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The Satan Bug

The Satan Bug

Science Fiction · Thriller · Mystery · 1965

A US government germ warfare lab has had an accident. The first theory is that one of the germs has been released and killed several scientists. The big fear is that a more virulent strain, named The Satan Bug because all life can be killed off by it should it escape, may have been stolen.

Movie details

The Satan Bug

“The price for uncovering the secret of the satan bug comes high - YOUR LIFE!”

1965 Science Fiction · Thriller · Mystery 1h 54m

Critical arithmetic

The consensus, allegedly.

IMDb

6.1 / 10

3.3K votes

Rotten Tomatoes

57 %

Tomatometer

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.

A US government germ warfare lab has had an accident. The first theory is that one of the germs has been released and killed several scientists. The big fear is that a more virulent strain, named The Satan Bug because all life can be killed off by it should it escape, may have been stolen.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Satan Bug?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

John Sturges

Written by

James Clavell · Edward Anhalt

George Maharis

George Maharis

Lee Barrett

Richard Basehart

Richard Basehart

Dr. Gregor Hoffman

Anne Francis

Anne Francis

Ann Williams

Dana Andrews

Dana Andrews

Gen. Williams

John Larkin

John Larkin

Dr. Leonard Michaelson

Richard Bull

Richard Bull

Eric Cavanaugh

Frank Sutton

Frank Sutton

Henchman Donald

Court is in session

Put The Satan Bug on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Arthouse Gremlin

“Its refusal to behave is the point.”

The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Oddness is not depth.”

A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.