Can 'The Andromeda Strain,' Eric McCormack, Benjamin Bratt and Andre Braugher reap Emmy bids?
While reviews for "The Andromeda Strain" have been mixed, boffo ratings, built-in name recognition and a big push by A&E could still yield big Emmy results.
The number of nominees in the miniseries category is determined on a sliding scale by the number of programs eligible. This year, at least 15 miniseries are in contention, so there should be five nominees. Compare that to last year, when the winner, "Broken Trail," had only to beat "Prime Suspect 7" and "The Starter Wife."
Among the strongest current contenders: "The Company" (TNT), "The Bronx Is Burning" (ESPN), "Capture of the Green River Killer" (Lifetime Movie Channel), "Comanche Moon" (CBS), "Cranford" (PBS), "Five Days" (HBO), "John Adams" (HBO), "Sense and Sensibility" (PBS) and "Tin Man" (Sci Fi).
There are a few curious parallels between "Andromeda" and last year's "The Starter Wife," which was a frothy romp about a rich L.A. divorcee, based on a bestseller novel. So is "The Andromeda Strain" — the 1969 novel by Michael Crichton is its source material. While "The Starter Wife" starred Debra Messing, Emmy Award winner for "Will & Grace," "The Andromeda Strain" has her sparring mate from that series, Emmy Award winner Eric McCormack. Both miniseries featured multiple Emmy winners in supporting roles — Judy Davis ("The Starter Wife") and Andre Braugher
(The Andromeda Strain"). And both aired in the last days of Emmy eligibility, leaving them fresh in the mind of voters.
And in favor of "The Andromeda Strain," there is the cachet of Oscar-nominated director Ridley Scott and his brother Tony producing. In 2002, the pair won an Emmy for "The Gathering Storm," HBO's drama about Winston Churchill. As well, A&E has an impressive track record in this race — seven nominees over the years, with a win in 1999 for one of the "Hornblower" adventures. One of its losses — "Napoleon" in 2003 — was to "Taken," which is the only sci-fi miniseries to win the award. But that triumph is good news for sci-fi "Andromeda," of course.
Below, for fun, here's a look at the 1971 film, with director Robert Wise (Oscar winner for "The Sound of Music" and "West Side Story") intro-ing the trailer.
And the trailer for the new A&E adaptation.
Just another in a series of total-crap remakes of great 70's and 80'2 films.
Just goes to show you what happens when there are too many bad actors looking for work.
Maybe next time they can remake Cussler's book/movie "Raise the Titanic" - only this time update it to include an atomic bomb that was transported through a worm hole by Nazi's so the axis powers win WW-1.
Posted by: JImbo | June 28, 2008 at 02:41 PM
All throughout this movie I kept saying, "Is there anything left of the brilliant Michael Crighton 's book in this movie?" What a crappy bastardization of a fantastic book. The 1970's movie was much truer and better! Hey Hollywood! Pushing tons of money into a movie with special effects, etc. doesn't make the storyline any better. Using my imagination just reading the novel was better entertainment than this trash remake!
Posted by: Sam b | May 29, 2008 at 08:14 AM
Hey I do not really get the end. SO... was the scientists' theory right? Did it really go through a wormhole from the future or did it fall accidentally or purposefully from a spaceship like the one shown at the end? How was the government involved and why did they keep a sample? I dont get it, someone please explain it to me because its really gonna bug me!
Posted by: Janelle | May 28, 2008 at 10:09 PM
I disagree with these picky criticisms for the most part. interestingly, the 1971 version also got trashed. I found this movie engrossing and fun. Smart and slyly funny dialogue and lots of covert references to current scandals--Halliburton, Enron, torture and illegal detention, black operations. The journalist is sexy too!
Posted by: M | May 28, 2008 at 06:15 PM
MOVIE TOTALLY SUCKED ACTING WAS TERRIBLE AND IT WAS SICK PREDICTABLE THE THUMB THROW WAS THE WORST
WTF WERE THEY THINKIN THE ENDING LOL WHEN DR. STONE CLIMBS UP THAT SHAFT THEN FALLS THRU CEILING AND CANT FUNCTION ANYMORE LOL SERIOUSLY IF UR IN THAT SITUATION AND UR LEG IS BROKE UR STILL GONNA FUNCTION IF UR NOT KNOCKED OUT IT WAS SILLY I WAS LAUGHIN SO HARD WHEN THE CHICK WAS TRYON TO TELL HIM WHERE TO PUT RICKYS THUMB ON THE SCREEN TERRIBLE MOVIE MAKES ME WANNA THROW UP
Posted by: derek | May 28, 2008 at 02:05 PM
They took a great sci-fi thriller story and turned it into predictable conspiracy crap. The book and original movie are thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat. This version is not a thriller and lacks imagination. It's formula schlock is typical of the poor writing we see on TV these days.
Posted by: Frank H. | May 28, 2008 at 12:42 PM
in my opinion a shab and dismal attempt at capturing the same intensity as the oroginal movie.
The acting was piss poor, the veiled left winged political remarks were totally out of place.
The other unbelievable aspects, such as weather fronts going from Utah to LA...sorry folks...just doesnt work that way...at least not on THIS planet and the fore mentioned f-16 stall speed..
Movie was just Crap...nothin else to say
Posted by: RJ | May 28, 2008 at 12:04 AM
Total crap!
They managed to pack every left wing kook conspiracy theory into single movie.
I kept waiting for Michael Moore in the credits.
I was very disappointed in this.
Posted by: jon | May 27, 2008 at 11:17 PM
I'll agree the original movie didn't have a well known cast of actors. Anyone that believes, however, that the new A&E version is an improvement on the original should really consider psychiatric counseling.
At least the original provided some excitement; suspense; and tension in 120 minutes. The A&E version spent 4 hours hours and gave us nothing but crap.
Emmy nominations?
Is the Academy that hard up?
Posted by: jcvs | May 27, 2008 at 10:49 PM
It was good until the thumb was 'air borne'...(pun intended)
Ha...ha...ha...
Posted by: Drake Dietrick | May 27, 2008 at 08:40 PM
For the most part...I liked it, it was a sci-fi thriller in the purest sense...however, I think all would agree that computer graphics just never do the job...in any movie no matter what the budget...it always looks cheesy. If I was a director, I would NEVER USE THAT. The movie will be nominated for some special effects awards, as it was over the top for its robotics and in the lab in general. The only major problem I had was the ending...throwing up Ricky's severed thumb was il-advised...I am sure the audience, cast, crew, directors, and producers could not help but giggle once they saw that flying thumb on the screen for the first time...I wish Steve Bartman was there to fumble it away...and the lab got nuked at that point. I mean...What would Fonzy think? Heeyyyy!!
Posted by: Drake Dietrick | May 27, 2008 at 07:59 PM
I was tuned in 10 minutes before it was advertised to go, I was so looking forward to it. I saw all 2 hours on Memorial day, 2 hours later I watched again, I am, at this very moment, watching it for the fourth time since Monday. Eagerly awaiting the 2nd part. I like it and my Mom, who hates Sci-Fi liked it as well. She is a hard sell, high marks from us.
Posted by: Keke | May 27, 2008 at 05:32 PM
I have only watched half of it so far, and I am greatly dissapointed. They took an excellent, intelligent story, and dumbed it down. If only they had stuck closer the the book, and just updated a few parts of it, it could have been great. Instead, it has been two hours of crap, not even worthy to called a remake of the originally Andromeda Strain. Instead it is only a pale, cheap imitation, with special effects and low-caliber science replacing plot and background.
Posted by: Mac | May 27, 2008 at 04:37 PM
I haven't seen the original or read the book, but I find this movie really, really, predictable. When they said Schroder was the the guy to reverse the meltdown, I know he's gonna die and get his thumb cut off, or maybe they cut it while he's alive and stuck somewhere. The president seems like a nice guy, too sincere, but he's not a bad guy, that guy eating the nicorette gum is a shiester, somehow he's gonna be left in the end holding all the pieces, probably sell the virus to the Arabs or the Chinese. While they probably kill off the scientists and Mancheck for knowing too much and serving their purpose. I hate these predictable movies, and why would this get an emmy, its not original, and the acting, at times was a bit much and other times not enough. The best actress was the baby, her colicy tummy saved her.
Posted by: maria g | May 27, 2008 at 02:00 PM
I have to disagree with most of the post I have seen. This is a far better movie than the 71 original. More realistic to life today. The original version had too much of a comic sci fi feel to it.
Posted by: Nick | May 27, 2008 at 11:18 AM
I wasn't impressed. Too much cheesy emotion and overplay with the spiffy CSI graphics. Lots of physically impossible stuff as well. One of the worst examples was the F-16 (stall speed ~200 knots) matching speed with a low-speed helicopter (100 knots MAX). Come on!
Posted by: Jim | May 27, 2008 at 11:11 AM
REALLY BUMMED BY THIS BASTARDIZED VERSION OF WHAT I REMEMBERED FROM THE BOOK AND THE 1971 FLICK AS AN AMAZING CLIFF HANGER! RIDLEY SCOTT IS A MEMORABLE FILM "BLADE RUNNER" TALENT. HOWEVER, HE MIGHT WANT TO REMOVE HIS NAME FROM THESE CREDITS!
Posted by: WANDINO | May 27, 2008 at 10:13 AM
I don't know why there is this compelling need to change the story. A novel is a best seller for its story. The mini-series is terrible and doesn't have the impact of the book or the 1971 movie.
Posted by: Betsy | May 27, 2008 at 04:28 AM
This movie should have been named ANDROMEDA STAIN! 2 1/2 hours too long, cheap CGI effects, hokey dialogue,melodramatic and at times, wooden acting, etc. The Scott Brothers may have produced it, but apparently they were not involved in the actual production!
If this gets any Emmy Awards it would be suprising.
Posted by: Charles MacKenzie | May 26, 2008 at 11:16 PM
This mini series sucked! The original movie filmed in 1971 was far superior. The writing and acting in the 2008 version was piss poor.
Posted by: Joe Mama | May 26, 2008 at 08:36 PM
Not every re-make is worth the effort but with only an hour to go before it airs, I got a feeling this will be a very good version.
Posted by: Michael | May 26, 2008 at 07:53 PM