SpecialsTarget Disturbing yet enthralling

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Melanie Bouvet The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

t_atzmueller There has been much criticism about „And the Band played on": that there were too many characters, many of them drawn rather shallow (if not stereotypical), that it wasn't focused enough, convoluted. There is some truth in that, but mind you, this is a TV-movie after all with all its limitations and considering that, it's doing a pretty good job.I had watched this movie because virology is a hobby of mine and there are very few films that deal with the subject of disease (some going down the road of the dreadful "Outbreak"; others being plain boring). On terms of following the rise of an epidemic, "And the Band Played on" works perfectly. At the same time, it catches the atmosphere of the 1980s, the paranoia, the general fear and confusion that marked the first appearance of AIDS.There have been arguments whether the movie is too "pro"- or "anti-homosexuals" but I tend to think that it handles the story pretty neutral and hence can be enjoyed by people who themselves are neutral on the issue. True, it doesn't show the gay community, especially the one in San Francisco, in a particularly favorable light (rampant promiscuity, spokespeople in (self)-denial, etc), but then again, there is no denying that without hot spots like SF and the selfish, shallow mentality of the people living there, the epidemic might have taken a different course. The film isn't much kinder on other factors that have facilitated the spread of AIDS in this period, namely conservative politicians of the Regan-era, greedy pharmaceutical companies and self-righteous scientists (especially Dr. Vincent Gallo is painted as a virtual psychopath; doubtful whether the Doctor could very flattered by his portrayal), but then again, why should a film be kind to people and organizations that, in time, would be responsible for millions of death? Another factor that makes this a good film is the director Roger Spottiswoode; many less experienced film-makers would have chosen to press the tear-duct of the viewer in order to get a response, but Spottiswoode doesn't take the cheap option. He's painting a grim picture of a grim situation but he never makes it look melodramatic or, with a few exceptions, sentimental. There's often a fine chemistry among the cast, especially the research team around Don Francis (Matthew Modine) – on other times, the chemistry seems forced, not quiet natural (for example, we are never explained why there should be such a deep bond between Francis and Bill Kraus (Ian McKellen)).In essence, though many criticisms are true – especially that too many story lines are cramped into a mere two hours (the rather lengthy book by Randy Shilts would probably have been better served by a mini-series) and that the film is a virtual star-sighting tour (some of the cameos lasting merely a few seconds) – it doesn't make it a bad movie. I'd give it 7 from 10 points (deducting one point for the schmaltzy Elton John in the final scene, which seems to combine all the shallow cheesiness that the rest of the movie spared us).

mattrochman Very interesting documentary/film about the explosion of the AIDS epidemic across America.It looks at the scientific side with getting itself bogged down in the detail. It looks at the human side without getting too sentimental. It looks at how competitive some scientists can be without over-blowing the issue or painting every doctor/scientist with the same brush.But one thing it did overcook was its hatred of Regan and the attempt (in part) to shift blame to him for the epidemic. Unfortunately, there was a dramatic presumption that if a liberal government had been in place, then more would have been done earlier. At the same time, it correctly points out that AIDS has a long incubation period - meaning that people had been transmitting HIV to each other for years before patients even turned up with symptoms. By its very nature, AIDS will not show up until it's almost at micro-epidemic levels. Only a government with psychic powers could have done something sooner to prevent the "first wave" of the AIDS virus spreading throughout the gay community.Ah ha - some of you might say - but increases in funding at the early stages could have prevented it from becoming worse! Well that's not really true either. Dr Gallow was given the preliminary data and samples. He had top rank scientists and resources at his disposal.... and yet he was unable to isolate and identify the virus. That's pretty remarkable considering he was the father of retroviruses. Now let's look at numbers. The movie frequently updated us with the "Butcher's Bill" : how many suspected cases and how many deaths. At times when the movie suggested Regan should have taken more action and endless funding to the CDC (an instrumentality chronically underfunded throughout it's history and under all kinds of administrations), the deaths were still only in the hundreds, it hadn't even been identified as virus and the transmission models were not backed up by science whatsoever. So if you think that miracles would have occurred under a different administration, think again. Look at where we're at now. No cure or vaccine has been successfully developed, it is one of the fastest growing infectious diseeases in the world, despite the fact there is now an endless stream of money, education and awareness out there these days. It appeared all too often that the film makers and Shiltz had a political axe to grind and took comfort in retrospect. Little would they realise that the eventual epidemic that transpired would have occurred under any government; and would have most certainly occurred in more or less the same way under a Democrat administration.Then again, I won't let that take the gloss off a very human and natural film. The production qualities were not high standard, but they didn't need to be and it is very much essential viewing for anyone who wants to know more about the origins of the AIDS epidemic in America.

Nocgirl72 I read this book in high school in the late 80's just as it was released. The book was excellent and gave a great educational lesson on HIV and AIDS. The movie was just as good. I was really touched at the end when "The last song" by Elton John was playing. The movie gave a great time-line of the virus.It is so terrifying to think AIDS has actually been around since probably 1959 when a blood sample from a man from the Congo had died of a mysterious illness, and tests run on the blood sample today showed he did indeed have AIDS. The movie was very touching, this whole topic leaves a lump in my throat. I was 13 when AIDS had started making the news and in 1985 or 1986 my dad had a blood transfusion. We spend months worrying if he had contracted HIV. Thank god he got clean blood and he dodged a bullet, unlike the 25,000 people in the 70 and 80's who received tainted blood.I got teary eyed when an HIV+ guy in the movie says "This is not a political issue. This is a health issue. This is not a gay issue. This is a human issue. And I do not intend to be defeated by it. I came here today in the hope that my epitaph would not read that I died of red tape." The predictions were accurate. The scientists predicted there would be 40 million people worldwide infected with HIV by the turn of the century and that number has proved to be pretty much dead on, literally.

BeKind247 Well told history of the beginning of the AIDS crisis in America and the world. It showed the slow and inept response of the Republican lead government. The performances are brilliant. Ensemble cast brings a complicated story, to fruition by showing that AIDS is not merely a disease to study underneath a microscope, but a social typhoon that changed society as a hole. I think they should show this movie in high schools. An influential movie that stops and makes you think. I thought that Alan Alda's portrayal of Dr. Robert Gallo was a great departure from his normal "MASH" fare, I found a new respect for Matthew Modine after seeing his portrayal in this movie. Swoozie Kurtz is only on screen for a brief time, yet she pulls you into her characters desperation, sadness, and anger, at being kept in the dark by her own Dr's. Her Dr's never tell she has AIDS. The stigma of AIDS still stands today. I hope to one day live in a world when AIDS has been eradicated.