Andromeda Strain on A&E - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

jwt873 · 2008-05-25, 02:50 PM

I see A&E will be doing a remake of the movie 'Andromeda Strain'. It airs in two parts starting Monday May 26th.

http://www.aetv.com/the-andromeda-st...DGoogle+Search

I saw the original 1971 Movie. I'm a SciFi buff so I enjoyed it. I'm wondering how closely the made for TV remake will be... I hope it isn't all special effects and doesn't diverge too much from Michael Crichton's novel.

Did anyone else see the original movie?

rsambuca · 2008-05-25, 03:11 PM

A review in my local paper said it "is based only loosely on Crichton's work.", and that it plays out more like a Stephen King novel. You can read the write-up online here:

Andromeda Strain' infectious

jlet · 2008-05-25, 03:29 PM

Also hoping it won't be in "stretch-o-vision" on A&E HD.

thegiffer · 2008-05-25, 04:41 PM

I liked elements of the original, but found it was pretty slow going in places (the middle dragged). The new one has four network hours to work with (about 150 minutes of content - 40 mins x 4 minus 2.5 mins x 4 of hourly recaps) Cast looks passable, has two guys who've tried for breakout roles for the last five years - Ricky and Ben.

Hope it's good, but my sense is that it will look and feel like a lower budget prequel to I Am Legend. Lots of biohazard suits running around, helicopters crashing, CGI destruction of New York/LA, crowds trying to get onto planes and trains etc....i.e. like the parts of I Am Legend where Big Willie remembers pre-plague life.

I wonder if anyone sees the potential in combining Crichton's books in a film - in this case, the core idea of the Andromeda Strain with his ideas about genemod in Prey. Much more interesting

rsambuca · 2008-05-25, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlet

Also hoping it won't be in "stretch-o-vision" on A&E HD.

No doubt. I think this is the first time I have set my PVR to record both the HD and the SD channel for the same show, just in case the HD is stretched out.

nicohockey9 · 2008-05-26, 06:59 PM

Definatly will be watching sounds interesting, also can't forget about the game on CBC though

ratovan · 2008-05-26, 09:27 PM

Watching it in HD. Not stretchovision

, but no 5.1, appears to be PLII sound only

bofh · 2008-05-26, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratovan

Watching it in HD. Not stretchovision

, but no 5.1, appears to be PLII sound only

However, the commercials are being broadcast in stretchovision :-)

PakMan · 2008-05-26, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwt873

I see A&E will be doing a remake of the movie 'Andromeda Strain'. It airs in two parts starting Monday May 26th.

http://www.aetv.com/the-andromeda-st...DGoogle+Search

I saw the original 1971 Movie. I'm a SciFi buff so I enjoyed it. I'm wondering how closely the made for TV remake will be... I hope it isn't all special effects and doesn't diverge too much from Michael Crichton's novel.

Did anyone else see the original movie?

I remember watching this as part of my Grade 9 English class. It was pretty "advanced" for the time. I'm sure a lot of the movies we see now about "biohazard" came from this show and of course Crichton.

thegiffer · 2008-05-27, 02:22 AM

Started slow, but it got better. Almost bailed during the cliched "Assembling the Team" part that seemed to go on even longer than the one in Armageddon, but I'll be back tomorrow night.

The Good - the black hole idea floated by Andre, which opens the door to a real twist (deliberate alien intervention)
- Andre as a villain. It plays to his natural sanctimoniousness.
-Ricky Schroeder reprising his role from 24, literally line by line.
-how the Bucky Ball concept is being applied.

The Bad - too many cliches ( a burned out reporter with a tough boss who has a heart of gold?. Come on, that's just lazy writing).

The Ugly - Ricky is playing a doctor. Does that make him "Dr Ricky"?

HT gearhead · 2008-05-28, 08:50 AM

It wasn't perfect but it was enjoyable. I have the original on DVD. Too bad the audio was only DPLII. At least it was in real HD. I wonder if it will be available in BD with a real surround audio track?

jem · 2008-05-28, 12:37 PM

I really didn't enjoy this remake. They tried to shoehorn so much stuff into the story, that it just fell apart for me. "Quick, what Trek technobabble can we fill this with?". Buckyballs, wormhole, oh, and don't forget "sentient". HOw much did Crichton have to do with this? I expected more from a Ridley Scott production. I found myself hoping they would really make a change and let Wildfire blow up!!! Anything to get rid of Benjamin Bratt!

nicohockey9 · 2008-06-02, 07:23 PM

Really good story cool scenes. Nicely done in HD

Definatly staying on my PVR for a while

hugh · 2008-06-03, 07:46 AM

My wife and I finished watching this last night. We watched to the end but thought it was pretty ho-hum and too many stupid parts and some lame acting and too much left unexplained.

The last 20 minutes was just plain silly and the whole mancheck (sp?) demise was dumb

rfielder · 2008-06-03, 09:03 AM

Andromeda Strain is being released on DVD today. We captured it on our HD PVR.

So, the choice is - watch the hidef version that includes commericals and advertising overlays, or watch the DVD version that is just movie.

Also - the capture is four hours long, two 2 hour movies. Running time for the DVD is 177 minutes. That would imply there was 240 - 177 = 63 minutes of advertising in the broadcast. Or that there was more material broadcast than was included in the movie. Anyone know which it might be?

2008-05-25, 02:50 PM	#1
jwt873 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Woodlands, MB Posts: 598	Andromeda Strain on A&E I see A&E will be doing a remake of the movie 'Andromeda Strain'. It airs in two parts starting Monday May 26th. http://www.aetv.com/the-andromeda-st...DGoogle+Search I saw the original 1971 Movie. I'm a SciFi buff so I enjoyed it. I'm wondering how closely the made for TV remake will be... I hope it isn't all special effects and doesn't diverge too much from Michael Crichton's novel. Did anyone else see the original movie?

2008-05-25, 03:29 PM	#3
jlet Veteran Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario, Rogers Cable Posts: 1,733	Also hoping it won't be in "stretch-o-vision" on A&E HD. __________________ SA8300HD; Panasonic TH-50PZ850; Sony STR-DA5ES; Tannoy: Arden, S8C, S8LR; SVS 16-46PC+; Oppo 971; Harmony 659/680

2008-05-26, 09:27 PM	#7
ratovan Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Montreal OTA , Netflix, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360 x2, PS3 Posts: 231	Watching it in HD. Not stretchovision , but no 5.1, appears to be PLII sound only __________________ Wii Code: 0050 5044 3338 1179 gamertag: ratovan

2008-06-03, 07:46 AM	#14
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	My wife and I finished watching this last night. We watched to the end but thought it was pretty ho-hum and too many stupid parts and some lame acting and too much left unexplained. The last 20 minutes was just plain silly and the whole mancheck (sp?) demise was dumb __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

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2008-05-25, 03:11 PM	#2
rsambuca Veteran Join Date: May 2006 Location: Calgary Posts: 1,633	A review in my local paper said it "is based only loosely on Crichton's work.", and that it plays out more like a Stephen King novel. You can read the write-up online here: Andromeda Strain' infectious

2008-05-25, 04:41 PM	#4
thegiffer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Vancouver Posts: 204	I liked elements of the original, but found it was pretty slow going in places (the middle dragged). The new one has four network hours to work with (about 150 minutes of content - 40 mins x 4 minus 2.5 mins x 4 of hourly recaps) Cast looks passable, has two guys who've tried for breakout roles for the last five years - Ricky and Ben. Hope it's good, but my sense is that it will look and feel like a lower budget prequel to I Am Legend. Lots of biohazard suits running around, helicopters crashing, CGI destruction of New York/LA, crowds trying to get onto planes and trains etc....i.e. like the parts of I Am Legend where Big Willie remembers pre-plague life. I wonder if anyone sees the potential in combining Crichton's books in a film - in this case, the core idea of the Andromeda Strain with his ideas about genemod in Prey. Much more interesting

2008-05-26, 06:59 PM	#6
nicohockey9 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Montreal, QC, Canada Posts: 574	Definatly will be watching sounds interesting, also can't forget about the game on CBC though

2008-05-27, 02:22 AM	#10
thegiffer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Vancouver Posts: 204	Started slow, but it got better. Almost bailed during the cliched "Assembling the Team" part that seemed to go on even longer than the one in Armageddon, but I'll be back tomorrow night. The Good - the black hole idea floated by Andre, which opens the door to a real twist (deliberate alien intervention) - Andre as a villain. It plays to his natural sanctimoniousness. -Ricky Schroeder reprising his role from 24, literally line by line. -how the Bucky Ball concept is being applied. The Bad - too many cliches ( a burned out reporter with a tough boss who has a heart of gold?. Come on, that's just lazy writing). The Ugly - Ricky is playing a doctor. Does that make him "Dr Ricky"?

2008-05-28, 08:50 AM	#11
HT gearhead Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,307	It wasn't perfect but it was enjoyable. I have the original on DVD. Too bad the audio was only DPLII. At least it was in real HD. I wonder if it will be available in BD with a real surround audio track?

2008-05-28, 12:37 PM	#12
jem Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 540	I really didn't enjoy this remake. They tried to shoehorn so much stuff into the story, that it just fell apart for me. "Quick, what Trek technobabble can we fill this with?". Buckyballs, wormhole, oh, and don't forget "sentient". HOw much did Crichton have to do with this? I expected more from a Ridley Scott production. I found myself hoping they would really make a change and let Wildfire blow up!!! Anything to get rid of Benjamin Bratt!

2008-06-02, 07:23 PM	#13
nicohockey9 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Montreal, QC, Canada Posts: 574	Really good story cool scenes. Nicely done in HD Definatly staying on my PVR for a while

2008-06-03, 09:03 AM	#15
rfielder Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brampton, Ontario Posts: 1,519	Andromeda Strain is being released on DVD today. We captured it on our HD PVR. So, the choice is - watch the hidef version that includes commericals and advertising overlays, or watch the DVD version that is just movie. Also - the capture is four hours long, two 2 hour movies. Running time for the DVD is 177 minutes. That would imply there was 240 - 177 = 63 minutes of advertising in the broadcast. Or that there was more material broadcast than was included in the movie. Anyone know which it might be?