''Plague'' is a 1979 Canadian-American science fiction film about a

genetic engineering Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including t ...

accident, a fertilizing

bacterium Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

that escapes from a laboratory in Canada. The film is also known internationally as ''Induced Syndrome'' (UK), ''M-3: The Gemini Strain'' or ''Mutation'' (USA).

Plot

When a group of scientist work to develop a bacterium to increase food yields is delayed by bureaucratic processes, Dr. Celia Graham (Brenda Donahue) ignores protocols and developes a bacteria called M3. The new bacteria is accidentally released and causes sickness in children and death in others around the world. The disease is highly contagious, and the epidemic increases geometrically. Dr. Graham is killed by the virus, while an infected but unaffected woman spreads the disease in the manner of Typhoid Mary. Scientists Dr. Bill Fuller (Daniel Pilon) and Dr. Jessica Morgan (Kate Reid) work tirelessly to develop an antidote to stop the contagion.

Cast

Daniel Pilon Daniel Pilon (November 13, 1940 – June 26, 2018) was a Canadian actor, known for his role on ''Dallas'' as Renaldo "Naldo" Marchetta. Pilon was born in Montreal, Quebec. In addition to ''Dallas'', he has appeared in daytime soap operas such as ...

as Dr. Bill Fuller *

Kate Reid Daphne Katherine Reid (4 November 1930 – 27 March 1993) was an English-born Canadian stage, film, and television actress. She played more than one thousand roles, most notably onstage in '' Death of a Salesman'', in the 1980 film ''Atlantic C ...

as Dr. Jessica Morgan *

Celine Lomez Céline Lomez (born 11 May 1953) is a Canadian actress and singer. Lomez started her show business career singing French-Canadian pop songs with her sister Liette, and the two gained popularity after their performance at the ''Festival du D ...

as Margo Simar the Carrier * Michael J. Reynolds as Dr. Dave McKay * John Kerr as Escaping guard * Brenda Donahue as Dr. Celia Graham

Release

The film was released theatrically in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

by Group 1 International Distribution Organization Ltd. in January 1979. The film was released on

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in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

from Prism Leisure Corporation as part of a 4-film collection (with '' Bram Stoker's Legend of the Mummy 2'', '' Howling IV: The Original Nightmare'' and ''

Night of the Living Dead ''Night of the Living Dead'' is a 1968 American independent horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, with a screenplay by John Russo and Romero, and starring Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea. The story follows seven pe ...

'') on October 7, 2002. It was also release individually from Prism Leisure, and by Digital Entertainment Ltd in 2008. As of 2018, the film has still not been officially released on DVD in the United States.

Reception

Creature Feature gave the movie two out of five stars.

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

found that the focus on the scientists in charge of finding the cure to be a plus, that overall the movie was laughable. Moira also gave the movie two stars, finding it dull and offereing nothing original in the plague movie genre. It also found the production values to be shabby and its portrayal of a

biolab Biolab (Biological Experiment Laboratory) is a single-rack multi-user science payload designed for use in the ''Columbus'' laboratory of the International Space Station. Biolab support biological research on small plants, small invertebrates, mic ...

's operating procedues to be lacking.

Awards

Nominated for best picture at the 1979 Catalonian International Film Festival and winner of the best screenplay at the same festival.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0078088, title=Plague 1979 films Canadian science fiction films 1979 horror films 1970s science fiction horror films English-language Canadian films Canadian natural horror films Films about viral outbreaks 1970s Canadian films