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-   -   Movie based on Michael Crichton's novel "Prey". (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=566636)

  • Mar 30, 2011, 10:23 AM
    RickJ
    Movie based on Michael Crichton's novel "Prey".
    I'm reading the book now.

    I KNOW that I've seen a movie based on it, but there's nothing at imdb.com or wikipedia.org about it.

    I do, though, see that Fox got the movie rights for it back in 2002 (source) but nowhere can I find what the name of the movie was.

    Can any of you tell me what the movie title was?

    If it helps, here are some things that you might remember:

    1. It's about nanotechnology "cameras" that worked in a "swarm".

    2. The wife of the main character was "infected" by the nano-cameras.

    3. The nano-cameras were able to take human form.

    4. Much of the book (movie) took place in the desert, where the main characters were hunting for where the "swarm" of nano-cameras hid out at night.

    Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?
  • Mar 30, 2011, 10:37 AM
    Wondergirl

    One blog reports that no, there never was a movie made from Prey -- "In fact, said my extra-super-double-secret Hollywood insider source, Crichton is quite a cranky character who was not at all pleased with the film treatment of Timeline."

    Wikipedia says, "Elements of [Prey] were utilized in the 2008 film The Day the Earth Stood Still [citation needed], in which a swarm of nanobots escape from a secure military facility."
  • Mar 30, 2011, 10:43 AM
    RickJ

    Yep, I saw those links.

    My frustration is that in reading the book, I'm reminded that I KNOW that I saw the movie!

    Yes, I know that there is a small chance that my memory is of reading the book years ago, but I don't think so... I KNOW that I've seen the movie.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 10:46 AM
    Wondergirl

    Call your local library's reference desk. They have resources I don't have here at home.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 10:51 AM
    Wondergirl

    I just checked WorldCat (OCLC--the definitive world catalog) and couldn't find a film version of Prey. My conclusion is that one was never made.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 10:58 AM
    RickJ

    I'm picturing it so well that I'm 99.9% sure that I'm not just remembering a previous reading of the book.

    My guess is that it was done as a movie but under a different name.

    ... but then again, there is that small chance that I am only recalling memories of reading the book in the past... but if that's the case, it's really weird that it's so vivid to me. I'm SURE I've seen the movie!

    I read 2 books per week, and have lots of favorites that stand out. "Prey" is not one of them, so why this one would stand out in my memory like it is, is beyond me.

    I can't help but think that I've seen the movie for sure.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:02 AM
    NeedKarma
    Maybe: What's the name of the movie about nanobots that filmed on the Sci-Fi channel? - Yahoo! Answers
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:04 AM
    Wondergirl

    Please call the library. Many movies have a different title from the book they were taken from, and the reference desk should have a list or database of them.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:07 AM
    NeedKarma
    WG - the interweb has ALL the info you need! Without getting up on one's chair.



    :)
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:35 AM
    Wondergirl

    Well, RickJ didn't believe me or trust my Internet searches, so let the library search for him.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:39 AM
    RickJ

    I already know what the librarians will tell me, because they'll use the same sources that I have.

    I'll keep searching, and hopefully find the name of the movie that I know I saw... and then a) update the Wikipedia page for Michael Crichton, and b) email imdb to tell them to add it to their database.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:41 AM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RickJ View Post
    I already know what the librarians will tell me, because they'll use the same sources that I have.

    That is absolutely not true!
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:43 AM
    RickJ
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Wondergirl View Post
    That is absolutely not true!

    Really? Tell me. What do they have that I don't?
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:48 AM
    Wondergirl

    Paper files and WorldCat for two examples.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:56 AM
    NeedKarma
    WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog
  • Mar 30, 2011, 11:58 AM
    Wondergirl

    But he wouldn't have known about it had I not mentioned it. And searching in it is a bit of an art.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 12:01 PM
    NeedKarma
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Wondergirl View Post
    And searching in it is a bit of an art.

    Same with searching the web and that's my forté.
  • Mar 30, 2011, 12:05 PM
    Wondergirl

    And what did you find out about a movie based on Prey?
  • Mar 30, 2011, 12:07 PM
    NeedKarma
    There is no movie based on the book but fans would like there to be. I posted a link to what Rick may have seen.

    Whatcha got WG?
  • Mar 30, 2011, 12:12 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NeedKarma View Post
    There is no movie based on the book but fans would like there to be. I posted a link to what Rick may have seen.

    Whatcha got WG?

    I've learned the same thing. I have a call out to my home library's reference department librarians who are working on a similar question about Black Swan.

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