
rob2Beautifully shot by Richard Kline (Boston Strangler, Soylent Green, Body Heat). The PD is of particular note too.
John Scott G2Truly amazing soundtrack by Gil Mellé.
Vinson Mink2There was some considerable live animal abuse in the making of this film. I have a problem with that.
