"Capricorn One" Being Remade

Don't look now, you're being remade

OK, you’re wondering, why is this on a Law & Order site? Well, fans of Sam Waterston know why. Sam starred in the 1978 sci-fi thriller Capricorn One, based on a book written by Peter Buchman. The movie is about 3 astronauts (played by Sam, James Brolin, and O.J. Simpson) who get trapped in a government conspiracy after a failed manned Mars launch. The original movie also starred Elliot Gould as a reporter investigating suspicious happenings surrounding the event. When it’s discovered that the life support system of the Mars shuttle is faulty, NASA launches it without the astronauts, instead hiding them away on a faked Mars stage, and forces the astronauts to participate in the cover up to make the public believe they are still headed to Mars. When something goes awry with the real Mars mission, the public are led to believe the astronauts are dead…which means the astronauts realize they will REALLY be dead soon. They escape from their captors, and well, it doesn’t end very well for Sam’s character – although his character, quite the comedian, meets his fate telling a corny, awful joke.

News of the remake has been buzzing for a while, but over the last few days, a director – John Moore – was finally announced. Personally, while I enjoyed Sam in this film, the rest of the cast was dismal (O.J. Simpson and Elliott Gould, for starters) and maybe a remake will be better than the original. Wouldn’t it be great to give Sam a role in the new film, playing one of the government conspirators? It would be an interesting twist.

Anyway, let me be honest here, I was just looking for an excuse to post photos of Sam Waterston from the movie.


Check out my blog home page for the latest information, here.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site, All Things Law & Order.