Coma (1978)

Director:

Michael Crichton

Writers:

Robin Cook (novel)
Michael Crichton (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 January 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Mystery

Tagline:

Imagine your life hangs by a thread. Imagine your body hangs by a wire. Imagine you're not imagining.

Plot:

At the Boston Memorial General Hospital, patients are being deliberately killed off and their organs sold on the black market...

Plot Keywords:

Abortion | Pantyhose | Nudity | Female Nudity | Suspension

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Geneviève Bujold	...	Dr. Susan Wheeler (as Genevieve Bujold)
Michael Douglas	...	Dr. Mark Bellows
Elizabeth Ashley	...	Mrs. Emerson
Rip Torn	...	Dr. George
Richard Widmark	...	Dr. Harris
Lois Chiles	...	Nancy Greenly
Hari Rhodes	...	Dr. Morelind (as Harry Rhodes)
Gary Barton	...	Computer Technician
Frank Downing	...	Kelly
Richard Doyle	...	Jim
Alan Haufrect	...	Dr. Marcus
Lance LeGault	...	Vince (as Lance Le Gault)
Michael MacRae	...	Chief Resident
Betty McGuire	...	Nurse
Tom Selleck	...	Sean Murphy

Also Known As:

Coma (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Coma profondo (Italy) [it]
Kóma (Hungary) [hu]
Koma (Serbia) [sr]
Koma (Sweden) [sv]
Kooma (Finland) [fi]
Morts suspectes (France) [fr]
Mystirio tou thalamou 8, To (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

113 min | Belgium:104 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:AA (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-18 (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (cut) | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | USA:TV-PG (2006) | Norway:18 (1978) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Director Michael Crichton and author Robin Cook are both doctors.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The ambulance driver states that he has to go through the Sumner Tunnel to get to Logan Airport. Since 1961, the tunnel going to Logan has been the Callahan tunnel. The Sumner tunnel has been outbound from the airport since 1962.

Quotes:

Dr. Susan Wheeler: You did it.
[Put people in irreversible comas]
Dr. George A. Harris: No decision is easy, Sue. It only looks that way when you're young. When you're older, everything is complicated. There is no black and white, only gray.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Remington Steele: A Good Night's Steele (#1.13)" (1983)

A very nice picture, don't miss this one!

A forgotten classic from the late 70s? Yes, I just discovered the picture and enjoyed my 2 hours in company of Geneviève Bujold.

The film is set in a Hospital which feels and looks just like the real one, what verisimilitude! There's something strange going on, but is she just imagining it or is there a real conspiracy? There are some stunning examples of locations, the Jefferson institute is amazing, I felt so freaked out by it.

Geneviève Bujold gives an excellent performance, really liked her, she had a lot of warmth, really felt for her and she kept her feminity throughout. Michael Douglas is good, but not great. I think the director could've added much more to his character.

The direction is pretty suspenseful, very slick and framed very well.

The screenplay isn't bad at all, any problems should've been rectified on set.

The film was framed at 1.66:1

A nice suspenseful picture, deserves more recognition.