History Film / TheAndromedaStrain

** Dr Leavitt often doesn't take a lot of things happening in the Wildfire complex or what is expected seriously. On noticing the crops at the isolated U.S. Departmemt of Agriculture research station which conceals wildfire, she says "Great place to grow pot." Later, she ducks looking at a flashing hazard light on a construction sawhorse, and to hide the real reason for not looking (she has epilepsy) she says, "I never did like red lights. Reminds me of my years in a bordello."

** Dr Leavitt often doesn't take a lot of things happening in the Wildfire complex or what is expected seriously. On noticing the crops at the isolated U.S. Departmemt of Agriculture research station which conceals wildfire, she says "Great place to grow pot."

* AdaptedOut: While it adapts rather reliably the source material, there are a number of removed minor InfoDump talks, one additional patient that is discovered later (a cop that was passing through Piedmont when Andromeda started to spread, was spared immediate death because of his diabetes, and went psychotic on a diner later, shooting everybody and himself-this finally cements the theory that acidosis is harmful to Andromeda) and the detail that the nuclear detonation protocol would have eliminated all air from Level Five several seconds before going off.

* AdaptedOut: While it adapts rather reliably the source material, there are a number of removed minor InfoDump talks, one additional patient that is discovered later (a cop that was passing through Piedmont when Andromeda started to spread, was spared immediate death because of his diabetes, and went psychotic on a diner later, shooting everybody and himself, who finally cements the fact that acidosis is harmful to Andromeda) and the detail that the nuclear detonation protocol would have eliminated all air from Level Five several seconds before going off.

* SpreadingDisasterMapGraphic

* MediaClassifications: '''This Movie is Rated G for General Audiences "But may be too intense for younger children"'''. It would receive a higher rating today, no doubt. A town full of dead bodies. A dead child. A dead hippy girl with bare breasts. Cutting the bodies open. A woman mentions that an experimental farm would be a "great place to grow pot". Lab animals "dying" on camera. A woman has a seizure and foams at the mouth. Released as G today, it would unleash a firestorm of WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids.

* TrackingDevice: Didn't exist in 1971 when the movie was made, but the four scientists can be tracked by the electronic diagram, anywhere in the Wildfire complex. Today, you could do it with a GPS transceiver or RFID chip embedded in their clothing.

* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: When the scientist is first given the key to prevent the nuclear device from detonating if the computer controlled auto countdown starts, he thinks it would be his job to initiate it.

''The Andromeda Strain'' is a 1971 disaster movie based on the [[Literature/TheAndromedaStrain novel of the same name]] by Creator/MichaelCrichton. It stars Arthur Hill (Stone), James Olson (Hall), Kate Reid (Dutton), and David Wayne (Burton) and follows the book closely.

''The Andromeda Strain'' is a 1971 disaster movie based on the [[Literature/TheAndromedaStrain novel of the same name]] by MichaelCrichton. It stars Arthur Hill (Stone), James Olson (Hall), Kate Reid (Dutton), and David Wayne (Burton) and follows the book closely.

!!This movie contains examples of:

''The Andromeda Strain'' is a 1971 disaster movie based on the [[Literature/TheAndromedaStrain novel of the same name]] by MichaelCrichton. It stars Arthur Hill, James Olson, Kate Reid, and David Wayne and follows the book closely.

** They only installed 3 self-destruct cancellation stations per level, but they need 5, of which the last two aren't yet finished.

* ForWantOfANail: A simple piece of paper prevented the notification bell from ringing.

* {{Pixellation}}: In the men's ultraviolet scan, their privates are blurred.

For it's time, the film showed impressive special effects. Computers had advanced pen inputs that [[MagicalComputer didn't behave out of character for the era.]]

* HotScientist: Noticeably averted. The lone female is in her fifties and overweight.

* CrazyPrepared: \\

-->'''Burton''': That's how it's supposed to look. We spent $50,000 on this road.\\
-->'''Leavitt''': (astonished) Putting ''in'' the potholes?\\
-->'''Burton''': Covering up the equipment tracks. Heavy equipment leaves a big trail.

'''Leavitt''': (Looking at bleak dusty road, turns to Burton who's driving) You're lost! No one's been down this goat path for years!\\
'''Burton''': That's how it's supposed to look. We spent $50,000 on this road.\\
'''Leavitt''': (astonished) Putting ''in'' the potholes?\\
'''Burton''': Covering up the equipment tracks. Heavy equipment leaves a big trail.

''The Andromeda Strain'' follows a team of scientists who investigate a deadly disease of extraterrestrial origin, which has alsoready wiped out an entire tow save two survivors.