IMDb > The Cold Equations (1996) (TV)

The Cold Equations (1996) (TV) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

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5.3/10   173 votes
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Director:
Writers:
Stephen Berger (writer)
Peter Geiger (writer)
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Release Date:
7 December 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
Lt. John Barton is sent on a special mission to deliver a special vaccine to a distant mining colony... more | add synopsis
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User Reviews:
Not bad, but a spurious subplot detracts... more (15 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Bill Campbell ... Lt. John Barton
Poppy Montgomery ... Marilyn 'Lee' Cross
Daniel Roebuck ... Mitch

William R. Moses ... Adrian Cross
John Prosky ... Markham
Heidi Swedberg ... Board Member

Derk Cheetwood ... Corporal

Nicki Micheaux ... Ground Controller

Albert Hall ... Capt. Keynes
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Additional Details

Runtime:
Spain:92 min
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Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Marilyn 'Lee' Cross: So what are you gonna do?
Lt. John Barton: Ask for help.
Marilyn 'Lee' Cross: Don't be stupid. They're not gonna help. You're kind of stuck with me.
Lt. John Barton: Stupid? I'm being stupid? You have no idea what's happening.
Marilyn 'Lee' Cross: Yes I do. I'm here and it's against the rules and don't be such a pain. I said I'd pay the fine.
Lt. John Barton: There is no fine. It's more serious than that!
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2 out of 4 people found the following review useful.
Not bad, but a spurious subplot detracts..., 4 November 2000
Author: tonyhig from Edmonton, AB

Nice to see a show that sticks pretty closely to the original story -- one of Ben Bova's discoveries when he took over at Analog from John Campbell, if I remember rightly.

However, I recall that the original story did not have the odd subplot about the corporation and the fungus quite the way the movie showed it. This seems to be a by-product of the times in which the film was made, when there had to be a "bad guy" to blame. (Other comments here are more harsh about the story treatment, perhaps with cause, but it's very difficult to turn most short stories into films -- take a look at "Enemy Mine" for example.)

The printed story in this case had more pathos, because of the implacability of the Cold Equations -- simple laws of physics and nature that none of the characters could overcome. No corporation needs to be blamed; the story tells clearly of the danger of innocence and naivety in the face of a universe which neither knows of nor heeds the actions of puny individual human beings.

When I first read the story, it was very reminiscent of Robert Heinlein (two of his lunar stories) and Arthur C. Clarke. Worth looking up -- I don't know if it's been anthologized, but the original was published in the early 70s in Analog.

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A great movie barbfrmsf
Spoil the movie for me, please. wfbvodrey
Based on a Twilight Zone episode marj-8
HELP! selwitelsd
Third adaptation of story wtdk123
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