ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

Michael Crichton's realistic, well-researched novel became this realistic, well-researched movie. The story involves a highly contagious alien virus which is loosed on mankind by a contaminated space probe. The film is so intent on delivering its message that it isn't as dramatic as it could have been, striving more for a documentary approach. Despite the coldly intellectual treatment, it won't bore viewers who make an effort to stay with the complex, mystery-like plot.





The film begins with the puzzling deaths of all the people in a small Midwestern town. The government has reason to suspect an alien virus is the killer, so they send in a highly trained medical team, insulated in space suits to prevent infection. Only two survivors are found — a squalling infant and a raving old man. Both survivors are isolated and rushed to a top secret, underground facility, specifically built for this kind of emergency.





The rest of the story focuses on a detailed examination of the underground facility's safeguards and equipment, along with the scientists' frantic efforts to investigate and neutralize the biological threat.





The sets are well made and believable (at a cost of $300,000 -- chump change in today's world of movie making), though perhaps not flashy enough by post-Star Wars standards. Ditto for Douglas Trumbull's special effects, even though it cost $250,000 just to develop and present the FX of the alien virus.





Directed by Robert Wise (The Day the Earth Stood Still, Star Trek -The Motion Picture). Screenplay by Nelson Gidding. The strong cast includes Arthur Hill, Paula Kelly, James Olson, Kate Reid, and David Wayne.

IMDB features a wealth of interesting facts about this movie in both their "trivia" and "goofs" sections. Check 'em out.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

While watching The Night Gallery TV episode "The Different Ones," they appeared to use a corridor from the Wildfire Science Station.

[larryfoster]

When the first Ebola virus patient came to the US for treatment, I was reminded of the quarantine of this movie. If the 'know-it-all' CDC, AMA, etc., and that stupid hospital in Texas had used a quarantine chamber and suits like these... their attending nurses would not have contracted the patient's Ebola.


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Tired of waiting on NASA to adopt Flying Saucer technology! Sick of human political-representative government! I want 1970: COLOSSUS (The Forbin Project) A.I. - as World Control government! Providing flying saucer tech, "For the betterment of man."

[Bud Brewster]

For years I've thought how cool it would be if there had been one-or-more organizations started back in the 1950s that specialized in creating props, sets, and special effects for any studio that paid them, and this independent organization would retained the rights to whatever they created so that they could be redressed and reused in other productions.

Today we have places like Industrial Light and Magic who serve the same purpose, using CGI instead of sets and props. But the organization I'm fantasizing about would even offer consultation on scripts, pointing out embarrassingly stupid flaws in logic and science that needed fixing.

Such an independent organization would eventually gain a strong reputation for excellence that studios would promote their films by bragging to the public that said organization had been involved.

Ah, yes . . . in a perfect world, things would be logical and efficient and peachy keen. But, that just ain't how it seems to work.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Krel]

I love this movie. But I was disappointed that the DVD didn't have the making of special that was shown on network tv, on a Saturday Night before the movie came out. I remember sitting on the floor of the garage, playing with my MATTEL Thing maker Fighting Men set, while watching the special on my little portable tv set.

I was thirteen, and I had to go see it when it came out. Fantastic sets, REAL LASERs! Science Fiction! Nudity! Although, I didn't know about that before hand. Anti-Government slant at the end, although that wasn't in the book. But then it was the 70s.

I love the details in the movie. The clean lines of the sets and controls. The way you had to really press down on the buttons, to make sure that nothing could accidentally be activated.

David.

[Pow]

That's a terrific idea regarding your organization, Bud.

I always thought it was a great shame that sets for sf TV pilots that were never picked up as a series were simply destroyed. The waste of $$$ & marvelous set designs seemed criminal to me.

Some examples were: Irwin Allen's City Beneath the Sea sets, the moon colony from Plymouth, the starship sets of Disney's Earth * Star Voyager, & most recently Virtuality.

Even if a particular pilot was not well written (I'm looking at you Irwin) the sets themselves were excellent. These sets could have been reused & revamped if necessary for sf TV shows that did get picked up as a series. The sets could have been featured as a mainstay of the show, or as a "guest star" set to be seen now & then.

[Pye-Rate]

Storage is costly, sets don't come in IKEA flat packs.

[Bud Brewster]

I'm describing a facility that specialized in creating and maintaining well-designed sets that could be rented to any studio for less than it would cost that studio to build something far less impressive.

The clever people who ran this facility would design the sets to be easily redressed for different productions so they wouldn't always look the same. Parts from one set could be combined with another, etc.

Trashing sets and props that are -- in my opinion -- works of art in a very real sense, just because "storage is expensive", is like saying art museums are a waste of money because we can always get artist to paint new paintings when we need them.

Hollywood execs are short-sighted, unimaginative clodhoppers who only value one kind of artwork. The pictures of presidents on money.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

I purchased an excellent photo book that covered the history of the MGM backlot. Of all the studio backlots, MGM's was considered the absolute finest of 'em all.

The pix in the book sure confirm that fact.

The western street, N.Y. street, European street, jungle, it just went on & on. All gone now. Bulldozed into history. Parking lots & office buildings now occupy the acreage.

What a pity, what a tremendous loss.

[Pye-Rate]

Bud, it seems you agree the sets should be able to be flat packed or something resembling that.

[orzel-w]

[Krel]

[Bud Brewster]

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Enjoy the trailer.
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_________ The Andromeda Strain (1971) Trailer


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[alltare]

I usually like Robert Wise movies, but this one is not an example of his best directorial effort. There is way too much hysteria, way too much YELLING, and the cantankerous attitude of the lady scientist is extremely overdone.

In addition, "nuc-u-ler" is not a word, and that's the worst LASER aiming system ever.

[Pow]

They did a TV mini-series reboot of TAS. Had some fine new concepts and a good cast with good production values.

Somehow though it just never became greater than the sum of its parts.