The Andromeda Strain

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

2 corrected entries

(2 votes)

Corrected entry: When the scientists arrive at Wildfire, Dr. Leavitt's glasses are taken away. She is told that they will be treated and returned. She says, "Good, because without them I would need a white cane." Minutes later, she reads a passage from the Wildfire documents with no glasses and no trouble at all.

wizard_of_gore

Correction: I am legally blind without my glasses, but I can easily read documents. What I can't do is see anything clearly if it's further away than my elbow.

Carl Fink

Corrected entry: When the crashed Phantom is examined, it is discovered that Andromeda has mutated into a plastic-consuming organism. Specifically it destroyed all the 'polychron' gaskets and seals and other 'polychron' items (the pilot's oxygen mask)in the jet, which is what caused it to crash. Since Major Manchek is the one who made the statement at the crash, it stands to reason that this news would have been relayed to the team down at Wildfire immediately. For some reason it was not, and the all-too-convenient plot-device of the 'polychron' gaskets at Wildfire failing and starting the nuclear device is just too contrived to be probable.

Correction: When Manchek asks if Wildfire has been informed, an Officer says something like "You mean the Germ Warfare people? Yeah, it went out on the scrambler", so they were told, but there was a communication breakdown at Wildfire. When they discover the foul-up, they are more concerned with the lack of nuclear sterilisation at Piedmont than with any other missed messages. Also, when they speak to Dr Robertson, he enquires after the Phantom crash, and Dr Stone sidelines him rather sharply, so they were still too unconcerned as to be unaware of any threat.

Continuity mistake: On Day 2, when the two officers go into the town's doctor's office, they leave the van with the driver's door way open, beyond 90 degrees, almost 180. The door didn't move to indicate it corrected itself as they went in. When they come out, the door is almost closed. And there has been no indication of a wind other than the helicopter, and that is supposed to be 1000 feet up and not even close to the office.

Scorpious

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Question: If the Andromeda "Incident" at Piedmont and the facility were top secret, ever wonder what they did with the old man who knew of both? (I'm excluding the baby, since he can't talk or remember).

Answer: The government would have concocted an official story about what happened in Piedmont - attributing it to some natural disaster. The old man had dementia, was alcoholic, and suffered a severe emotional trauma, so it's doubtful many would give much credence to anything he had to say. He was also confined to a small area of the Wildfire complex and was given minimal information about what it was or where he was at. In his confused mental state at the time, he probably would have remembered little about what actually happened.

raywest

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