I'd definitely recommend the book as well. His books are easy, fun reads and I personally enjoyed the fake scientific rigor (like fake citations) that get put into the books as mentioned in the linked article. Also of interest to any Michael Crichton fans like myself is that there was an authorized sequel written by a different author named the Andromeda Evolution just published in November 2019. It's not quite as good as the original since it deviates a little from the original "we're trapped in this facility with a virus that's trying to kill us", scientific drama into something more action movie-y - I don't think it's a spoiler to say that it involves a space station and space elevator along with exploring ancient structures. Even with that complaint, the sequel was still a pleasant way to pass a few hours on a plane for me!

I've been revisiting Crichton lately, and I guess I never realized how big of an impact he had on pop culture. Him and Tom Clancy were such a big part of the 90s, and I am enjoying their slight resurgence.

> an authorized sequel written by a different author named the Andromeda Evolution just published in November 2019.

...authorized by Crichton's estate, though? The cynic in me imagines that his heirs might not be as scrupulous about his work as he would be.

One of my favorite aspects of Andromeda Strain is the color coded levels of the underground laboratory, that correspond to different target emotional states for the research team (or something like that — it’s been a while).

Watching West World on HBO I’m struck by how they’ve captured some of Crichton’s DNA in both the set design and the kind of hubris corporations have in his books.

Fun trivia about that: there was only one small section of hallway built for the movie. It was repainted different colors between each set of takes.

> Watching West World on HBO I’m struck by how they’ve captured some of Crichton’s DNA in both the set design and the kind of hubris corporations have in his books.

Having read all of Crichton's books a well as West World: I think I agree with you.

If you have a few minutes, I wonder if you could cite a few examples, thanks!

A rare case where the series is better than the original movie.

I heard that they also mixed his DNA with that of a frog.

Computer: "Please enter the decontamination chamber and be sterilized".

Dr Leavitt: "I'd rather be decontaminated!"

(Dr Leavitt played by the late great Kate Reid.)

This scene doesn't appear in the DVD, so I suspect it's the "airline" version of the movie. In-air movies were a big hit and airlines didn't want anything remotely objectionable to hurt their image. They appeared on a big screen in the front of the cabin and so everyone aboard saw the movie, even if they weren't listening.

We watched that last night. Another good movie for these times is "The Omega Man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUkU18MrBzU

Also "The Quite Earth" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9KQrOx5cz8, Logan's Run, Silent Running - that's what it feels like out in the streets at the moment!

Logan's Run is such a 70's scifi movie, but hey, Farrah Fawcett. Richard Jordan acted in this film and my favorite role he played was the Secretary of Defense in The Hunt for Red October "When I'm not kissin' babies, I'm stealing their lollipops."

I watched The Quiet Earth in a theater when it first came out. Great flic! Thanks for reminding me to watch again

Maybe also Night of the Comet, less the occasional zombie.

The Andromeda Strait is one of the best Crichton books/movies, along with The Eaters of the Dead (skip the movie) and The Great Train Robbery. I also have a strange fondness for Congo, but by that time Crichton had gone crazypants.

Such a good film. It's one of a short list of films that I keep on my iPad for long flights and can watch over again at the drop of a hat. The tone, the dialog, and the casting all work so well. I don't know how well-known the actors in it were at the time, but for me it actually works better that they're not know very well-known (at least to me)--it helps preserve the suspension of disbelief not to be looking at Al Pacino or Sean Connery and trying to forget who they are. (Of course, that said, one of the other movies on my iPad is 'Hunt for Red October', so...)

...and the movie with the most realistic portrayal for a post-apocalyptic world is "The Road"

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

This is the only movie I've watched that has left me feeling disturbed for weeks. I couldn't even watch all the parts and I haven't been able to watch again.

It is really well done.

I've described this to others as "a horror movie for fathers". This movie just ruined me, and still bothered by it.

Another terrific movie is "Warning Sign" (1985) starring Sam Waterston.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090293/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

The 2008 remake scared the crap out of me as a kid. I should rewatch it sometime.

The original scared the crap out of me as a kid, too. That and Soylent Green.