SincereFinest disgusting, overrated, pointless

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

FrogGlace In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Scott LeBrun Here's an interesting and intelligent film that is worthy of discovery or rediscovery. It stars George Maharis as Lee Barrett, a security agent. He's hired for a baffling case of theft: valuable flasks containing a doomsday virus, otherwise known as The Satan Bug of the title, are stolen from a germ warfare compound. Barrett and others reason that not only did the crime probably involve a few people, but it also must have required inside help. Eventually, Barrett must do battle with the mad genius behind everything. They cause death and destruction in Florida, and threaten to do so again in Los Angeles.Alistair MacLeans' novel was adapted for the screen by James Clavell and Edward Anhalt, and produced & directed by John Sturges. It might not be to every taste because Sturges dares to go for a careful, measured pace. There's also a lot of exposition to digest. But patient viewers will be rewarded with a scenario that does eventually kick into a higher gear. Robert Surtees' cinematography in Panavision is absolutely gorgeous; dig those colours inside the lab. And Jerry Goldsmith contributes a typically effective score. The story keeps the viewers engrossed, and comes up with a neat twist that they might not see coming.The cast is full of familiar faces and rock solid right down the line. Maharis is an unflappable and stoic hero. Anne Francis has the only substantial female role, but she's an absolute joy to watch. Richard Basehart, Dana Andrews, John Larkin, Richard Bull, Frank Sutton, Edward Asner, Simon Oakland, John Anderson, Hari Rhodes, Henry Beckman, Harry Lauter, and the too briefly seen James Hong co-star, with uncredited roles for James "Scotty" Doohan and Harold Gould."The Satan Bug" easily predates movies like "Outbreak" by a wide margin, and deftly entertains its audience for the better part of two hours.Eight out of 10.

dougdoepke Get a load of those clogged LA freeways from the air. I've always wondered what my morning commute looks like to a flying bird. But then everybody's evacuating because nutcase Hoffman's (Basehart) going to let loose a deadly virus somewhere in the city. Barrett (Maharis) better get to him and the germ flask first or Hollywood won't be making any more of these disaster films.It's edge of the seat suspense the whole way. Events get a little complicated midway as we try to figure out who's doing what to whom and which side they're on. But that's okay since one development leads quickly to another. I especially like the set-up in the first part, where events in the lab unfold mysteriously. It's a heckuva hook, well staged and scripted.Actor Maharis is appropriately intense. I guess that makes sense since the fate of the world, no less, may depend on him. Lovely Francis is along as eye candy, while Basehart growls his lines from the bottom of a well. And is that the prickly Lou Grant (Asner) practicing his glower as a laconic thug.All in all, it's an ace thriller with a highway tour of the drier parts of LA county. However, I don't think I'll be risking a cold soda at Dodger stadium any time soon.

bkoganbing Despite some major changes in location from the UK to the USA the spine tingling spirit of Alistair MacLean comes through in this adaption of The Satan Bug. MacLean novels seem almost to roll out of the printed page and right on the screen. It's been done, but's pretty hard to make a dull film out of a MacLean work.George Maharis plays our protagonist investigating a leak in security at a very top secret germ warfare laboratory. What leaked out seems to be the ultimate in germ warfare, a virus in a vial called The Satan Bug and it will guarantee destruction of life on a planetary scale. The viewer's knowledge that these are the stakes being played for is what makes this film harrowing watching.Maharis is aided in his quest by Anne Francis who is the daughter of General Dana Andrews for whom he works. But the performance that dominates the film is that of Richard Basehart as the maddest scientist of all. He has stolen The Satan Bug and he's got big plans for it. I will say that the fact he got in and did the job speaks volumes about the lack of competence of American security. See the film and you'll see what I mean.John Sturges brought in a first rate thriller in The Satan Bug, do not miss it if broadcast.

lotus07 SYNOPSIS: Insane genius seeks to destroy all life on the planet by developing the ultimate biological weapon....what could possibly go wrong?CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: Fear. Fear that the overworked and stressed-out brainiacs in Station #3 will loose it, go postal and create the ultimate lethal chemical agent. If exposed to the air, the population of the planet has 2 weeks to live. This is all about men playing God, and what happens when technology overtakes our collective wisdom. This is still going on in society, with stem-cell research, genetic engineers, the human genome project and steroids, but the possible results are much more frightening and terrifying here.PROS AND CONS: This film started out on the slow side and at first appeared somewhat low budget. The sets and dialog seemed sparse and almost empty. As the film went on, it became apparent that this was intentional in order to give an overall feeling of alienation and loneliness. The entire cast of the film is minimal. Anne Francis is the ONLY woman you even see on screen for the whole picture. The stark and empty desert landscapes of Arizona and Southern California almost gave a sense of a world abandoned. There aren't a lot of plot twists in this film, but there is a lot of 'motivational' dialog. Questions regarding man's right to exist and the folly of runaway science. The scenes of death by bacterial toxins in the film are riveting and emotional. There is no blood or gore, just a momentary realization that they are about to die, and then they collapse and are gone.There aren't a lot of cons in this film, because you have to take it for what it is. Stark, minimalist film making on a terrifying subject. It does appear odd that with the fate of the world at stake, all the forces that the US government requires are about 12 men in trench coats that pick up a pastel colored rotary phone to bark orders and have things done. This makes you wonder how ever accomplished anything before cell phones and the internet. We like to see more detail and drama these days, but like I said, this is minimalist film making on a large scale.