Millennium (1989)

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers (WGA):

John Varley (short story "Air Raid")
John Varley (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 August 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

We've Been Expecting You.

Plot:

An investigator seeking the cause of an airline disaster discovers the involvement of an organisation...

Plot Keywords:

Crash | Investigator | Future | Disaster | Time Travel

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Kris Kristofferson	...	Bill Smith
Cheryl Ladd	...	Louise Baltimore
Daniel J. Travanti	...	Dr. Arnold Mayer
Robert Joy	...	Sherman the Robot
Lloyd Bochner	...	Walters
Brent Carver	...	Coventry
David McIlwraith	...	Tom Stanley (as David Mcilwraigth)
Maury Chaykin	...	Roger Keane
Al Waxman	...	Dr. Brindle
Lawrence Dane	...	Captain Vern Rockwell
Thomas Hauff	...	First Officer Ron Kennedy
Peter Dvorsky	...	Don Janz
Raymond O'Neill	...	Harold Davis
Philip Akin	...	Kevin Briley
David Calderisi	...	Raymond Leacock

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

First Millenium Partnership

Trivia:

John Varley originally wrote the short story "Air Raid" in 1977. At the time, it was optioned as a project for FX director Douglas Trumbull, director of Silent Running (1972) and Brainstorm (1983). The plan was to make it a vehicle for Paul Newman and Jane Fonda. Trumbull's production fell through, only for it to be inherited first by Randal Kleiser and then Richard Rush. With all the comings and goings over the years, Varley was able to first turn it into a novel in 1983 and then a screenplay.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Louise takes a shower, Sherman helps her put her uniform top on, but there is no sign she puts on or is wearing any other clothing. However, as the scene continues, Louise is seen wearing a type of pants/shorts as they walk together.

Quotes:

Dr. Arnold Mayer: [Last lines] I knew i was right

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Kids in the Hall: (#1.20)" (1990)

A Classic

This is one of the best science fiction movies of recent history. Although it has its share of flaws (special effects are weak and the acting is mixed), but the plot is excellent and the concepts and implications introduced regarding time travel creative and thought provoking. The movie starts out with a plane that is in the process of falling out of the sky due to a midair collision. The copilot exits the cabin to find all of the passengers are already dead. The question is why, and neither we nor the main character, know the answer until later on in the story. But from this point on (and this is no spoiler as it happens in the first three minutes) all those who love stories about time travel, and the paradoxes and potentials therein are in for a great ride. The short story that this movie is based on (Air Raid) is also a classic and worth reading, but hard to find.