Impressions

[JOACHIMS MICHELLE LYNN]

Bruce Phillips (bap at MED.PITT.EDU) wrote:
: 	~r 40

: Perhaps describing OUTBREAK as a "documentary" was hyperbole but many of its
: scenes, particularly those of the medical institute and the various bio-
: hazard containment levels (BL1-BL4) were very convincing.  I agree the time
: frames of various events didn't jive at all with one another.  But I still
: think many many people will leave that movie with quite a few misconceptions
: about viruses and their treatment.

I think you are right about the movie leaving people with many 
misconceptions about viruses and their treatment.  However, I hope that 
people also will aprreciate the complexity and power that these organisms 
have.  They are so small and simple by comparison to humans, yet so 
capable of reproducing themselves, regardless of expense!  I hope that 
the public will appreciate the amazing capacity that viruses have to 
impact our future, without the paranoia that is potentially involved by 
the overdramatization of an inaccurate story of an epidemic (maybe this 
is alot to ask :-)).  I do know that I left the theater not so much 
criticizing the inaccuracies or exaggerations in the movie, but 
appreciating the elegance of viral systems, having fueled my fire to 
always want to know how they do it!

Michelle