Films about Biological Warfare or Bioterrorism or Epidemics

Here are a few articles about germs in the movies:

Biological Weapons, Bioterrorism, and Vaccines. A part of The History of Vaccines: an educational resource by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

Lane, Anthony. 15 May 2020. Our Fever for Plague Movies. Hollywood loves nothing more than killing off humanity, but watching contagion films feels different now. The New Yorker. Rubric "A Critic at Large", May 25, 2020 issue.

Livingstone, Josephine. 2020. Why You Should Watch Movies about Pandemics, during Pandemics: Sometimes fiction is stranger – and more revealing – than truth. The New Republic, March 18, 2020.

Pappas, Georgios, and Savvas Seitaridis, Nikolaos Akritidis, and Epaminondas Tsianos. 01 October 2003. Infectious Diseases in Cinema: Virus Hunters and Killer Microbes. Published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 37, Issue 7, 1 October 2003, Pages 939–942, https://doi.org/10.1086/377740

Vigilant Citizen. "Contagion": How Disaster Movies "Educate" the Masses.

There are also many books about this subject and some video games about this subject.

The following list of films is approximately in chronological order.

Die Pest in Florenz (1918)

The Dying Detective (1921)

Perhaps the first(?) film about biocrime.

Faust (1926)

This film is based on the famous book by Goethe. The plague is killing people in the town where the learned old man Faust lives. He struggles in vain to find a cure for the plague. In despair, he sells his soul to Mephisto for one day to find a cure, but quickly realizes that he has made a mistake when he finds that he can no longer bear to look at the Crucifix. Mephisto then offers to return to Faust his youth, knowing that Faust will be unable to give up after one day. Faust meets the innocent girl Gretchen and asks Mephisto to help him have her. Only the very beginning of this film has anything to do with diseases. This film is mentioned only for completeness.

Miss Mend (The Adventures of the Three Reporters) (1926)

Miss Vivian Mend is a typist at an American newspaper that also employs three other journalists, who are friends of hers. Miss Mend and the journalists cover a strike at a factory. After leaving the strike, she makes the acquaintance of Arthur Stern, the son of the factory's owner. We find out that she is taking care of her sister's boy John, who is the illegitimate son of the factory's owner. The Sterns belong to an unnamed secret organization that needs money in order to fight Communism in the U.S.S.R. The organization has Arthur's father and his father's illegitmate son killed and then change the father's will to leave most of his money to the organization. The organization decides to use the Stern money to spread plague in the U.S.S.R. Miss Mend is unaware of this but wants to avenge the death of her nephew John, and follows the secret agents to the USSR. The three reporters also travel to the USSR. En route the reporters discover that the secret agents are transporting plague bacteria and work to frustrate the plan. This appears to be the very first film about the use of biological warfare.

Arrowsmith (1931)

Based on the Sinclair Lewis novel of the same name. The film skips over almost all the early action in the book, and only briefly touches on Dr. Arrowsmith's time as a country doctor in North Dakota. By 40 minutes into the film Dr. Arrowsmith is already at the McGurk Institute in New York City, by 50 minutes he has already made his big discovery, and by 55 minutes the epidemic enters the action. The book presents many ethical dilemmas and conflicts faced by doctors, but only the ethical question about denying treatment to a placebo group appears in the film. The epidemic is part of the film's background action, and is not central to it. The film does not live up to the book.

Doctor Bull (Dr. Bull) (1933)

Doctor Bull, a small town doctor played by Will Rogers, has to deal with small-town pettiness along with his normal case load. A sudden typhoid epidemic makes him the object of anger from the town residents, first because he had not inspected the water reservoir and prevented the epidemic, and second because some of the town residents do not want him to vaccinate their children. The film is mostly about the life of a small-town doctor. The epidemic plays only a minor role in the film, and this film is mentioned only for completeness.

The Painted Veil (1934)

A young English doctor marries the daughter (played by Greta Garbo) of the Austrian scientist for whom he works. The couple departs for China, where a cholera epidemic is raging. The dedicated doctor is so busy that he neglects his young wife, who falls in love with a family friend. The couple then departs for the place where the cholera epidemic is at its worst. This film is a romance set against the background of an epidemic: it is not really about infectious diseases. Mentioned only for completeness.

Things to Come (1936)

When this film was released, only 18 years had passed since the end of World War I, and only three years had passed since Adolf Hitler had come to power in Germany. The film portrays the beginning of a new war, and fast-forwards over many decades, occasionally pausing to provide information about what has happened. At one point, germ warware is mentioned, which has given rise to "a strange and terrible pestilence – the wandering sickness", which has spread unchecked throughout the world and, like the black death in the Middle Ages "killed more than half the human race". The fast-forward stops at a time when practically all the fruits of industrial progress have vanished. A dictator named Rudolf in London is doing his best to continue fighting against the people in the hills. Germ warfare is only part of the backstory in this film. The real subject of this film is progress and the dilemas it presents. This film is mentioned only for completeness.

Camille (1936)

The main character is suffering from a disease, presumably tuberculosis. However, in other respects this film has absolutely no redeeming qualities. This is one of the few films I have seen in my entire life that I regretted watching.

The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936)

A dramatized presentation of the highlights of the career of Louis Pasteur (1822-1895): his promotion of the antiseptic ideas of Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (1818-1865); his discovery of the anthrax pathogen and development of a vaccine against it for sheep; and his development of a vaccine providing protection against rabies for humans. The film ends when his accomplishments are finally recognized and he gives a speech in which he says "You young men, doctors and scientists of the future, do not let yourselves be tainted by apparent skepticism nor discouraged by the sadness of certain hours that creep over nations. Do not become angry at your opponents, for no scientific theory has ever been accepted without opposition. Live in the serene peace of libraries and laboratories. Say to yourselves first "What have I done for my instruction?", and as you gradually advance "What am I accomplishing?", until the time comes when you may have the immense happiness of thinking that you have contributed in some way to the welfare progress of mankind."

That Mothers Might Live (1938)

This is a brief dramatized documentary about Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (1818-1865). He was the first person to realize that diseases were spread by something that people could not easily see at that time, and he advocated thorough hand washing by doctors. Even though bacteria had been discovered a century earlier by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723), Semmelweis was the first person to realize that something unseen was causing many diseases. Like many pioneers, Semmelweis was summarily dismissed during his lifetime, and was even put in an insane asylum. Later, the cause was taken up by Louis Pasteur (1822-1895).

Jezebel (1938)

The film's title refers to a queen of Israel mentioned in 1 Kings; the connection to the action in the story is not obvious to me. The action starts in 1852 in New Orleans. The subject of most of the film is a romance between Julie, a southern belle, and Preston Dillard, a banker. The first mention of yellow fever is at about 11:00 minutes into the film, when the bankers are discussing the proposed financing a new railroad. The yellow fever epidemic of 1830 is mentioned. At 38:00 there is more discussion of yellow fever. Preston and Julie part ways: Preston moves north. A year later (1853), Doctor Livingston advises Julie to leave the city for her rural estate, called Halcyon, to avoid an imminent yellow fever epidemic. Preston returns to New Orleans to attend to urgent business at the bank. Since he went north, he has married Amy, a northerner, whom he brings with him. By now the epidemic has arrived, and the authorities are not letting people into or out of New Orleans. There is discussion of the "fever line" between Halcyon and New Orleans, which people are not allowed to cross. The sick are quarantined on "leper island". Preston wants to leave his wife Amy at Halcyon, while he travels to New Orleans to attend to business. He succumbs to the disease, and news of this travels to Halcyon, where Julie and Preston's wife Amy are staying. Both Amy and Julie sneak through the "fever line" to visit Preston in New Orleans. The film is interesting on several levels. This film's most interesting aspect is its portrayal of the divisions between the north and the antebellum south and the blunt statement of at least one banker that automation will replace human agricultural labor, spelling the end of the southern way of life. As far as infectious diseases go, what is most interesting is the ignorant fear of most of the population, the ludicrous mitigation measures (shooting cannon at night, face masks, etc.), and the ruthless shooting of people violating the rules. However, this is a minor part of the film that appears only toward the end. This film is only mentioned for completeness.

The Citadel (1938)

A young Scottish doctor takes his second job in a Welsh mining town. While there, he thinks that he has discovered that the miners' occupational exposure to certain types of dust may promote tuberculosis. Unforutnately the miners have superstitions about how they come to get TB, and want to get their special "pink medicine" that the previous doctor used to give them. He resigns his post there, and moves to London, where he has a hard time getting started, but quickly starts earning good money by attending to wealthy patients. This film is not so much about disease as about a doctor's conflict between his desire to do research and his need to earn a living, and the power of the medical establishment over the practitioner. Mentioned primarily for completeness.

Robert Koch, der Bekämpfer des Todes (1939)

A dramatization of how the tuberculosis pathogen was discovered by Robert Koch, played in this film by Emil Jannings. The film does give the viewer a good idea of what it was like to work at that time, but the film is long on dramatization and short on the information: this is not a documentary. In addition, it is hard to shake the association of Emil Jannings with Professor Immanuel Rath in the film "Der blaue Engel".

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940)

A little-known and very undervalued film. It is a dramatized presentation of the major accomplishments of the German doctor and scientist Paul Ehrlich (1854-1915). The film covers his discovery of a stain that made it easy to visualize tuberculosis bacteria; his help finding the correct dosage of an antiserum for diphtheria developed by Emil von Behring (1854-1917) and the moral dilema presented by clinical trials that call for denying an experimental treatment to some of the patients; and his development of a drug to treat syphilis. Unfortunately, most discussion of the film focuses on this last accomplishment of Ehrlich, which is sensational because of its association with sex. This film presents all major issues: side effects of treatments; informed consent; publicity surrounding clinical trials; etc. At the end of the film, when Dr. Ehrlich is apparently on his deathbed, members of his team visit him as his wife plays the piano. He tells them the following: "There are a few things I want to talk over. 606 [the anti-syphilis drug] works, we know. The magic bullet will cure thousands. And the principle upon which it works will serve against other diseases, many others I think. But, there can be no final victory over diseases of the body unless the diseases of the soul are also overcome. They feed upon each other. Diseases of the body and diseases of the soul. In days to come there will be epidemics of greed, hate, ignorance. We must fight them in life as we fought syphilis in the laboratory. We must fight, fight, we must never stop fighting." Paul Ehrlich is played by the famous actor Edward G. Robinson, known to most movie lovers today only as a gangster character actor. However, this film was produced well before Robinson became petrified as a gangster character actor: he plays the role of Paul Ehrlich perfectly. Highly recommended.

The Crippler (1940)

Truly repulsive and shameless fear mongering intended to stoke fear among parents and increase donations to the March of Dimes. In this film The Crippler is an imaginary child abuser who stalks and attacks children. This is not even a real video: the voice of "The Crippler" is heard, but the video just shows stills of actors and an iron lung. Not worth watching.

Isle of the Dead (1945)

Sister Kenny (1946)

A dramaticized biography of the Australian nurse Elizabeth Kenny, who successfully treated infantile paralysis (polio) patients using techniques different from those used by mainstream practioners, who shunned her.

Singoalla (The Wind Is My Lover) (Gypsy Fury) (1949)

His fighting chance (1949), part 1 of 2; part 2 of 2

The Killer that Stalked New York (1950)

This film is even less known than "Panic in the Streets", which also appeared in 1950, and it is very underrated. The action begins "on a November day in 1947". A young married woman Sheila is returning home to New York City from Cuba, followed by an agent from the Treasury Department. She is aware that she is being followed. We later learn that she was suspected of smuggling diamonds. She loses the "T-man" and returns home. When Sheila returns home, she is surprised to find her sister Francie with her husband Matt. Francie explains that Matt had called her and told her that Sheila was expected, so she had come to welcome her home. It becomes obvious that Sheila's husband Matt and Sheila's sister Francie were having an affair. When Sheila returns, she does not feel well, however she does not think that she is seriously ill. Her husband is anxious about the diamonds that she had smuggled into the USA. When Sheila became aware that she was being followed, she had mailed the diamonds home, in case she was apprehended. Once the diamonds arrive in the mail, Sheila's husband Matt takes them without telling her, and goes to a jeweler to sell them. However, the jeweller has been alerted to be on the lookout for these stolen diamonds, and tells Matt to return in 10 days, once things have cooled down. Matt leaves Sheila without telling her. Sheila only realizes this after talking with their landlady, who is a busybody and knows that Matt had been having an affair with Francie and that he had received the package. Meanwhile, the public health authorities have discovered that smallpox has started spreading in New York City. The T-men are looking for Sheila the suspected smuggler, and the public health authorities are looking for an unknown person infected with smallpox. It becomes clear that both are looking for Sheila. Meanwhile, Sheila is looking for her husband. Out of desperation, the public health authorities decide to vaccinate everyone in New York City; Sheila is finally found. This film appears to have been loosely based on a real smallpox epidemic that occurred in New York City in 1947 when a man, who later turned out to be infected with smallpox, and his wife traveled to New York City. They traveled from Mexico, not Cuba, and they were not diamond smugglers. A few people in New York City were infected, including two patients in the hospital where the man was hospitalized, although amazingly no one on the bus was infected. The authorities really did carry out a mass vaccination campaign. Of course smallpox was later eradicated from the world (official declaration in 1980), and this was accomplished largely without widespread mass vaccination campaigns. From the perspective of the events of 2019-2020-2021 this film presents many parallels: mass hysteria, mass vaccinations, emergency measures and not following the usual rules. It is interesting to note that the film takes place in the same city that had the worst mass hysteria and whose public authorities made the worst decisions in 2019-2020-2021. Possibly very early predictive programming.

Panic in the Streets (1950)

This might be the very best film in the genre. The film opens with a poker game. One of the players (Kochak) says that he is sick and he walks out of the game. Blackie, another player who is down (has lost money) during the game, is disappointed that the other man left while ahead. He tells his friends that he wants the money back from the player that left. They follow the man who left the game to the waterfront, and start to attack him, but he fights back, even though he is sick. One of pursuers shoots the man that left the game, and they take his money. The next day the police find him. Coroner Kleber is planning to remove the bullets from the man and then go to lunch with his friend. However, the coroner quickly realizes that something is wrong, and he tells the others to stay away from the dead man. The coroner calls Dr. Clinton Reed of the Public Health Service at home on his day off, and tells him that "something funny is going on". Dr. Reed goes to the police station and finds that the body is infected. He announces that the dead man was suffering from pneumonic plague, and insists that everyone in the police station that had touched the body be innoculated with a serum. Dr. Reed goes to the seaman's hiring hall and offers $50.00 of his own money to anyone that can tell him something about the man that had died. He learns that the man had been smuggled ashore off a ship called the Nile Queen, which is still close to the port. Dr. Reed goes out and boards it. At first the crew denies any knowledge, but when Dr. Reed tells them the seriousness of the disease, the crew confesses that it had been carrying the sick man. Dr. Reed gives the serum to the entire crew. Dr. Reed learns that the man that had died came ashore with his cousin Poldi, who might also be infected. Now the search is on for both the dead man's killers and his cousin. The police start questioning everyone about the killing of the dead man. A woman that works in a restaurant that had served Poldi gets sick and dies. Dr. Reed and the police follow the lead to find Poldi. Blackie is also on the trail of Poldi, who has also fallen ill. The police arrive as Blackie is taking Poldi away, and stop him. Blackie runs away to the waterfront, and a dramatic chase scene ensues. As the police close in on Blackie, he tries to climb a mooring line to get on a ship that he knows will depart soon. He is unable to get past the rat guard on the mooring line, and falls into the water. This film reminds us of the time when health service workers made sacrifies and did their jobs rather than sit around in offices and issue stupid mandates.

What You Should Know about Biological Warfare (1951 or 1952)

This is an official Civil Defense film produced at the height of the Cold War. Of course today it seems rather "corny". Its explanation of the possible methods of attack is fairly accurate, although its recommendations about how to fight a BW attack – personal hygiene – are more appropriate for a school health class than for Civil Defense purposes.

The War of the Worlds (1953)

Humanity is saved from a Martian invasion by the Earth's microbes, against which the Martians have no resistance. Not really part of the genre: mentioned only for completeness.

Interrupted Melody (1955)

Marjorie Lawrence, an Australian young woman wins a scholarship to study voice in Paris. She is immediately successful, and following her debut she meets Dr. Tom King, a young American doctor who is about to return to the USA, and they celebrate her success together. Her career takes her to New York City, where she renews her acquaintance with Dr. King. The subject of marriage comes up, but Dr. King is concerned about the conflict between her career and her traditional role as a wife and mother. Although she says that she will abandon her career, Dr. King wonders whether that is the best thing for her. Despite his reservations, they marry. She is very successful while his career is just beginning. The Met provides her all the work she needs, without her having to go on tour, until the Met asks her to go on tour in South America in preparation for a new role in Tristan and Isolde that she has never performed before. When Marjorie and Tom find out that the tour will last five months, she suggests that her husband give up his career and travel with her. This is sensible in a certain respect, since her career is so much more successful than his, but he he cannot imagine giving up his career: "I'd be Mr. Marjorie Lawrence", he says. Nevertheless, he gives her his blessing to go on tour without him. Tragically, while she is in South America, she contracts polio and becomes paralyzed. After her return to the USA, they spend time in Florida as she gradually recovers, but they decide to return to New York. Tom returns alone to New York to re-establish his practice. While Marjories is still in Florida, the military asks her to entertain disabled soldiers in hospitals, and she does so, traveling quite a bit, even back to her homeland Australia. She finally returns to New York City, and is finally able to sing in the Met again, although she still cannot walk. Polio plays only a background role in this film, and this film is mentioned only for completeness. However, it is an extremely good film about commitment in marriage ("in sickness and in health") and an early portrayal of the conflict women faced at that time (and still do, although to a lesser extent) between the demands of a career and those presented by the role of being a wife and mother, and it also provides an opportunity to see Roger Moore before he became 007.

Det Sjunde inseglet [The Seventh Seal] (1957)

This film is really about death rather than about biological warfare or bioterrorism or epidemics. It takes place against the background of the black death of the 14th century, but the plague plays only a very minor role in the film.

80,000 Suspects (1963)

Two doctors and their wives struggle with marital problems while trying to contain a small outbreak of smallpox in Bath, England, and keep it from turning into a full-flown epidemic. The head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases would drool at seeing all the precautions taken: face masks, hand washing, sterilization of clothing, lockdowns, contact tracing, etc. In this film the epidemic is mostly a dramatic background for the portrayal of the characters and their marital problems. Based on, and closely follows, the novel "The Pillars of Midnight" by Trevor Dudley Smith. Mentioned for completeness.

The Last Man on Earth (1964)

A plague spreads over the earth turning infected persons into vampires. A person who believes himself the only survivor struggles against them. He meets another survivor and struggles to find a cure. Based on the Richard Matheson novel I Am Legend, later remade as The Omega Man (1971, see below) and I Am Legend (2007, see below).

The Satan Bug (1965)

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

James Bond's search for the villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld leads him to Italy, where he meets his future bride Teresa Draco (Tracy), and then on to the Swiss Alps, where he discovers a secret biological warfare lab disguised as an allergy research institute that is run by Comte Balthazar de Bleuchamp (Blofeld). Blofeld is planning to threaten to release biological agents that would bring about the permanent sterilization of all food crops, which could bring about mass starvation, to achieve his nefarious aims. In addition to this film's many other merits, it is notable for four phenomenal chase scenes: two on skis, one in cars, and one in bobsleds. One of the very best Bond films.

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Two undercover operatives, apparently working on Project Scoop for Vandenberg Air Force Base, approach the town of Piedmont, NM, which has a population of 68. They are driving a reconnaisance vehicle with location radar and are in radio contact with Vandenberg Air Force Base. When they sound alarmed and stop communicating, Vandenberg Air Force Base orders a flyover, which confirms many bodies. Major Manchek sends a distress signal, and the members of a secret team are tracked down and brought to New Mexico. The secret team works on the SCOOP project, whose purpose is to collect any organisms that might exist in outer space, and to study and evaluate potential injuries, illnesses, or damage caused by new extraterrestrial forms of life, should any be discovered. A helicopter delivers two team members in hazmat suits to Piedmont, where they discover that all but two inhabitants of the town had died instantly, with no bleeding. They locate the reconnaisance vehicle and resume the search for the satellite, which they find at a doctor's office. They evacuate the two survivors: a baby and an old man. The team members contact the White House and recommend a "7-12". The team members meet at a secret 5-level germ lab hidden underground, deep below a USDA station, and the satellite and two survivors are also brought there. The team undergoes humiliating decontamination procedures and reaches level 5. The lab has an automatic nuclear detonation mechanism that can only be disarmed by a key that is given to team member Dr. Hall. One part of the team exposes lab animals to what is inside the satellite. Both a rat and a rhesus monkey die almost instantly after being exposed to air communicating with the satellite, confirming that the satellite contains something lethal. Another part of the team visually inspects the surfaces on/in the satellite, and discover a green substance that appears to be alive and growing. The team isolates the organism and determines that it is a crystal, and that it is growing. Dr. Hall is anxious to examine the two survivors. He orders some lab tests through the computer. There are some interesting features of computers that anticipate what was available at the time the film was made (1971): stylus-activated touch screens, voice recognition, etc. The team contacts their superiors, who name the new organism Andromeda. The team had urged the White House to approve 7-12 (that is, to drop the bomb on Piedmont), but due to a communications error the plan was never carried out. This appears to be the first film to discuss the American government using nuclear weapons against targets in the US, although in this case the target is a town in which everyone has already died. The first film to mention the American government using nuclear weapons against living people in the USA appears to be The Crazies (Code Name Trixie) (1973) (see below). It turns out to be fortunate that 7-12 was never carried out, because the team then discovers that the Andromeda crystal grows on energy, and the nuclear blast would provide it with enormous energy. At various points in the film some team members wonder aloud whether the whole purpose was to search for the ultimate biological weapon. The computer simulations of the possible spread of the organism use biological warfare maps, leading one team member to say that Wildfire must have been built for germ warfare. (This film was released in 1971, and it was not until April 10, 1972 that the US signed the Biological Weapons Convention.) At this point, the seal broken in the autopsy room and the countdown begins before the nuclear device is activated, which would supply enough energy to the Andromeda organism to spread throughout the world. Will Dr. Hall have enough time to disarm the nuclear self-destruct mechanism?

The Omega Man (1971)

This film concerns life in Los Angeles after biological warfare with what is described as plague. It raises philosophical questions about "Western" (technological) civilization. However, its portrayal of the plague victims and general plot place it in the category of "zombie" movies (see below).

The Crazies (Code Name Trixie) (1973)

When viewed today, this film betrays certain technical weaknesses: the phony blood following gunshot wounds, the music, etc. However, in several important ways it anticipates films that come much later: The fact that the disease is caused by an accident in an American government biological warfare program (Warning Sign; Spill, etc.); the way in which the American government tries to contain the disease, including discussion of using a nuclear weapon on an American city (Outbreak, Contagion, Global Effect, etc., although Andromeda Strain seems to be the first to do so); etc. The film also has certain characteristics of a "zombie" movie. Today mostly of historical importance.

The Missing Are Deadly (TV) (1975)

The Cassandra Crossing (1976)

Marred only by a scandal affecting one of the leading actors, this outstanding film addresses the moral dilemas surrounding the potential spread of a deadly disease.

The Plague (1978)

Criticized as corny by some, this film raises philosophical questions about whether mankind should tinker with genes. This film is very interesting in its detailed exploration of how epidemics spread from their initial source. This film is not based on the book by Camus.

Avalanche Express (1979)

Although the plot of this film supposedly involves biological weapons, the action of the film bears no relationship to them at all: It is merely the background for the action, which is a cold-war thriller, complete with heavily armed "deep cover" Soviet agents who are citizens of West European democracies. I consider this film to be outside the genre, and it is only mentioned here for completeness, since it is sometimes mentioned in this connection. The action takes place on a train, as does The Cassandra Crossing (1976) (see above).

Die Hamburger Krankheit [The Hamburg Syndrome] (1979)

A new disease has started to spread in Hamburg, Germany, a major seaport. It is suspected that it was brought to Hamburg by a ship. The victims of the disease suddenly regain memories of long past events, and then collapse and assume a fetal position. A researcher who has come to Hamburg for a scientific conference becomes interested and examines a man who has collapsed. Having been exposed to the disease, he and several other characters are arrested and quarantined by the "public health" authorities. One of the quarantined characters, a salesman of mustard and sausages, leads an escape, and he and the researcher, along with a young woman and a man confined to a wheelchair, drive madly out of the city to avoid the authorities. Once they reach the nearest town, they find that the disease has also spread there. They find a few people who have survived, and one of them says that the public health authorities had vaccinated everyone shortly before they died. All of them leave town in a travel trailer and embark on a Quixotic voyage that brings to mind the end of the film Stroszek. The sausage salesman's truck is burned by people who are afraid that he has brought the disease from Hamburg. After that, the sausage salesman begins to sell personal protective gear. One character expresses the opinion that the elite wants to kill everyone. Toward the end, a radio broadcast appeals to citizens to help the authorities find all the unvaccinated ones. Although the film is not artisitically strong, it gives voice to concerns about the origin of the disease and who might have stood to profit from it, or even might have wanted to reduce the human population.

復活の日 (Fukkatsu no hi) (Day of Resurrection) (Virus: The End) (1980)

Not to be confused with the 1999 film having the title "Virus". This is an amazing apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic film, one of the best in the genre, and is virtually unknown. There are several versions of this film, and the one usually available in the USA omits about ⅓ of the original film. For discussion, see the Culture Wikia discussion of this film. The discussion below is based on the full-length version of the film. The movie opens with a flash forward: a submarine off the coast of Japan sends up a drone to photograph a major city and take an air sample. The videos of the city show decomposed bodies everywhere: there is no sign of life. The air sample is analyzed, and it is determined that the virus is still present in the air. The question is asked "How did this happen?" The next scene shows a car driving through bad winter weather from the Bacteriological Research Institute in Leipzig, East Germany. The car arrives at a small house, and its passenger enters the house. The passenger, who we later learn that was Dr. Krause, sits with some people and he takes out a test tube that he says must be delivered to Dr. Lisenau at the Viral Research Institute in Zürich. He explains: "It is more than a germ. It is a weapon. MM-88 is an accident. It is a Frankenstein monster masquerading as a virus. Soon after it was found that we could take DNA apart and reassemble it in different ways, an American geneticist developed this MM-88. When we heard of its characteristics, we decided to 'borrow' some of it" (that is, the East Germans had stolen some of it). The others ask what the characteristics of the virus are. "Essentially, it is a mimic", which he explains to mean that it attaches itself to existing viruses, such as polio, influenza, etc., increasing both the toxicity level and the reproductive level of the host disease. "Unless a way is found to neutralize this monster, we are left with a doomsday weapon." The understanding is that the people with whom Dr. Krause is meeting want to help find a way to defeat the virus and will take it to Dr. Lisenau in Zürich, who might be able to help. Suddenly, German-speaking commandos burst into the house and fire automatic weapons. Dr. Krause is killed in the exchange of gunfire, but the sample is intact. In the next scene, a small airplane is flying over some mountains. The passengers are discussing what happened at the house. From their conversation and conversations later in the film, it becomes clear that the people to whom Dr. Krause was planning to entrust the virus were not really working with Dr. Lisenau, but were secret agents sent by the Pentagon to recover the stolen virus sample. The small plane is flying low, to avoid detection by radar, and it crashes into the side of a mountain. The sample tube breaks and its contents are scattered. A month later, a car pulls up to the University of Maryland Institute for Biological Research. A conversation in the lab makes it clear that the military was planning to make MM-88 into a biological weapon, and that they had been trying to recover the stolen sample. The scientist who discovered the virus opposes its use as a weapon, and the military has him locked up in an insane asylum. The following scenes move from sheep herders in the USSR, where a number of sheep have unexpectedly died, to TV news about the Italian flu epidemic, which has now spread worldwide. In the White House, President Richardson and his advisers are trying to sort out what is happening and to decide what should be done, when US military officers confess to him that the pandemic resulted from a leak of a weapon that they were developing. President Richardson tells the officers that are present to "get out of my sight", and he and his advisers continue discussing what should be done. President Richardson, knowing that MM-88 is dormant at very low temperatures, suddenly realizes that Palmer Station in Antarctica will be safe, and he calls there. Shortly thereafter, President Richardson dies from MM-88, and the military activates the ARS, a type of doomsday nuclear retaliation system, which presents a complication later in the story. All mankind outside of Antarctica dies shortly thereafter. Most of the rest of the film is about the survivors in Antarctica. One of them knows that an earthquake is expected off the coast of Washington, D.C. The problem is that it is believed that this earthquake could automatically trigger the ARS, causing a nuclear attack on the USSR, whose ARS in turn would also be triggered. It is believed that the ARS of the USSR also targets Palmer Station. Two men from Palmer Station travel to Washington, D.C. on an English submarine that happened to be in Antarctica at the time, and also escaped the virus. Will they manage to deactivate the ARS? What will happen to the survivors in Antarctica? In some respects, this film is reminiscent of Dr. Strangelove (1964), but it does not contain any humor or any of Stanley Kubrick's obsession with phallic symbols. The film brings to mind "gain of function research" and other aspects of the events of 2019-2020-2021. As mentioned above, this one of the best in the genre, and is definitely worth watching.

DPT: Vaccine Roulette (1982)

This is an NBC documentary by Lea Thompson about the pediatric vaccine that was, at the time this documentary was made, known as the DPT vaccine, in particular about the component of the vaccine for pertussis (whooping cough). Since the time this documentary was produced, the vaccine then referred to as "DPT" has gone through several incarnations: DTP, DTaP, TDaP. Even at the time this documentary was produced, the concerns about this vaccine went back many decades. Even then, there were scholars that claimed that more children were being injured by the vaccine than were being injured by the disease against which it was supposed to provide protection. This documentary presents competing views from experts and interviews with some parents, and presents the results of studies done in other countries. A very professionally produced documentary that is well worth watching.

Endangered Species (1982)

This film is partly factual, based on a series of cattle mutilations that actually did take place. It clearly implies that these cattle mutilations were the product of biological warfare experiments; that the mutilations might have been done to remove lesions that might point to the true cause of death of the cattle; that the dead and mutilated cattle were dumped from helicopters at night. Despite the carefully worded statements of the characters that "any organized group" – the right, the left, organized crime, etc. – could be behind the biological weapons research, the following factors make it clear that the film is implying that the culprit is the American government: the statement at the beginning of the film that the US had renounced the use of biological weapons; the fact that the culprits are using a site that was known to have been used by the military at some time in the past; the fact that the culprits were in contact with an elected official in Washington, D.C.; along with other details. The thesis is interesting, but it is hard to understand why such a well-organized and well-funded group would not have found it easier to use an incinerator to dispose of the incriminating carcases, rather than dump them where they were certain to be discovered and arouse suspicion. Some people might consider this the ultimate paranoia film, complete with black helicopters, etc.

Intimate Agony (TV) (1983)

A young doctor comes to Paradise Island, a resort, to relieve the local doctor who is leaving the island to go on vacation. The island obviously has an active singles scene, and very early in the film it becomes obvious that herpes is a problem there. The young doctor, a newcomer, is anxious to do what he can to help people, although he cannot cure the disease. However, the locals want to keep the problem quiet, because their livelihoods depend on the public's perception that Paradise Island is a desirable vacation destination. The film portrays the public's ignorance and fear of the disease, with people shunning the infected and refusing to touch them. A young expectant mother becomes infected by her unfaithful husband, and goes into premature labor and loses her child because he had not told her that he was infected: if he had told her, she could have gotten a C-section. In a particularly poignant scene, an infected young woman who is living with her parents finds that her mother has discarded the tennis outfit that the she (the daughter) had borrowed, rather than washing it, obviously out of fear of being infected by clothing that her daughter had worn. Toward the end of the film people are learning to accept infected people, and the infected young woman's mother comes to accept her daughter.

V (TV) (1983)

This film is not really part of the genre. However, the outcome, which mirrors that of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, does involve germs, so this film is mentioned for completeness.

Warning Sign (1985)

This film is not very well known, perhaps because none of the cast is a "superstar", although they are all perfectly good actors. However, this film is a very good representative of this genre in every respect. In the film, a bioweapons research lab is disguised as an agricultural research station. (The use of agricultural researchers for bioweapons research is reminiscent of the use of use of veterinarians for this purpose, which has been documented: Medical doctors cannot be used, since they would be barred from doing so by the Hippocratic oath.) An accident occurs, releasing an infectious agent in the lab. The lab is then locked down to prevent spread of the disease outside the lab. The symptoms of the disease give the film some characteristics of a horror film, specifically a "zombie" film (see below), but this film is the only one I am aware of that does a good job of providing a real-world explanation for the bizarre behavior of infected people: The lab had succeeded in splicing the relevant part of the borna virus into highly contagious bacteria, for use as a weapon. Of the movies I am aware of in which infected people display bizarre, aggressive behavior, or act like "zombies", the only other one I can think of which even attempts to name an actual disease is 28 Days Later (2002) (see below), in which the disease is identified as "the rage". The presence of the military in the film is reminiscent of Outbreak.

1918 (1985)

Epidemic (1987)

In this film the epidemic plays a very small role, and this film is only of marginal interest in this connection; however it is listed for the purpose of completeness.

The Carrier (1988)

This film is sometimes mentioned as a film having to do with epidemics, etc. However, this film is a pure horror film. Its premise, namely that a human disease carrier can contaminate inanimate objects which cannot themselves spread the disease to other inanimate objects but which can spread the disease to humans and other animals is totally unconvincing. Whatever interesting facets the film might have – society's marginalization and scapegoating of "peripheral" members, mob psychology, etc. – this film has no interest whatsoever with regard to films about epidemics, etc.

Silent Assassins (1988)

This film supposedly deals with germ warfare, however I consider it outside the genre. An elderly biochemist has developed a formula that is needed to produce a superweapon. He refuses to divulge it and resigns, resulting in his kidnapping. The "good guys" then try to rescue him. The formula he supplies has no more connection to "germ warfare" than does the rest of the film. This is a "kung fu" film complete with martial arts swords, etc. Germs and disease play no role in it.

Man behind the Sun or Men behind the Sun (黑太阳731, Hei Tai Yang 731) 1988)

Not to be confused with the TVS or RT documentaries of the same name. This is a dramatization of true events. In 1936, Japan established a secret facility in Manchuria called Unit 731, in which horrible experiments were performed on prisoners, mostly Chinese. The experiments ranged from determining the effects of temperature conditions on frostbite, etc., all the way to developing deadly strains of bacteria, breeding vectors, and developing delivery systems for bacteria, etc. This film is a portrayal of what happened there, largely from the perspective of young Japanese soldiers who were deployed there: it is not a documentary. However, the end of the movie provides interesting information about how at least one of the key players may have been "turned" and the results of the lab may have been used later by the victor. Those interested in more factual information should read the following book: Williams, Peter, and David Wallace. 1989. Unit 731: The Japanese Army's secret of secrets. London-Syndey-Auckland-Toronto: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-39463-3.

The Berlin Conspiracy (1992)

Terrorists shoot their way into an East German weapons lab and steal four cannisters of a biological weapon (similar to what happens in Global Effect [2002], see below). The cannisters will start to leak once they thaw (similar to what happens in Chill Factor [1999]). Interestingly enough, the cannisters are presumably headed for Iraq. This happens as the Berlin Wall is coming down, so the CIA and Stasi (East German secret police) work together to recover the cannisters. This film emphasizes chasing and shooting, and the role played by the biological warfare agent is really fairly minor: The heroes might as well have been trying to recover stolen money or artwork.

La Peste (The Plague) (1992)

Although this film is supposedly based on the novel by Albert Camus, it departs widely from the book. The change of setting from Algeria to South America, the constant presence of soldiers, and the forced detentions in the stadium lend credence to the assertion of some observers that the real subject of this film is the events that occurred under periods of military dictatorship in certain South American countries. The disease does not play a very significant role in this film, and I do not consider it to belong to the genre of "films about biological warfare or bioterrorism or epidemics". It is included here only because people who have heard of the film but not seen it might wonder why it is not listed.

Quiet Killer (Black Death) (TV) (1992)

Jericho Fever (TV) (1993)

Daybreak (TV) (1993)

And the Band Played on (1993)

Based on the book by Randy Shilts. This film is a dramatization, not a documentary, but it is one of the best films in the genre. The film opens with backstory: WHO vehicles traveling on dirt roads during a rainstorm come to a village on the Ebola River in Central Africa 1976. One of the doctors is Don Francis, who is a major character in the rest of the film. The doctors mask up and enter the village. There are goats, but the village appears otherwise deserted. They enter a house; a boy meets them and takes them to a pile of dead bodies. As they prepare to leave, a young man asks them "Why this happen? You doctor: how you don't know?" The two WHO doctors begin burning bodies. One of the doctors is [...], who is an important character in the rest of the film. This opening scene is reminiscent of opening scenes of Outbreak (1995) about Motaba virus and 93 Days (2016) about the Ebola virus. Scrolling text on screen says "The Ebola Fever outbreak was contained before it could reach the outside world. It was not AIDS. But it was a warning of things to come." This is followed by a series of vignettes of early AIDS cases that were not understood at the time they occurred. The first was in 1977. Rigshospitalet Copenhagen 1977, a case of pneuomocystitis pneumonia. Then, in 1978, another case of pneumocystitis in the Claude-Bernard Hospital Paris. Patients were infected with fungus, warts, and other diseases including Toxopolasmosis. The scene changes to a preliminary meeting to develop the platform for the 1980 Democratic national convention, Bill Kraus asks that the Democratic platform recognize that gays are also human, which meets with scattered applause. hOWever, the 1980 election was won by Republican Ronald Reagan. At the UCLA Medical Center, a patient is found to have a T-cell count of 0. In May 1981, Dr. Mary Guinan at the CDC presents Dr. Jim Curran with a report and urges him to act on it. Don Francis arrives. Other experts meet and begin to discuss what is happening. The film recounts the attempts of different researchers to identify the causitive agent of what was then known as "GRID" (gay-related immune deficiency) and the tragedy of the contamination of the nation's blood supply. It also covers Gallo's attempt to claim credit for its discovery.

Philadelphia (1993)

The movie's action starts at about 23:45. Beckett, an attorney who has AIDS, has been fired by his law firm and files a wrongful termination suit. Beckett had been working on an important case and had left the necessary papers on his desk the night before they were due, but the next morning they could not be found. The law firm for which he works loses confidence in him, and terminates him. However, he is convinced that someone at the law firm sabotaged him because they had discovered that he had AIDS. The most important aspect of the film is the public's irrational fear of people with AIDS: fear of being touched by them, even being in the same room as they are; and the trial. There is almost no discussion of the disease itself: this film is about fear and prejudice.

The Stand (1994) (mini)

The first part of this four-part mini series, entitled "The Plague", is definitely part of this genre, if viewed alone. Members of the American military may object to the fact that unarmed civilians are shot by the military in the film (not portrayed, but mentioned). On the other hand, the government's denial in the film that anything is wrong is a true echo of what happened during the 1918 influenza epidemic (see John Barry's book). The apocalyptic vision of all four parts (The Plague, The Dreams, The Betrayal, The Stand), when viewed as a whole – which invites comparison with Quo Vadis? and perhaps even the Book of Revelation – place this film in a category of its own.

Trollsyn (1994)

Twelve Monkeys (1995)

Sometimes mentioned in connection with films about disease and epidemics, this film, with its time travel, etc., is closer to the genre of science fiction than to the genre of "films about biological warfare or bioterrorism or epidemics". The film is interesting in this respect only in that the pathogen comes from a laboratory and is deliberately released, rather than being the result of a "natural" event. The epidemic occurs "off stage", before the action in the "future", and after the action in the "present" (which represents the "past" from the perspective of the "future"), so it is part of the "stage set" rather than the action. The film acknowledges La Jetée (1962) as its inspiration.

Deadly Outbreak [Deadly Takeover] (1995)

This film is actually about chemical warfare rather than biological warfare. However, this film is sometimes mentioned in connection with biological warfare, so it is included for completeness. A team traveling to a research institute in Israel to pick up a deadly chemical warfare agent is killed en route and replaced by a team of assailants which takes over the institute to obtain the compound. It turns out that the assailants also placed explosives in key locations in Washington, D.C. before taking over the research institute. The assailants demand money and free passage. An American special forces sergeant fights to thrwart their plans. Long on action, short on plot.

Outbreak (1995)

This is one of the very best movies in the genre. The main characters are Sam Daniels, who is a colonel in USAMRIID – the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases – and his ex-wife Dr. Robby Keough, who is leaving USAMRIID for the CDC. Sam Daniels' commanding officer and long-time colleague is General Billy Ford. General Ford's commanding officer is General Donald McClintock. The film opens with backstory from July 1967. A helicopter lands at a mercenary camp in the Motaba River Valley in Zaire and two men in hazmat suits leave the helicopter and visit a field hospital, where there are many sick people. They take a blood sample from one of the patients, and then leave. As they leave, they talk about a "drop". The junior officer is referred to as "Billy". (Later in the film it becomes apparent that the senior officer was General McClintock and the junior officer was General Billy Ford.) After the two leave the mercenary camp, a military plane approaches, and the soldiers in the field hospital cheer. However, instead of dropping supplies, the plane drops a bomb that kills everyone. Another part of the backstory that younger people might not understand is that the present day USAMRIID used to be called the U.S. Army Biological Warfare Laboratories (USBWL). It was not until April 10, 1972 – five years later – that President Nixon signed the Biological Weapons Convention. Fast forward to the present day (1995). At the USAMRIID, Dr. Robby Keough is on her last day there. Sam Daniels is at home and receives a telephone call from his commanding officer General Ford. There has been an outbreak of hemorrhagic fever in Zaire, and General Ford orders Sam to go there. Sam Daniels and two other men arrive in Zaire by helicopter. They find a field hospital and enter it. It is full of very sick patients. The local doctor tells them that the disease is not airborne, but that it kills in 2-3 days, with fatality of 100%. Patient zero had been working in the jungle. Sam Daniels sends a report that this is the scariest disease that he has seen, but that it appears contained. Sam Daniels returns from Zaire and talks with General Billy Ford. Sam tries to convince General Ford to issue an alert, but General Ford doesn't think it is necessary. Back in Zaire, a monkey is trapped. Later, a monkey cage is seen on a Korean ship: the Tae Kuk Seattle. A sailor feeds a banana to the monkey in the cage. At USAMRIID, General Ford, who knows about the outbreak in Zaire, removes a sample from a freezer and gives it to two lab workers, who hold the archived sample side-by-side with a sample of the new virus. The labels read "Purif. Motaba Lot # 7" and "MOTABA 1967". The new sample from the Motaba Valley appears to be identical to the sample taken in 1967. Later, General Ford is talking with General McClintock, who says that this is "our little secret: we wiped out an entire village. Get your friend Daniels off the case. I don't want that nosy little bastard messing up 30 years of our work." General Ford transfers Sam Daniels to a different assignment, but the latter objects. The Korean ship arrives at the San Jose port, and the monkey cage is taken to a quarantine facility. A car leaves the quarantine facility with a monkey cage in the back after the driver bribes a security guard. Sam is frustrated that he cannot get the USAMRIID to issue an alert about the outbreak of hemorrhagic fever in Zaire, and calls his ex-wife Dr. Robby Keough, who now works at the CDC, and pleads with her to try to get an alert issued. She is skeptical, but nevertheless asks the Director to do so. Back in California, the smuggled monkey spits at the smuggler as he drives the monkey to a pet shop in Cedar Creek, CA, where it scratches the pet shop owner, who later collapses. The pet shop owner will not buy the monkey because it is a female, but he had ordered a male. After leaving the petshop, the smuggler releases monkey in the wild, goes to the airport, and takes a flight to Boston. On the airplane he begins to feel sick, and is met at Logan airport by his girlfriend Alice. They kiss, and then he collapses. Both of them end up in the hospital. Once Dr. Robby Keough, who is aware of the possible epidemic, learns about the two young people in Boston suffering from a mysterious illness and that that one worked in the animal quarantine in San Jose, she travels to the hospital to examine the two. The two patients are too sick to answer her questions. Back in Cedar Creek, a man in a movie theater is coughing and then collapses. More and more people who were in the movie theater come to the hospital. In Boston, Dr. Robby Keough determines that no other passengers on the flight had become ill, but then learns that there are 15 cases in Cedar Creek. She decides to travel there. Sam Daniels pleads with General Ford to let him work on the hemorrhagic fever epidemic, but General Ford reaffirms his order sending Sam to New Mexico to work on hanta. General Ford once again accesses cold storage and removes a sample labeled E-1101. General McClintock is talking quietly on the telephone with General Ford. "Billy – they placed us in a hold mode for Clean Sweep." We find out that "Clean Sweep" means dropping a fuel-air explosive bomb almost as powerful as a nuclear bomb. General Ford tells McClintock that "We can throw them a lifeline". We later learn that General Ford was referring to the antiserum from 1967, which they had preserved. General McClintock says he wants an absolute media blackout, and asks whether Daniels is "in line", and General Ford tells General McClintock yes. Unbeknownst to either of them, Sam Daniels has disobeyed orders and traveled to Cedar Creek, where large numbers of heavily armed soldiers in hazmat suits are arriving. So, both Sam Daniels and Dr. Robby Keough end up in Cedar Creek, and are surprised to meet there. They determine that the disease has gone airborne, so there must be two strains. They speculate that the original host was infected with both strains. Knowing about the possible animal connection, Dr. Robby Keough goes to the local pet store, where she finds a monkey (a different one than the one that was smuggled out of the quarantine facility) that is positive for the original strain. They deduce that the smuggler must have released the host between the petshop and the airport, although they are still not sure what animal the host was. The population of Cedar Creek is being held in the town and panicking families try to escape. They are fired upon by attack helicopters. Communications have been cut off and a curfew has been imposed. Sam sees infusion drip bags of E-1101 and wonders what it is. General Ford says it is experimental. Sam takes a bag of E-1101 and has it administered to the Rhesus monkey found at the pet store. Heavily armed military in hazmat suits herd infected members of the population like cattle to quarantine areas. Later, we see soldiers loading body bags into trucks and later burning them. At a White House meeting, General McClintock proposes dropping a fuel-air bomb. The president reluctantly agrees, but says that there will be NO dissent. Sam Daniels discovers that the petshop monkey quickly recovered after receiving E-1101 and confronts General Ford about why they withheld the antiserum before. General Ford tells Sam that we have to defend ourselves against the other maniacs who are developing biological weapons; we have to go on as soldiers. If they wipe out the town, then the weapon is intact. Sam Daniels guesses that the town will be eradicated and asks General Ford about this; the latter answers that the town will be bombed at 20:00 hours. Sam and a coworker commandeer a helicopter and locate the Korean ship, which has already left San Jose. They determine that the host animal was a monkey and then travel to KAEF Santa Rosa, where they interrupt a live broadcast to ask for help locating the monkey. A mother from Palisades calls to say that her daughter has seen a monkey there. Sam Daniels and his coworker go there, capture the monkey, and return to Cedar Creek. General McClintock tries to stop them, but they make it to Cedar Creek, where they prepare an anti-serum from the monkey's blood. General Ford follows orders and authorizes dropping the bomb on Cedar Creek. Sam Daniels calls General Ford and tells him that "we have the host", meaning that they can create an antiserum. General Ford passes that information on to General McClintock, but the latter wants to proceed with Clean Sweep even though anti-serum is available. Sam Daniels and his coworker get back into the helicopter in an attempt to block the bomber that will drop the bomb on Cedar Creek, and succeed: the bomb does not hit Cedar Creek. General Ford Billy relieves General McClintock of command and arrests him for for witholding vital information from the POTUS.

Hussard sur le toit, Le (1995)

This film is sometimes mentioned in this connection. Although in this film the cholera epidemic is really part of the background, the film is so enjoyable and of such high quality – the photography or music alone make it worth watching – thAt it is well worth watching.

Terminal Virus (1995) (TV)

Nuclear and biological warfare have ended civilization as we know it. A lethal virus has infected everyone, however, it is only lethal when men and women make love. For this reason, men and women live in separate camps and are constantly at war with each other. The son of a doctor who has discovered a cure struggles to return humankind to "normal". On a certain level, this film belongs to the genre of post-apocalyptic fiction, that is, it concerns life on earth after a devastating event. However, the fact that the virus is part of the backstory, the dubious premise that the virus is only lethal when men and women make love, and the emphasis on battle scenes and scantily clad, attractive young women place this film outside the genre of films about diseases, plagues, etc. The conspicuous theme of the war between the sexes brings to mind the Polish film Seksmisja (Sex Mission). Entertaining, but not a film that will long be remembered.

Spill (1996)

Intrigue in high places leads to a spill of a contagious biological warfare agent in a national park where the POTUS is scheduled to deliver a highly publicized speech. A Secret Service agent gets involved in a roundabout way, and saves the day. This is a fun thriller, but the role played by BW is very slight.

Plague Fighters (1996)

Pandora's Clock (TV) (1996)

Burning Zone (TV) (1996)

Yibola bing du (1996)

Operation Delta Force (1997) (TV)

Contagious (1997) (TV)

Despite the fact that this is a "made for TV" movie, in many respects it is more realistic than many feature films. The disease is cholera, the transmission path is conventional, the scenario is realistic.

The Patriot (1998)

The leader of a Montana militia obtains a lethal biological warfare agent and a vaccine for it. To advance his agenda, he takes the antidote and then infects himself, planning to pass the lethal infection to the authorities (police, judge, etc.), while staying safe himself (since he took the antidote). A local doctor of Indian (Native American) ancestry who has experience working with this virus from an earlier career (part of the back-story) works to find a cure. This film repeats earlier themes of biological warfare agents being released from US government labs and causing epidemics among the civilian population. This film is special because of its focus on Indians. However, even if all the other merits of this film are disregarded, the spectacular scenery and music alone make this film enjoyable.

Voyage of Terror (1998) (TV)

A highly infectious hemorrhagic fever similar to ebola spreads rapidly among the passengers of a cruise ship and the ship is placed under quarantine. Meanwhile, mutinous crew members and intrigue in the halls of power provide excitement while the few doctors on board help the victims struggle with the disease. As of this writing it seems that the film, although an American production, can only be obtained from Germany – in German WITHOUT English subtitles – under the title Kreuzfahrt des Schreckens.

Influenza 1918 (1998) (TV)

This nonfiction film presents interviews with survivors and archival photographs and other material to give the viewer a good impression of what it was like to live during the pandemic of so-called "Spanish" influenza in 1918.

Virus (1999)

Not to be confused with the 1980 film one of whose titles is the same. Despite its title, this film has nothing to do with epidemics or viruses (except perhaps by a stretch to computer viruses). It bears more similarity to the "Borg" Star Trek film (Star Trek: First Contact (1996)) than to any of the other films listed here. It is listed here only for the purpose of completeness, since viewers who see its title elsewhere might wonder about whether it belongs here.

Chill Factor (1999)

This film supposedly concerns "a new biological chemical weapon". However, the inventor's discussion of "the position of the cobalt atom", taken together with the weapon's effect – that of an explosive rather than a contagious disease – places this film entirely outside of this genre. It is included here only for completeness, since it is sometimes mentioned in this connection. The idea that the weapon had to be kept cold echoes The Berlin Conspiracy (1992).

D.R.E.A.M. Team (1999)

Fatal Error (TV) (1999)

Runaway Virus (2000) (TV) (also known as "The Millennium Plague")

This film is very underrated. This film is currently unavailable in the US and I had to send away to THAILAND to get it. This film is the only (fictional) film I know of that deals with the possibility of a pandemic of influenza. Influenza was – and remains – the biggest threat to mankind of all diseases, including plague, ebola, you name it. This film is more credible in many ways than most other films which deal with the possibility of pandemic disease. Its premises about disease are correct; its handling of the "Russian North" is good; its portrayal of "south-of-the-border" matters is quite reasonable. This film is definitely worth watching for people who care about the SUBJECT MATTER of the film, as opposed to whether big-name actors appear in it or its mushy love scenes, etc.

Contaminated Man (2000)

Mission: Impossible II (2000)

A scientist who is obviously Russian has developed a virus and an antivirus, which he obviously wants to use to make a fortune. He is flying with the virus and antivirus to the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia, apparently to "sell his wares", but criminals on the plane seize the virus and antivirus, parachute out of the airplane, and cause the plane to crash. Later, the virus and antivirus turn up in the hands of a known terrorist, who tries to sell them to Biocyte Pharmaceuticals. The hero Ethan Hunt expends superhuman efforts to thwart their efforts. The film is full of chase scenes, hand-to-hand combat, etc. The disease itself remains in the background. The characters are able to put on extremely realistic masks to change their identity almost at will, which makes the action less predictable, and hence more exciting, although quite unrealistic. From the perspective of 2022, the idea of criminals developing both a disease and a cure or vaccine and becoming very wealthy from owning shares in the company that owns the patents is very familiar. The film's release date (2000), just before the war on terror began, and the hero's instruction not only to thwart the criminals but also to bring back the live virus raises the question about what the "good guys" were planning to do with the live virus. The fact that the hero did not bring back the live virus is encouraging, and it is very uncertain whether this film can be considered to be predictive programming for the events of 2019-2020-2022.

WW3 (Winds of Terror) (2000/2001)

The release date of this film is July 13, 2001, but its copyright date is 2000. Scrolling text at the beginning says "In the last few decades a new weapon of mass destructions has been perfected and has the potential to wipe out entire human populations. As President Clinton said in 1998, "Our foes will deploy compact, chemical or biological weapons of mass destruction. We must be ready to fight the next war, not the last one. Our end may someday begin not with a burst of light – but a single cough." The film opens in the ball room of the cruise ship American Anthem, where people are eating, drinking, and dancing. Two members of the ship's crew – the ship's doctor and its security officer Edward Cruz – are playing chess in another room. The doctor is called away to check out a patient, who is almost unresponsive. The patient vomits blood onto the doctor. Soon, patients begin flooding into the ship's infirmary. The scene changes to Lakeview Psyciatric Hospital in Chicago. FBI agent Larry Sullivan serves a search warrant there to investigate suspected health insurance fraud. Agents turn on the TV to watch baseball while collecting documents. Before they find the game on the TV, a newscaster says Russia and Iraq are working together. Sullivan returns home late, but when he arrives home he is immediately called and told to come to FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. On arrival, he meets an old friend agent Blake who is working in DESC (bioterrorism). FBI Assistant Director Farrell announces that the passengers and crew aboard the cruise ship American Anthem en route to San Pedro, CA were taken sick with a flu-like illness that had similarities to Marburg virus. There is no vaccine, no antidote, and no treatment. The ship has been quarantined off Long Beach. Blake will be going to California to investigate. Larry Sullivan is sent to see Assistant Director Farrell, who asks him to go to Seattle to see his estranged uncle John Sullivan, who is a retired expert on biological weapons. Assistant Director Farrell shows Larry Sullivan a picture of a particle found in the lung of a deceased patient, and wants to know whether the particle is a weapon. Blake arrives on American Anthem. Security office Edward Cruz tells Blake that passenger Hakim Sharif was on the manifest, but is no longer on board. He was traveling on a Lebanese passport. They search Sharif's cabin, and find an Arabic document. In the background, the radio says that Moscow has closed two more opposition newspapers. Blake asks about the air circulation system, and they go topside. Edward Cruz starts getting sick, and Blake finds Sharif, who is dead. Meanwhile, Larry Sullivan goes to Washington state to visit his uncle John Sullivan and shows him the picture that Assistant Director Farrell had given him. His uncle recognizes the particle from a victim's lungs, and says that the powder, but not the virus, is the work of Yuri Zenkovsky. Zenkovsky had defected to the US, so they can visit him. Uncle John Sullivan demonstrates spreading germs by throwing some harmless microparticles into the air, showing how easily they are spread by the wind. Larry Sullivan and his uncle John Sullivan depart for Washington, D.C. On the TV, we hear that Russia has denied knowledge of the virus. Borders are closed, and there are troop movements. Iraq, Syria, North Korea, Pakistan, and bin Laden are mentioned. Once they arrive at FBI headquarters, they find that the Arabic document has been translated, and turns out to be a fatwa from bin Laden calling for holy war against the USA. The scene switches to a baseball stadium in Chicago. At an exciting point in the game, a suspicious man goes into exit and tests the wind direction. He puts on a protective suit, opens up a nutmeg container from the company "Spices of the World" and releases a powder from it. The wind carries the powder out into the stadium which is full of cheering spectators. Background TV says that cruise missiles have been fired at Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. The scene switches to Oslo Pharmaceuticals in Baltimore, MD. Larry Sullivan and his uncle John Sullivan find Yurii Zenkovsky and show him the photo. Zenkovsky says that the encapsulation of the virus was his own work. He says that the virus itself had been made by Serge Kurbsky at Biopreparat in Kol'tsovo 1984. Zenkovsky looks at picture of particles in the lungs of a deceased passenger, and he immediately identifies the virus as a Marburg influenza hybrid. Larry Sullivan and his uncle John Sullivan ask Yurii Zenkovsky why the USSR would have wanted to spread such a disease. After all, although it would harm the US, it could also spread back to the USSR. Yurii Zenkovsky answers that their idea was to let the infection burn itself out in North America. One of them speculates that the fatwa might have been a red herring: "Maybe we bombed the wrong country." Zenkovsky shows Larry Sullivan and his uncle John Sullivan a photo of Serge Kurbsky, who Zenkovsky thinks made the virus. The picture includes another man that Larry Sullivan thinks resembles the man Hakim Sharif on the cruise ship. In Washington, D.C., an unknown man in an apartment has a box of World Pride spices. In Chicago, Larry's wife Judy is working in the admissions department at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She sees a family friend and his son come in. Both had been at a ball game two days ago. The boy vomits. More and more people come to the emergency room. Larry's wife Judy realizes what is happening. At FBI headquarters, the director says that it's official: we bombed the wrong people. Background mass media: In Russia, no one controls the military, and Russia is on the move. Larry telephones his wife Judy and tells her to get out of Chicago. Judy says that she's staying. Blake tells Larry Sullivan that she is going to Chicago to question a suspect, and that she'll check in on Judy while she's there. When Blake arrives in Chicago, she suits up to see the prisoner, who is infected. She insistently asks him where Dr. Kurbsky is. He motions for her to come closer to him, and then he bites her neck. Blake takes a rapid test and finds out that she is infected and enters an area where bodies are loaded into hearses. She climbs into a hearse and shoots herself. In Washington, D.C., the man with the box of spices turns out ot be Serge Kurbsky. He opens window facing the capitol, and tests the wind with his finger. Serge Kurbsky's cell phone is located, and Larry Sullivan goes there and finds Kurbsky up on roof, suited up. Sullivan draws his weapon and tells Kurbsky to drop the container, but he won't, so Sullivan shoots him. The container falls down to the ground, but does not break open, and it is retrieved. Throughout the film the background TV and radio are constantly talking about Russia, Iraq, North Korea, and bad things that they are doing or might do. The scrolling text at end reads: "China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, North Korea, Russia, and Syria all have been identified publicly as having bio-weapon programs. The U.S. government knows of at least four others. Within our country, special units have been formed from the FBI, Army, and local law enforcement to deter and respond to bio-attacks. For many experts, the question has become not if such attacks will occur, but when." Given this film's release date, it is obviously predictive programming.

Dark Winter 2001

Video produced in connection with a simulation of the US response to a simulated smallpox biological warfare attack on the USA. The simulation was held on June 22-23, 2001 at Andrews Air Force Base. The simulation is interesting for many reasons: the imaginary perpetrators were Iraq and Afghanistan (this shortly before the events of September 11, 2001); the US response to the attack involved lockdowns and other violations of the US Constitution (similar to those implemented during COVID-19); the US response involved a rapidly developed vaccine; etc.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) (2001)

This film is based on the 1998-1999 Japanese TV series Cowboy Bebop (カウボーイビバップ. The TV series is about three bounty hunters: Spike Spiegel (the main character), Jet Black, and Faye Valentine. The action of the movie takes place on Mars. At the beginning, Faye is trying to capture a hacker named Lee Sampson, in order to collect the bounty on him. Lee had stolen a tank truck, which Faye pursues, thinking that Lee is driving it. The driver stops the truck on a highway and flees. Then, the truck explodes, causing a number of deaths. Faye had gotten a good look at the driver before he fled, and realizes that the driver was not Lee Sampson. The authorities are unable to explain what caused the deaths when the tank truck exploded: all the tests for chemical agents come back negative, and no known biological agent matches the symptoms shown by the victims. When the Martian government offers a bounty of 300,000,000 woolongs for information about the catastrophe, this attracts the attention of Spike and Jet, but especially Faye, who had gotten a good look at the driver and at the tattoo on his hand. She learns that the tattoo identifies the driver as a member of Mars Special Forces, and searches a database of pictures of its members in an attempt to identify the driver. The picture that most closely resembles the driver belongs to Vincent Volaju. However, he is listed as having been killed on Titan. Spike heads over to Moroccan Street in search of tips. A shady character sells him a large vase, which turns out to contain a marble. Upon analysis, the bounty hunters discover that the marble contains modified lymphocytes which in turn contain nano machines, which are prohibited. There had recently been a large theft of products manufactured by Cherious Medical, which is suspected of making the nano machines. Spike sneaks into Cherious Medical in search of clues. He is recognized by a soldier Electra Ovirowa, who had seen him on Moroccan Street. A fight ensues and Spike just barely escapes. Before escaping, he steals a communications device that allows him to eavesdrop on Electra's conversations. Faye continues her pursuit of Lee and finds him in a game arcade, where she tries to arrest him. He flees, but drops his hat, which Faye picks up. Eduard takes Lee's hat and Ein (the dog) to try to find Lee by scent. They do find him and call Faye to let them know where Lee is. Lee had gone to see Vincent Volaju, who is not dead after all. Vincent breaks open one of the marbles, releasing some nano machines and killing Lee. Vincent himself does not die, because he is immune to the nano machines. The back story comes out that Vincent had been involved in tests of the nano machines on Titan, for which purpose he had been vaccinated against them. Contrary to official records, Vincent had NOT died on Titan. However, he had gone crazy, and now has a plan to release the nano machines on Halloween to kill everyone except for himself. When Faye arrives on the scene, she goes inside and finds Vincent and Lee, who is now dead. Faye starts to succumb to the nano machines and collapses on the floor, but Vincent kisses her, thereby making her immune to the nano machines, so she survives. Now Electra is after Vincent, but Spike's stolen communications device allows him to hear her communicating about Vincent's whereabouts, and Spike catches Vincent on a train before Electra does. Vincent overpowers Spike and throws him out the window. Electra now catches Vincent, who explodes a bomb containing nano machines on the train, killing everyone except for Electra, who is unaffected by the nano machines. The back story now comes out that Electra had also been involved in the tests of nano machines on Titan, and was also vaccinated against them, so she is also immune. Vincent escapes again. Electra approaches a friend in a lab to have her blood used to make a vaccine against the nano machines. Will Spike and Faye succeed in thwarting Vincent's plan?

Contagion (2001 or 2002)

Not to be confused with the 2011 film of the same title. The action of this film is better described as "biocrime" than "bioterrorism": The motive is extortion and Ebola is the method.

Smallpox 2002: The Silent Weapon (TV) (2002)

It is possible to view this film at the url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_iifJyP4ZA . This is one of the most despicable films I have ever watched: it is blatant predictive programming for the events of 2019-2020-2021. This is an entirely fictional film about a worldwide smallpox epidemic, but it is presented as a documentary. This film was released shortly after the post-9/11 anthrax events in the USA, and its purpose was obviously to spread fear of biological weapons attacks, probably to win acceptance for the second gulf war. It also had the long-term goal of stoking demand for and acceptance of face masks, lockdowns, curfews, forcing healthy people from their homes, mass vaccination mandates, and the deployment of armed National Guard to enforce these measures. It falsely leads the viewer to believe that such an epidemic could be caused by "a single person with a $50.00 chemistry set and a will". According to the narrator, "it was the the greatest act of mass imurder in history." In the end, "the combination of harsh containment measures and mass vaccination was reducing the spread of the disease". The existence of this film is eloquent testimony to the fact that the events of 2019-2020-2021 were all planned out far in advance.

Resident Evil (2002)

A secret biological warfare research facility (called "The Hive") which is located beneath Racoon City and which is run by the Umbrella Corporation is producing a virus (the "T-virus") and an antivirus. A man learns about this, and convinces a woman working inside to smuggle the virus out to expose the evil research being performed in the facility. While the virus is being smuggled out, it is released inside the facility, causing the facility to be shut down. A team is sent inside to investigate. The insider who agreed to help smuggle the virus out has lost her memory, but accompanies the team inside. Her memory gradually returns as the team explores the facility and encounters survivors, who have turned into zombies. The team also learns how to deal with the supercomputer that runs the facility. The soundtrack of this film probably includes some of the worst music of any film in the genre. This film had sequels, including Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) (see below), and a TV series based on it.

Derailed (2002)

A NATO asset steals a biological warfare agent in Slovakia, and a NATO operative is sent there to "extract" her and bring her to Munich. The biological warfare agent, called SP-43, is a modified form of smallpox (variola) that has an extremely short incubation period. Its development is part of the backstory, which is not completely clear, but given the fact that it appears to have been stolen in Slovakia and is being transported to Munich by a NATO agent, it appears to have been developed by the Slovak government or some other Eastern Block country during the Cold War. The theft and transfer of the virus to the West is complicated by a birthday surprise and a terrorists hijacking.

Global Effect (2002)

Terrorists shoot their way into a laboratory studying an unusual biological agent (similar to what happens in The Berlin Conspiracy [1992]). The motives of the villain are murky, but the fact that he is a bioterrorist is incontrovertible.

28 Days Later (2002)

This film pushes the envelope between the genre of "films about biological warfare or bioterrorism or epidemics" and horror films. The focus of the film is on living in the aftermath of an epidemic. It is the film's graphic portrayal of the infected and their unusual behavior that gives the film its "horror" aspect. (The film's own director used the word "horror" to describe it.). In some respects this film can be categorized as a "zombie" film.

Cabin Fever (2002)

This film is sometimes mentioned in this connection, but it is purely a horror film. The only notable thing about it is that the "f" word is used more frequently than in any film that has ever been produced in the history of cinematography.

The Paradise Virus (2003) (TV)

Guinea Pig Kids (TV) (2004)

BBC documentary about how foster children in New York City were enrolled in questionable drug trials.

Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)

This film has a lot of action, but very little attention is devoted to the the infectious agent. It bears similarities to the films The Last Man on Earth (1964), The Omega Man (1971), The Crazies (1973), Warning Sign (1985), and 28 Days After (2002) in that it involves a highly infectious virus that infects people, turning them into "zombies". It also repeats the theme, common in this genre, of a disease agent deliberately developed in a biological weapons laboratory, as in The Satan Bug (1965), The Crazies (1973), Warning Sign (1985), The Berlin Conspiracy (1992), The Spill (1996). However, in most earlier films, the biological weapons laboratory is run by the United States government, whereas in this film the laboratory is run by a private corporation called the "Umbrella" corporation. The visual effects and action leave little room for substance.

The Coming Pandemic (2005)

This is an Australian documentary about the threat posed by the bird flu (avian flu, H5N1). It draws a comparison with the deadly 1918 (Spanish) influenza pandemic, and says that it is just a matter of time before a pandemic on that scale occurs again. It mentions the concern that the health care system might be overwhelmed, and reminds the listener about how people panicked then and stayed at home, and the economic damage caused. It provides some background on the bird flu, and discusses how it might be humanized, making it deadly. When the avian flu has spread to humans, it has had a higher lethality than the 1918 flu. The film says that aquatic birds, especially ducks, are very susceptible to the bird flu, and that Asian peasant agriculture, in which dense human populations lives in close quarters with ducks, provides an ideal environment for producing a dangerous humanized bird flu strain. The film provides a great deal of documentary footage in Thailand. It discusses how long it takes to develop a vaccine, and the alternative of using antivirals such as Tamiflu®.

The Plague (2005)

This is a documentary about the "Black Death". It was produced by the History Channel, so it is natural that it devotes most of its attention to the historical perspective rather than details about its symptoms, etiology, etc.

Containment. Volume 1, episode 2 of Eleventh Hour (TV) (2006)

A deadly infectious disease strikes a man dead. Did he get it from excavating graves in an old church, from contact with a corpse (when working in his sideline as an embalmer), from a Chinese immigrant, or from somewhere else? A scientist from the Home Office and a member of the police try to track down the source before it spreads and becomes an epidemic.

Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America (2006 TV)

The authorities decide how to handle a rapidly spreading, deadly epidemic.

Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

When considered outside the context of the previous films in the series (Resident Evil [2002], Resident Evil: Apocalypse [2004]), this is purely a zombie movie. To understand this film in other respects, it is necessary to watch the previous films in the series.

Love in the Time of Cholera (2007)

Cholera only plays a background role in this film, which is really a love story. Mentioned only for completeness.

I Am Legend (2007)

28 Weeks Later (2007)

This film is a sequel to 28 Days Later (2002). If 28 Days Later pushed the envelope between the genre of "films about biological warfare or bioterrorism or epidemics" and horror films, this sequel of it actually crosses the line. The action begins when reconstruction has begun.

Under Our Skin (2008)

Also see the sequel entitled Under Our Skin 2: Emergence (2014)

Carriers (2009)

A horrible epidemic has killed most of the people in the US, probably in the entire world. Two young adult brothers and their girl friends are driving to a California beach town where they think they can survive. At about 18:20 in the film they drive by a man who has been hanged by the side of the road with a sign that says "Chinks [Chinese] brought it", clearly predictive programming for the events of 2019-2020-2021. They come upon a car blocking the road. A father and his young daughter, who is obviously infected, are asking for gasoline. The father says that they just have to travel to a town on the same road that they are traveling, where a doctor is said to have found a cure. The young people say no and try to drive around the car. In the process, they drive off the road and break open the oil pan. After a very short distance they have to stop, and since they do have gasoline, they walk back to the man with the working car and agree that they will travel together. The father and his infected daughter have to stay in the back of the car, and plastic sheet is hung between the two parts of the car. They travel to the town where the doctor with the miracle cure is supposed to be, and all of them except the infected little girl and one of the young women enter the school where the doctor is supposed to be working. They find the doctor as he is preparing to kill all his patients out of mercy. Meanwhile, the girl who stayed behind in the car is talking with the young woman who stayed behind. The little girl starts gasping, and the young woman tries to help her, but in the process she becomes infected, a fact that she conceals from the others. The four young people leave the man and his daughter there, and resume their trip to the beach. On their way they encounter a few other survivors, and various adventures occur. This film is definitely post-9/11 predictive programming priming the public to accept a deadly pandemic of an incurable disease, face masks and other PPE, shortages of essential items, people killing one another for survival, and much more.

Under the Eightball (2009)

Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)

Contagion (2011)

Not to be confused with the 2001-2002 film of the same title. A man loses his wife to a new disease and struggles to keep himself and his daughter safe as social order breaks down. I was told by a specialist that this film is scientifically very realistic, as films go. In fact, this film seems even more realistic than reality in 2020: in this film, CDC officers say that the sick should be isolated and their contacts should be quarantined, rather than that everyone in the entire country should be put under house arrest. In this film the CDC develops the vaccine itself, rather than paying private companies to develop it.

Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)

Under Our Skin 2: Emergence (2014)

Sequel to Under Our Skin (2008)

The Forgotten Plague (2015)

Not to be confused with the movie of the same name and the same release date that is about tuberculosis. This is a documentary about chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, ME/CFS).

The Forgotten Plague (2015)

Not to be confused with the movie of the same name and the same release date that is about chronic fatigue syndrome. This is a documentary about tuberculosis.

Manufactured Consent (2015)

Not to be confused with the documentary Manufacturing Consent (1992), which is about the role of the mass media in indoctrinating the public. This is a video recording of a lecture given by Dr. Suzanne Hymphries in Copenhagen in November 2015. This link includes all three parts and the following question and answer session.

The Vaccinated Girls – Sick and Betrayed (alternate title: The Vaccinated Girls: voices from Denmark's HPV inoculation scandal) (2015)

This is a 2015 documentary which centers around 3 Danish girls who received the Gardasil vaccine intended to protect against cervical cancer.

Outbreak (2015)

Not to be confused with the Dustin Hofman film of the same title (1995) and the documentary of the same title () about smallpox in Montreal. This is a Frontline documentary about the Ebola epidemic that affected West Africa in 2014. The film starts with mob chasing a young man in Liberia, West Africa, to illustrate how hysterical the population had become. According to this documentary, the disease outbreak might have started in December 2013, in Meliandou Village, when a group of children found a dead tree in which a large number of bats were nesting. The children killed some bats and took them home and ate them. On Christmas day 2013, people started getting sick and dying, and the women who cleaned the houses of the victims died themselves. A traditional healer called everyone in the village together, including those who were sick, spreading the disease in the village. A sick person sought help in a nearby city, spreading the disease there. Although the disease Ebola was already known, here the response was delayed for three months because the disease was misidentified as cholera and malaria. Finally, the government sent a team of scientists to investigate, and they found a young man who was sick, and took blood samples, which tested positive for Ebola. On March 22, 2014 – day 87 – Doctors without Borders set up a field hospital in Guéckédou, the epicenter of the outbreak. Patients started arriving from different villages. Past outbreaks had shown that the key to stopping Ebola was to isolate the sick, monitor those that had had contact with the infected, and safely bury the dead. The WHO had dealt with Ebola before, but before it had always been confined to a local area: it had never spread so far before. The government of Guinea set up daily meetings with Doctors without Borders and other aid organizations. Unfortunately, the people in charge had no experience and were unable to do anything helpful. The disease quickly spread to Conackry, Guinea’s capital. Sick people crossed the border between Guinea and Sierra Leone, spreading the disease there. Many people attended the funeral of the local healer Mendinor, and touched the highly infectious corpse, leading to thousands of deaths. Traditional burial preparation practices in West Africa exacerbated the spread. Doctors without Borders urged the WHO to declare an emergency. When the disease threatens to spread to Nigeria, the WHO does declare an emergency. The threatened spread of Ebola to Nigeria is covered in the film 93 Days (2016). Case numbers rise exponentially, but later mysteriously start to drop: people had changed the behaviors that had been spreading the disease. The actions of the government appear not to have played much of a role in stopping the spread of the disease in West Africa. This documentary makes no mention of the theory that the epidemic might have had something to do with the Kenema lab, which has been run by the U.S.-based Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium (VHFC) since 2010 and is located about 50 miles from the village in Guinea where the Ebola outbreak first emerged.

Feierstunde (TV) (2016)

A research physician, despondent about the loss of his wife and his own failure to find a cure for her disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS), and frustrated that research funds are being allocated for less urgent purposes, takes his colleagues hostage and forces them to watch a person die from botulinum toxin, which he says produces symptoms similar to those of ALS. This is a TV episode in the popular German series Tatort for the German city Münster.

Spillover: Zika, Ebola and Beyond (TV) (2016)

This is a PBS documentary about the Zika, Ebola, and Nipah viruses. Early in 2015, a mysterious disease strikes Brazil putting health officials on edge: the number of microcephaly cases is increasing. The film says that the culprit is a virus called Zika. Zika virus was first identified in Africa in 1947. It is suspected that the disease is spread by mosquitoes. No mention is made of the possibility that the diseases symptoms were caused by the insecticide pyriproxyfen, which was, ironically, being used there at about the same time to control the mosquitoes that spread Zika. The film stresses over and over again that there will be another outbreak: as the human population encroaches on the habitats of the wild animals that are the reservoirs of many diseases, the number of zoonotic diseases, called spillover diseases in the film, is increasing. To fight back, scientists are on the hunt for killer viruses. Their mission: to stop them before they spill out of control. It is not a question of whether another outbreak will strike, but when. Will we be prepared? The question of whether researchers looking for deadly disease might be seeking them for use as weapons rather than to protect humans is not raised. The scene shifts to West Africa, where there was an Ebola outbreak in 2014 on the border of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. The disease was first discovered 1976. It kills up to 90% of people that it infects. The film claims that westerners stopped the epidemic by quarantine. Dr. Fauci talks a lot. In the past, the chain of infection was broken by quarantine. But can it be implemented on such an epic scale? The film claims that the health care workers responsible for breaking Ebola’s chain of infection are contact tracers. Contact tracing are essential to find patient zero, the origin of the disease. How had he caught the virus? Bats have long been suspected as a natural reservoir of Ebola. In Brazil, breaking the chain of infection means killing mosquitoes: public health workers look for potential mosquito breeding grounds. Bangladesh faced a new disease of its own: Nipah, which is carried by fruit bats, passed to humans in date palm sap, and from human to human through saliva. There is concern about whether there is a more easily transmissible strain of Nipah, so Epstein and his team catch bats and test them. The film retells the story of Ebola, which has already been told in the films Outbreak (2015) and 93 Days (2016). Jonna Mazet at UC Davis explains how we must change from being reactive to proactive. Oxitec is releasing GMO male mosquitoes in an attempt to reduce the mosquito population. The film spreads fear, normalizes the taking of temperatures of the general public, contact tracing, quarantines, and searching for new strains. It appears to be part of a predictive programming campaign preparing the public for the events of 2019-2020-2021.

93 Days (2016)

This film is based on a true story. A diplomat named Sawyer arrives at the airport in Lagos, Nigeria. He is anxious to attend a meeting, but is sick on arrival and is taken to a hospital. The country from which he came – Liberia – is experiencing an epidemic of Ebola, but Sawyer denies having had any contact with anyone suffering from Ebola there. The Nigerian public health authorities debate how to handle the situation: they cannot hold him against his will, but they are worried that he might have Ebola, and spread it. The Liberian ambassador intervenes and demands that Sawyer be released. The health authorities are allowed to hold him until they receive his test results, but he dies before the results are received, which turn out to be positive. A Nigerian doctor contacts the public health authorities of the US government. The US government is concerned because Lagos is a flight hub, so millions of people might die. The US government intervenes and decides that there will be no more business as usual in Nigeria. Emergency measures are implemented, including taking temperatures at airports. Sacrifice is called for, PPE (personal protective equipment) is required. In the end, the health care heroes are able to bring the disease under control in Nigeria. The title – 93 days – refers to the 93 days between October 20th 2014, when Sawyer arrived in Lagos, and when the World Health Organisation declared Nigeria to be Ebola-free. In total, 20 people were infected with the Zaire strain of Ebola in Nigeria. Eight died. Four of the dead were members of the First Consultat team. This film only covers the threatened spread of Ebola from Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia to Nigeria. The story of the origin of Ebola in West Africa is told in another film: . It is hard not to believe that this film is part of a predictive programming campaign in preparation for the events of 2019-2020-2021: the choice of a deadly disease – Ebola – accustoms people to being worried about diseases, emergency measures, etc. I do not recall hearing or seeing the term "personal protective equipment (PPE)" before this film was released.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)

Dengue: the hunt for a vaccine (2016) (TV)

A documentary about dengue fever, a disease spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and the search for a vaccine to protect people from it. Filmed mostly in the Philippines. There is no mention of the Dengvaxia scandal.

My Struggle II (S10.E6 of The X-files) (2016), continuing into My Struggle III (S11.E1 of The X-files) (2018)

Many people begin falling sick with different diseases, suggesting that their immune systems have been weakened, which prompts Dana Scully to wonder whether this could be the result of a vaccination. She herself discovers that her own DNA contains "alien" parts. She and Fox Mulder try to find the "Smoking Man" who they think is behind all this. The disease / vaccination / alien DNA part of the storyline disappears pretty quickly.

Malcolm is a Little Unwell (2018)

This is a documentary about how Malcolm Brabant, a BBC correspondent, apparently had an adverse reaction to Stamaril®, a Sanofi Pasteur yellow fever vaccine that drove him mad. There is no question that he had received the vaccine and that he suddenly went mad shortly afterwards. His wife Trine Villemann was convinced that the cause of his psychosis must have been the vaccine. She decided to investigate the yellow fever vaccine and visited the WHO in Uppsala Sweden. She learned that over a 10 year period there had been 400 reports of adverse events relating to this vaccine and relating to mental illness (49:30). There is a video from a company meeting at which the vaccine is discussed: its age, its unprofitability, etc.

Patient Zero (2018)

Сепсис 002 Сибирская язва 79 ТАУ (2019)

This is a television documentary about the outbreak of inhalation anthrax that occurred in Sverdlovsk (Ekaterinburg) in 1979, which resulted in 64 deaths, according to official statistics. The author of the film was Vlad Nekrasov. The film is close to two hours long, and is divided into two parts. The film includes on-site footage and interviews with people who worked and lived there at that time. At the time, the epidemic was attributed to people eating the meat of infected cattle. However, the medical personnel treating the victims found inhalation anthrax rather than gastrointestinal anthrax or cutaneous anthrax, so this possibility can be ruled out. The film presents three possible causes of the epidemic. The first is that a facility in this city was producing weapons-grade anthrax and that some was accidentally released. The military strongly denies this. However, no formal accusation about this has ever been made, merely insinuations, so there also has never been an official denial. The second is that the facility was working on a vaccine for anthrax (as claimed by the military), and that some was accidentally released. The third possibility is that the epidemic was deliberately caused by the USA in an attempt to discredit the USSR. It would have been difficult to cause an epidemic in Sverdlovsk, since it was 800 miles east of Moscow and at the time it was a closed city. (This means that no foreigners were allowed there.) Producing an epidemic there would have required either the help of local people or dropping a bomb from a high-altitude overflight. However, proponents of this theory claim that the Voice of America reported the anthrax epidemic before local medical personnel had even figured out what had caused the epidemic. This documentary does not attempt to draw any conclusion about which cause is correct.

Свердловский кошмар Смерть из пробирки (сибирская язва) (2019)"

The Directive (2019)

A young man is living alone at a remote, abandoned Red Cross station, staffed only by a broken robot. He has apparently been living for some time off emergency rations stored in this Red Cross station. He spends his time in futile pursuits: playing ball with himself, talking to himself in the mirror, talking to a cardboard model of a young woman. The futility of his pursuits brings to mind certain scenes in the book "On the Beach", in which people continue to follow plans as if nothing had happened. Two heavily armed men in hazmat suits arrive at the Red Cross station, and the young man observes what they are doing. They start removing the remaining emergency rations. While they are doing this, another man arrives on a motorcycle. The young man watches as the third man sneaks up on the two other men and kills them. The third man makes radio contact with his superior, referring to the two men that he had killed as a "cleaner team". The third man departs, but leaves behind a robot made by Amherst Industries. After the third man has left, the young man questions the robot, and it becomes clear that there has been a major pandemic that killed large numbers of people, and that the virus that caused the pandemic was produced by Amherst Industries, the same company that made the robot. The robot tells the young man that there are survivors at a certain location. The robot gives the young man a map that he can follow to get there. The robot has a power supply and convinces the young survivor to take it (the robot) along, so that he (the young man) can play computer games. The robot later confesses to the young man that it had lied to him to lure him to a contaminated campsite where he will almost certainly be infected and probably die. The robot explains to the young man that it was part of a plan to depopulate North America. The release date of March 15, 2019 makes it clear that this film must have been either predictive programming or based on some type of advance knowledge: the similarity of the story line and timing are simply too coincidental for this not to be the case.

Эпидемия [To the Lake] (TV) 2019

It is not clear whether this TV series was based on the 2022 book by Яна Вагнер (Вонгозеро), in which case the publication of the book must have been delayed; or whether the book was based on the TV series; or whether they are related in some other way. In any case, they are related. The TV series has some important differences from the book. In the TV series, at least some parts of the Russian armed forces are involved in rounding up civilians and killing them, in an attempt to stop the spread of the infection. More significantly, the TV series openly suggests that the spread of the disease and attacks on Russian civilians are the work of China, rather than the USA, despite the latter's proven record of using biological weapons against opponents. Furthermore, China is attempting to seize Russia's nuclear fuel. It is not yet clear whether this series should be viewed as predictive programming for the events of 2019-2020-2021. There is a second season of eight episodes.

The Epicenter Nurse: a conversation with Erin Marie Olszewskik

John Kirby interviews Olszewski about her work as a nurse in the Elmhurst Hospital in 2020. She reveals how patients were sedated and put on ventilators, which was practically a death sentence for them.

Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons (2020)

This is a documentary about the quest of patients suffering from unusual skin symptoms to understand what is wrong with them and to treat it. The CDC refuses even to consider Morgellons to be a disease, and many doctors dismiss people who present with its symptoms to be delusional. Support groups have pressed the issue, and some investigators have concluded that Morgellons is somehow related to Lyme disease or some other spirochte.

Plandemic (TV) (2020)

This three-part documentary series presents evidence that the "pandemic" was planned very far in advance. Also see The Plan (2024). Here are the links to the individual parts: Part 1, Plandemic - Indoctornation (part 2), Plandemic 3: The Great Awakening.

Songbird (2020)

This is the ultimate Covid film: the overlords have gotten everything they want: everyone is locked up in their homes all the time, and must submit to cell phone tests every day. A person who fails a test can expect armed guards in hazmat suits to show up at the door and to be taken away to the Q zone, from which no one ever returns. Only a select few who are immune – the "munies" – are allowed to roam freely without masks. All other people, except for a few members of the elite, live without any human contact except through their cell phones. A young munie courier is determined to rescue his girlfriend and escape to live in freedom. Is this film a voice of sanity in the wilderness or predictive programming?

Vaccine Re-education (2021) Part 1 of 2 and Part 2 of 2

This is a video recording of a presentation by Dr. Suzanne Humphries in Reykjavik Iceland.

No Time to Die (2021)

Bond is coaxed back out of retirement to track down another villain, one who has killed the notorious Blofeld but turns out to be even worse than Blofeld was. The villain has perfected technology to produce diseases that will kill only the victims for whom they have been customized. Of course this same technology can also be used to wipe out families or even entire races.

How Soviet Doctors Stopped a Smallpox Epidemic and Prevented Major Tragedy (2022)

This is an RT documentary about the minor smallpox epidemic in Moscow in 1959-1960: how it started and how it was contained. It also touches on how the USSR was involved in launching the global smallpox eradication campaign.

Ivor Cummins: Viral Issue Crucial Update Sept 8th: the Science, Logic and Data Explained!

Ivor Cummins: Viral Issue Crucial Update Sept 8th: the Science, Logic and Data Explained!

Protocol 7 (2024)

This is a dramatization of a real story about how a whistleblower revealed that Merck had falsified the results of the efficacy testing of the mumps component of its MMR vaccine, and Merck was sued for false claims. The trial dragged on for fourteen years, but was ultimately dismissed.

The Plan (2024 ?)

This film is a documentary that covers some of the same material as Plandemic (2020). It is very concise and very convincing.

Jefferey Jaxen investigates: Polio: The Founding Myth of Modern Medicine, part 1 (2024)

This documentary tells the story of polio, explains what causes it, the famous Salk vaccine, the Sabin vaccine. Highly recommended.

Jefferey Jaxen investigates: Polio: The Founding Myth of Modern Medicine, part 2 (2024)

"Zombie" movies

There is a whole subgenre of films about disease which turn people into "zombies" whose portrayal and behavior, aside from being unrealistic, places them more in the category of "horror" films.

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