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#180106 - 11/05/08 05:21 PM Author Michael Crichton Dies
Jackie Global Moderator Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 9812
Loc: Louisville, Kentucky
Oh, what a shame. What a talented person he was.
Crichton died Tuesday in Los Angeles at age 66 after privately battling cancer.

"Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand," his family said in a statement.
...

He was an experimenter and popularizer known for his stories of disaster and systematic breakdown, such as the rampant microbe of "The Andromeda Strain" or the dinosaurs running madly in "Jurassic Park." Many of his books became major Hollywood movies, including "Jurassic Park," "Rising Sun" and "Disclosure." Crichton himself directed and wrote "The Great Train Robbery" and he co-wrote the script for the blockbuster "Twister."

In 1994, he created the award-winning TV hospital series "ER." He's even had a dinosaur named for him, Crichton's ankylosaur.


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#180264 - 11/12/08 08:13 AM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: Jackie]
ParkinT Offline
enthusiast

Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 275
Loc: Orlando
This news saddened me almost equally to that of Isaac Asimov's demise. "The Andromeda Strain" is among my favorites of all Science Fiction literature and the movie version was an early influence on me.
_________________________
"I am certain there is too much certainty in the world" -Michael Crichton

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#180365 - 11/17/08 12:33 PM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: ParkinT]
BobVVore Offline
stranger

Registered: 11/17/08
Posts: 6
Loc: PST
After having read "The Great Train Robbery", I was delighted that seeing it was so much like reading it. Very few movies have that success in my eyes, "To Kill A Mockingbird" being one that also stands out.

Of course, having Sean Connery, an extremely versatile and easy-to-watch, be in it didn't hurt, either.

When I was in high school, I was pleased to find out that he had lived up the street from me then. Never did go to get an autograph on "The Andromeda Strain". Shucky-darn.

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#180377 - 11/17/08 07:54 PM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: BobVVore]
Faldage Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 11844
Most plot-driven novels won't fit into a two-hour movie. The rule of thumb is 1500 words per half hour, IIRC.

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#180381 - 11/18/08 02:11 AM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: Faldage]
Zed Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 08/27/02
Posts: 1829
Loc: British Columbia, Canada
That explains why a certain trilogy had to be edited to fit into 12 hours of movie.

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#180387 - 11/18/08 06:57 AM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: Zed]
Faldage Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 11844
Trilogy, shmilogy! They squoze I, Claudius into 13 hours of non-commercial TV only by leaving out half of the first book and 90% of the second book

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#180389 - 11/18/08 07:16 AM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: Faldage]
The Pook Offline
old hand

Registered: 02/20/08
Posts: 957
Loc: Tasmania
The 1925 version of Les Miserables went for 7 hours

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#180390 - 11/18/08 07:29 AM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: The Pook]
Alex Williams Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 01/05/01
Posts: 1746
Loc: Spam Factory
In that case I'd say the miserable ones were in the audience.

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#180398 - 11/18/08 10:38 AM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: The Pook]
twosleepy Offline
addict

Registered: 02/28/08
Posts: 461
Loc: western NY
Originally Posted By: The Pook
The 1925 version of Les Miserables went for 7 hours

Are you kidding? Wow! I thought I'd seen "the longest movie" when I went to see Reds.... but it was worth it. :0)

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#180422 - 11/18/08 10:18 PM Re: Author Michael Crichton Dies [Re: twosleepy]
The Pook Offline
old hand

Registered: 02/20/08
Posts: 957
Loc: Tasmania
Originally Posted By: twosleepy
Originally Posted By: The Pook
The 1925 version of Les Miserables went for 7 hours

Are you kidding? Wow! I thought I'd seen "the longest movie" when I went to see Reds.... but it was worth it. :0)

Gettysburg (1994) is probably the longest movie I've seen - over four hours. But I think from memory it was cut down from nearly twice that.

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