Anybody watch "Smallpox" on FX? (1 Viewer)

[ChuckSolo]

This film was really interesting because I have just finished reading a non-fiction book called "The Demon in the Freezer" all about smallpox. It was interesting because a number of the people who were giving insight in the film, were also mentioned in the book. The author has also written a book called "The Hot Zone" about Marburg and Ebola virus and the Ebola scare in Reston, VA about 10-15 years ago. The film was extremely factual according to what I read in the book. Very, Very scary folks and an excellent teleplay.

 

[Eddy-C]

I didn't see it, but the previews made it look like a faux-documentary. Was it?

 

[ChuckSolo]

Yes it was.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Dammit! I missed it! :frowning:

I've wanted to watch this for weeks, anyone know when they'll re-run it?

 

[DaveMcS]

TiVO's guide showed at least 4 other airing over this week.

 

[Linda Thompson]

All times Eastern; all on FX:

January 5: 8:00PM
January 6: 4:00PM
January 8: 8:00PM
January 9: 6:00PM

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Thanks a bunch!

Got my VCR set already.

 

[David Norman]

Interesting response from the Official CDC site. I can't remember them ever recognizing a TV show before. Luckily, virtually nothing is as contagious as they made it appear, but this was certainly far less sensationalistic than most of these type things.

CDC Answers to "Smallpox"

 

[David_Blackwell]

I missed it too. I wanted to see this one.

 

[ChuckSolo]

Interesting to say the least. The show did put up a disclaimer that the movie was "for entertainment purposes only" so that was pretty good. After reading the Preston book "The Demon in the Freezer" though, the show did indeed get some of the facts right, especially the way smallpox affects different people, classic pustule type smallpox or the hemmoragic type (black smallpox). The book dealt with smallpox epidemics from the viewpoint of USAMRIID, the Army's infectious disease unit and as was pointed out in the book, the CDC and USAMRIID rarely see eye to eye on how to handle a disease outbreak or even how it is spread. The book tends to stress that the CDC is usually very conservative on how it addresses infectious outbreaks, whereas USAMRIID tends to take a very agressive stance and always prepares for the worst. In anycase, a very entertaining movie and I highly recommend both of Preston's books, "The Hot Zone" and "Demon in the Freezer."

 

[Michael Elliott]

There's no doubt this film will live throughout history. It should go down in history along other "warning" films like REEFER MADNESS and THE COCAINE FIENDS. This film was so incredibly bad that I really wanted to turn it off but my rule is to never turn anything off.

For starters, the film takes place in 2002 so there goes the suspense since we know this didn’t happen. Perhaps had they set it in the future (this year perhaps) then more suspense could have built up. The "documentary" style had me excited but again, the idea of a documentary talking about something that happened in 2002 when he know it didn't happen just didn't make for an interesting story.

The performances were so incredibly bad that I actually started cheering for the smallpox so that the movie could end. Whoever plays the mother was so incredibly bad that I doubt Ed Wood would have put her in one of his movies. It was also quite clear during a few of the interview segments that the actors were reading from cards. The direction was also terrible as was the so-called screenplay.

I guess the point of this film was to scare people but it certainly wasn't scary. The warning before the thing started was that this was for entertainment only but they forgot to make it entertaining. I love films that are so bad they're good but this one here was just downright bad. I'd probably say it was worse than last years 10.5

I'm sure the smallpox issue could make for a great movie but this isn't it.

 

[ChuckSolo]

Spoken like a true critic. Well, it entertained me. By the way, did you read the disclaimer at the beginning. This was fiction all the way. I just happened to mention that some of what was in the movie was also mentioned in the books. Critics, sheesh, and "Chicago" also won best picture, go figure.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Yes. I think they ran it five times throughout that 8PM original showing. I personally thought this was used so that someone wouldn't turn it on and think this was currently happening. However, I talked to someone at work who came in asking why she couldn't remember this happening since it happened in 2002. I'm really not questioning any of the "facts" but instead just the way it was presented.

 

[David Norman]

I think it was filmed in 2002 though I was a bit surprised they didn't set it a bit more into the future. Most of the actors weren't that bad for a TV movie other than the Peters mom who I was about ready to strangle by the end (I suspect it was the character and not the actress which I assumed was the expectation) -- what a whiny demanding bch. I wondered if this wasn't more of a UK presentation of Ugly American in London dig.

I thought a good bit of the political fallout was pretty on target -- who's fault, who screwed the pooch, finger pointing, wasn't my responsibility type reaction that goes on constantly with any disaster (9/11, FEMA Hurricane readiness, etc).

 

[David_Blackwell]

I tried watching it, but it didn't hold my interest and the thing talking about something that happened in 2002 in the movie's universe didn't help either.

 

[Eddy-C]

I just watched it. It entertained me but I laughed when I saw Al Shaprton on the screen.