Michael Crichton

Crichton’s directorial career begins in not-so-hot ‘Pursuit’ (1972)

Michael Crichton started modestly as an author with the John Lange books, and he likewise starts slow as a director with “Pursuit” (1972). Although it’s

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Crichton previews ‘24’ in last Lange book, ‘Binary’ (1972)

I knew Michael Crichton dipped his toe into a lot of genres and ideas, but until I read “Binary” (1972), the last of his eight

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‘Great Train Robbery’ (1978) a sharp but stiff procedural

Writer-director Michael Crichton turns around his 1975 novel “The Great Train Robbery” for a 1978 film that reaffirms his technical competence but lacks flair. It’s

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‘Drug of Choice’ (1970) a pulpy ride of pharma paranoia

“Drug of Choice” (1970), the sixth John Lange book, can be described as John Lange meets Michael Crichton. It has the dime-store plotting and short

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Crichton masters the conspiracy thriller in ‘Coma’ (1978)

Michael Crichton’s previous directorial work, “Westworld” (1973), is more famous, because it’s a more original idea. But his followup, “Coma” (1978), is a more engrossing

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Colorful caricatures drive ‘Venom Business’ (1969)

Due to its 384-page length, I dreaded “The Venom Business” (1969), Michael Crichton’s fifth novel under the pseudonym John Lange. If it had been as

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‘Next’ (2006) a weirdly engineered novel about genetics

“Next” (2006) is Michael Crichton’s most experimentally structured novel, which is appropriate because it’s about genetic experimentation. It has no A-plot, but is instead a

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‘Zero Cool’ (1969), 4th Lange novel, has zero originality

The John Lange books continue to read like practice novels for Michael Crichton as we arrive at the fourth entry, “Zero Cool” (1969). It came

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‘Travels’ (1988) gives surprising insight into Crichton

Michael Crichton never wrote an autobiography, so the closest we get is “Travels” (1988), a collection of journal entries about first his medical school years

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‘Disclosure’ (1994) a slick noir take on Crichton’s novel

Writer Paul Attanasio fairly cleanly adapts “Disclosure” (1994) from Michael Crichton’s novel from earlier the same year. But simply by being in a different medium,

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