"The Andromeda Strain" (2008) TV mini-series

Director:

Mikael Salomon

Writers:

Michael Crichton (novel)
Robert Schenkkan (teleplay)

Release Date:

11 May 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It's A Bad Day To Be Human.

Plot:

A crack team of top scientists work feverishly in a secret, state-of-the-art laboratory to discover what has killed the citizens of a small town and learn how this deadly contagion can be stopped.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Small Town | Military | Soldier | Virus

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys. Another 7 nominations

Cast

Benjamin Bratt	...	Dr. Jeremy Stone
Eric McCormack	...	Jack Nash
Christa Miller	...	Dr. Angela Noyce
Daniel Dae Kim	...	Dr. Tsi Chou
Viola Davis	...	Dr. Charlene Barton
Justin Louis	...	Colonel James C. Ferrus
Barry Flatman	...	Charles 'Chuck' Beeter
Ted Whittall	...	President William J. Scott
Ted Atherton	...	Edward 'Ed' Dewitt
Tom McBeath	...	Kyle Tobler
Rick Schroder	...	Major Bill Keane MD (as Ricky Schroder)
Andre Braugher	...	General George W. Mancheck
Jesse Moss	...	Jeff Megan
Magda Apanowicz	...	Suzie Travis
Kurt Max Runte	...	Sherriff Martin Willis
Kurt Evans	...	Lt. Roger Shawn
Panou	...	Lt. Lewis Crane
Anna Galvin	...	Lisa Stone
Michal Suchánek	...	Lance Stone
Jonathan Potts	...	Pat Terrence
Adrian Holmes	...	Sam Barton
Candus Churchill	...	Sophie Derabond
Ava Salomon	...	Sarah Scott
Emily Holmes	...	Joanne Scott
Graeme Duffy	...	Wheezer
Daniel Bacon	...	Spokesperson
Fred Keating	...	Charles Henderson
Stacee Copeland	...	Henderson's Secretary
Juan Carlos Velis	...	Roach
David Ross	...	Hank Benedict
Douglas O'Keeffe	...	Highway Patrol Officer
Tom Butler	...	Colonel Scott Arnold
Nels Lennarson	...	George the Guard
Chris Bradford	...	Wildfire Comms
Biski Gugushe	...	Sgt. George
Matthew Smalley	...	Private Brooks
Aaron Junior Turner	...	Private Connors
Teach Grant	...	Morgue Attendant
Bart Anderson	...	Al Ritter
Denise Galik	...	Annie Dillon
Donna Soares	...	Chinese Nurse
Calvin Lee	...	Korean Major
Michale Ascher	...	Sally Conover
Nicola Anderson	...	Lt. Amy Deacon
Roman Podhora	...	General Blair
Cory Dagg	...	General Michaelson
Paul Perri	...	Dr. Smithson
Luke Camilleri	...	Gordo
Eve Harlow	...	Leila
Michael Teigen	...	Ocean Savior
Jacob Blair	...	Operative #1
Eric Breker	...	Operative #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shaine Jones	...	Sgt. Samuel 'Gunner' Wilson (uncredited)
Katie Pezarro	...	Chinese Girl (uncredited)
Ian Thompson	...	Paramedic ambulance driver (uncredited)
Bruno Verdoni	...	Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Mikael Salomon

Writing credits
Michael Crichton		(novel) (as J. Michael Crichton)
Robert Schenkkan		(teleplay)

Produced by
Ron Binkowski	....	co-producer
Clara George	....	producer
Malcolm Reeve	....	co-producer
Mikael Salomon	....	co-executive producer
Ridley Scott	....	executive producer
Tony Scott	....	executive producer
Tom Thayer	....	executive producer
David W. Zucker	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Joel J. Richard

Cinematography by
Jon Joffin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Scott Vickrey

Casting by
Denise Chamian
Scout Masterson

Production Design by
Jerry Wanek

Art Direction by
Dan Hermansen

Set Decoration by
Merlin Dervisevic

Costume Design by
Jenni Gullett

Makeup Department
Jill Bailey	....	makeup artist
Ian C. Ballard	....	key hair stylist (as Ian Ballard)
Susan Boyd	....	hair stylist
Lise Kuhr	....	additional makeup artist
Connie Parker	....	key makeup artist
Nicholas Podbrey	....	special effects makeup coordinator

Production Management
Julia Neville	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Heimbecker	....	third assistant director
Kathy Houghton	....	second assistant director
Janine Law	....	second assistant director
Ken Shane	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Perry Battista	....	lead set dresser
Josephine Bleuer	....	head greens (as Josie Bleuer)
Laurie Dobbie	....	props buyer
Dean Eilertson	....	property master
Lee Anne Elaschuk	....	graphic artist
Doug Girling	....	assistant art director
Shannon Gottlieb	....	set buyer
Roger Jacoe	....	paint coordinator
Jason B. Landels	....	assistant property master (as Jason Landels)
Jacques Larrue	....	on-set dresser
Colin Meacham	....	set dresser
Claudio Palavecino	....	on-set props
Kara Schwandt	....	assistant set decorator
Glenn Woodruff	....	construction coordinator (as Glenn 'Woody' Woodruff)
Levi Woods	....	property master: second unit

Sound Department
Bill Bell	....	sound editor
Stephane Bourgeault	....	sound assistant
Scott Cannizzaro	....	adr engineer
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Bob Costanza	....	sound editor
Mike Dickeson	....	sound editor
Kevin Fisher	....	sound effects editor
Erich Gann	....	sound effects editor (2008)
G. Michael Graham	....	supervising sound editor
Devon Heffley Curry	....	supervising adr editor (as Devon Curry)
Anton Holden	....	sound editor
Robert McDonagh	....	boom operator (as Rob McDonagh)
Sharon Michaels	....	foley artist
Terry O'Bright	....	sound re-recording mixer
Daryl Powell	....	production sound
Keith Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard S. Steele	....	sound designer
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer
Tim Terusa	....	sound editor
David Torres	....	foley mixer
Daniel Tripoli	....	sound editor (as Dan Tripoli)

Special Effects by
Tony Lazarowich	....	special effects coordinator
Dale Shippam	....	special effects technician
Robert Yeager	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Patrik Bergman	....	digital effects artist
Ales Dlabac	....	CG artist
Jiri Forejt	....	digital compositor
Miro Gal	....	Inferno artist
Miro Gal	....	visual effects on-set supervisor
Tomas Hajek	....	digital compositor
Lukas Herrmann	....	digital matte paint artist
Lukas Herrmann	....	screen designer
Jan Heusler	....	digital compositor
Tomas Kalhous	....	digital effects artist
Pavel Kolar	....	visual effects artist
Vít Komrzý	....	visual effects producer
Vsevolod Korovin	....	digital compositor
Jirí Linhart	....	digital effects artist
Robert Loudil	....	visual effects artist
Jana Macenauerova	....	digital compositor
Petr Masek	....	digital compositor
Michal Mocnak	....	digital compositor
Tomas Munzar	....	digital compositor: UPP
Peter Nemec	....	Inferno artist
Vaclav Ondrousek	....	digital compositor
Robert Pik	....	Flame operator
Jiri Stamfest	....	matte artist
Frantisek Stepanek	....	visual effects
David Vána	....	visual effects supervisor
Petr Vcelicka	....	digital compositor
Jan Vseticek	....	visual effects coordinator
Lucie Zemanova	....	digital compositor
Vince Yoshida	....	prop builder (uncredited)

Stunts
Lloyd Adams	....	stunts
Nick Allen	....	stunts
Nicola Anderson	....	stunt performer
Guy Bews	....	stunts
Dustin Brooks	....	stunt fire safety
Kim Honey Burnett	....	stunts
Simon Burnett	....	stunts
Yves Cameron	....	stunts
Alain Chanoine	....	stunts (as Alaine Chanoine)
Raymond Chan	....	stunt double
Douglas Chapman	....	stunts (as Doug Chapman)
Laura Lee Connery	....	stunt driver
Brent Connolly	....	stunts
Colin Decker	....	fire stunt assistant
Mike Desabrais	....	stunts
Duane Dickinson	....	stunts
Jim Finkbeiner	....	stunts
Alex Green	....	stunts
Dave Hospes	....	stunt coordinator
Carol Jackson	....	stunts
Ken Kirzinger	....	stunts
Jon Kralt	....	stunt double: Rick Schroder
Rick Pierce	....	stunts
Clay Virtue	....	stunts
Marshall Virtue	....	stunts
Brent Woolsey	....	stunts
Cody Laudan	....	stunt double: Benjamin Bratt (2008) (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Akehurst	....	lightboard operator
Paul Arnel	....	grip
Reid Cohoon	....	dolly grip
Alexander Cooper	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Jim Filippone	....	pilot: camera helicopter
Gareth Harrison	....	lamp operator
Russ Hawkes	....	dolly grip
Frederick Heartline	....	assistant camera
Tim Heller	....	lighting technician
Gilbert Jamault	....	lamp operator
Simon Jori	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Dave Joshi	....	digital video assist operator
Mike Kolafa	....	gaffer
Alex Kuchera	....	grip
John Kuchera	....	key grip
David Kurvers	....	digital imaging technician: second unit
Ian R.C. Levine	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Neil Macdonald	....	best boy electric
Steve Machan	....	grip
David McClung	....	lamp operator
Marty McInally	....	camera operator
Andrew McLeod	....	lighting technician
Ryan Monro	....	dolly grip
Sylvia Pranaitis	....	grip
Pascal Jean Provost	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Pascal Jean Provost	....	cinematographer: second unit
Richard Sinclair	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Gordon Tait	....	grip (as Gord Tait)
Jason Tidsbury	....	light balloon technician
Jasper Vrakking	....	digital imaging technician
Tom Waldman	....	generator operator
Gary J. Williams	....	second grip
Keith Woods	....	rigging gaffer
Rusty Deluce	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Christian Stevens	....	camera trainee (uncredited)

Casting Department
Heike Brandstatter	....	casting: canada
Andrea Brown	....	extras casting director
Andrea Brown	....	extras casting
Joe Cappelletti	....	adr voice casting
Coreen Mayrs	....	casting: canada
Chrissie S. Vides	....	casting assistant (as Chrissie S. Armstrong)
Tiffany Mak	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Luisa Dalmagro	....	costumer: preparation
Christopher Gilman	....	specialty costumes: Bio-Hazard suits
Kevin Knight	....	assistant costume designer
Paul Lavigne	....	wardrobe set supervisor
Clare McLaren	....	truck costumer
Karin Nosella	....	costume coordinator
Julie O'Rourke	....	costumer: prep

Editorial Department
Josh Beal	....	assistant editor
Alex Durham	....	post-production assistant
Jessica Schulte	....	assistant editor
Mike Sowa	....	digital color timer

Music Department
Bunny Andrews	....	music editor (as Bunny K. Andrews)
Allison Wright Clark	....	score supervisor
P.J. Hanke	....	composer: additional music
Joel J. Richard	....	musician: guitar

Transportation Department
Lawrence Albright	....	transportation co-captain
Tim Fortin	....	transportation coordinator
Mark Hoeppner	....	unit driver
Paul Irvine	....	transportation captain (as Paul 'Spike' Irvine)
Red Murphy	....	transportation coordinator
Barrie Poirier	....	transportation
Rick Rasmussen	....	picture car coordinator
Chad Urquhart	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Nick Bergstedt	....	prep assistant location manager
Ron Blecker	....	consultant
Marc Borja	....	assistant production accountant
Crystal Braunwarth	....	script coordinator
Amanda Bronswyk	....	first assistant accountant
Bruce L. Brownstein	....	location manager
Kimberly Buckham	....	second assistant production coordinator
Zarah Chun	....	craft service (as Zara Chun)
Jason Crosby	....	marine coordinator
Penny Ann Hardage	....	assistant to producers
Shannon Harron	....	payroll accountant
Charles Heaphy	....	production financing
Patti Henderson	....	script supervisor
Paul Jasper	....	animal coordinator
Bruce C. Jones	....	security coordinator
Marco Leone	....	assistant: Mr. Salomon
Flemming Lund	....	assistant location manager
Gina Marks	....	location scout
Nadine Moser	....	production assistant
Mary Ngo	....	accounting services
Darin Oishi	....	production accountant
Karen Pelrine	....	assistant production coordinator
Daniel A. Rosenthal	....	accounting services
Adrienne Sol	....	production coordinator
Ryan Steacy	....	armorer
Kody Zimmermann	....	key office production assistant
Rowan Harland	....	animal trainer (2008) (uncredited)

Production Companies

• A.S. Films
• Scott Free Productions
• Traveler's Rest Films

Distributors

• A&E Television Networks (2008) (USA) (TV)
• RTL Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5) (first national airing)
• TV3-Russia (2008) (Russia) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2009) (Japan) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Universal Production Partners (UPP)

Other Companies

• Clairmont Camera  cameras and lenses
• Marshall/Plumb Research Associates  script research
• PS Production Services  production equipment
• Skip Film  titles
• Smart Post Sound  post sound services
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility
• Thompson-Nicola Film Commission  production services

Runtime:

174 min | Norway:170 min (2 parts) | USA:180 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Norway:15 (TV rating) | Netherlands:16 | Netherlands:12 (TV version) | Finland:K-18 (self applied)

Filming Locations:

Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

A.S. Films

Trivia:

Originally aired as a two-part miniseries, but has also been edited into 4 different parts intended for airing as hour long episodes with commercials.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Dr. Angela Noyce reports that what connects the three survivors is acidosis. Dr. Jeremy Stone says, "So, you're saying they survived Andromeda because they had the same level of stomach acid? That's brilliant." What's not brilliant is that acidosis has nothing to do with stomach acid. Acidosis is the acidity level of the blood.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jeff Megan: [to Suzie] That's a lion out there. And a triangle.

Movie Connections:

References Iceman (1984)

Embarrassingly awful

Hard to believe such a great book and movie could be ruined by infantile, cheap, melodramatic, two-dimensional writing, directing and camera-work, but this is a great example of how it can be done. Unwatchable. Pointless love story. Robotic characters. TV-style, quick-take, short-attention-spanning, wannabe thriller movie-making. One hopes the director and writer never get another TV credit again. Crichton should sue. I could tell from the first 30 seconds of the film that it was going to disappoint and be as predictable and unimaginative as it was. Not even HBO for pre-schoolers. See the original ASAP! IT can be watched ten times and not be as boring as this remake.