“OUTBREAK” Movie Assignment
The film, Outbreak, portrays the efforts of an army virologist, Sam Daniels, to prevent a
global biological disaster. A rare killer virus from the African jungle has started an
epidemic in a small northern California commu7nity. The virus has a 100% mortality rate.
The film follows the scientists and army officers as they trace the epidemic and seek to
contain it. The story in the film is fictional BUT could something like this really
happen?
The questions in Part 1 are listed for you to answer and use to digest what is occurring in
the movie. You must take notes and answer the questions during the movie.
Part 2, which can be done after you view the movie, is a list of things that happened
during the story. Some of them seem to be minor incidents, but each one has importance
in advancing plot. Your job is to tell how each event is important to the story.
Part 3, covers overall discussion questions summarizing and examining the occurrences
of the movie. This is to be typed and answered in formal format. Citations could be used
in this section.
Part 1 - Chronological Order Movie Questions
1. Why was the mercenary camp in the Motaba River Valley of Zaire
bombed in 1967? Was this ethical? Explain.
At first, it seems like they are trying to eradicate the disease since it’s so deadly,
but later on in the movie, you find out that it’s actually because General
McClintock wants to use the virus as a biological weapon to protect the United
States. He of course hides this information from the President and says that
Motaba needs to be bombed because the virus is so lethal.
2. In the film, we see a progression of laboratory safety levels at the U.S.
Army Medical research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at
Fort Detrick, Maryland. Below is a description of each level. As one
progresses from level to level, describe the differences shown and the
procedures and safety methods observed.
Biosafety Level 1 (BS1) - Minimum biohazard; study of low risk infectious agents:
Pneumococcus, and Salmonella.
Lab coats
Biosafety Level 2 (BS2) - Moderate biohazard; infectious agents: hepatitis, Lyme
Disease, and Influenza.
Lab coats and masks
Biosafety Level 3 (BS3) - High biohazard; multiple vaccinations required; infectious
agents: infectious agents: anthraz, typhus, and HIV.
Lab coats, masks, gloves, isolation gowns
Biosafety Level 4 (BS4) - Extreme biohazard; maximum security; high virulent; no
known cures or vaccines; infectious agents: Ebola, Lassa, and Hanta viruses.
Isolation suits, masks, heavy duty gloves, disinfectant chambers
3. Why were Sam Daniels and his crew sent to the Motaba Valley, Zaire?
To investigate the disease that was killing so many villagers
4. How did the mystery disease get to the Motaba Valley?
One of the surviving men in the village stated that it came from a local villager
who caught it while working on a railroad (he most likely was bitten by an
infected monkey), and then came back to the village, drank from the communal
village well and spread it to the rest of the villagers
5. What is the tribesman's explanation of why the disease was affecting the
tribe? Do you feel that there could be any truth to the explanation?
Justify your answer.
Because the men were cutting down the trees, they awakened the gods and in
retaliation the gods sent this disease as punishment.
6. (a) What are the characteristics of the mystery disease? AND (b) Why
was it said that the virus was contained?
Pink lesions that ooze blood and pus, flu-like symptoms, vomiting, diarrhea,
hemorrhage and liquefying of intestines
7. Why did Casey show so much concern about the small tear in Daniels'
suit as they were about to enter the BS4 area of the lab?
Because they deal with dangerous diseases everyday. An exposure to the air could
mean instant infection, depending on the virus. Also, it shows that they’re not on
their toes, if they miss a small yet important detail such as a rip. If they can miss a
small rip, they can miss many important details that may be important to their
survival and to the discovery of a cure for these diseases.
8. One of the staff describes the name “Motaba virus” as sounding like the
name of a perfume…”one drop and you'll feel so different, your
sweetheart will melt in your arms.” How did these words have a
prophetic significance?
There were several scenes in the movies where people infected with the Motaba
virus had loved ones who deteriorated in their arms due to the disease.
9. What measures were taken in Cedar Creek to contain the outbreak?
Citizens were quarantined, meaning they weren’t allowed to leave the town and
no one was allowed to come in.
They incinerated (burned) dead bodies rather than bury them
All infected people were instructed to go to the hospital for further observations
10. What was Operation Clean Sweep? Why did many officials think it was
necessary?
Operation Clean Sweep was a plan to drop a bomb on the town of Cedar
Creek in order to kill all of the officials with the virus. Officials were thinking
that it was necessary because the virus was lethal and they were not aware that
there was a cure.
11. What was the reason that the E-1101 antiserum against Motaba virus
kept a secret?
Because General McClintock wanted to use the Motaba virus as a biological
weapon, but if there were a cure, then that would weaken the effectiveness of the
virus as a weapon.
12. Why was Daniels so intent on capturing the monkey in Palisades,
California? After capturing the monkey, what were Daniels and his team
able to do?
Because the monkey in Palisades, CA had the original virus and they could make
an antiserum from it that would cure infected people.
13. How did Daniels prevent the success of Operation Clean Sweep?
Daniels spoke with the military officials in charge of dropping the bomb and
persuaded them to do the right thing by not dropping the bomb onto the
people and destroying innocent lives as well as the cure to the virus.
Part 2 - Each of these incidents from the film has some significance to the story.
Describe how each one is important either in the spread of the epidemic or in efforts
to trace and contain it.
1. The disease affects many people at the mercenary camp on Motaba
Valley, Zaire.
It does both.
Spread: the monkey with the virus survives and thus spread this disease to
other humans, who then spread it to other people
Trace and contain: from this epidemic, Generals Ford and McClintock are
able to obtain a blood sample from dying victims in order to make an antiserum.
2. The camp in Zaire is firebombed.
Spreads: monkeys flee Zaire and go somewhere else, taking the disease with
them
Trace and contain: seemingly, all people infected with the virus are now dead.
3. Daniels receives a telephone call as he is bathing the dogs.
Trace and contain
4. The new man on the team is briefed before leaving for Zaire.
Trace and contain
5. The monkey is trapped in the Motaba Valley.
Trace and contain
6. A phone call is made by Jimbo Scott from the animal holding facility in
San Jose, California.
Spread
7. The monkey scratches Rudy Alvarez at the pet shop.
Spread
8. Jimbo Scott releases the monkey into the woods in California.
Spread
9. Henry Seward, hospital laboratory technician, is accidentally sprayed
with Rudy Alvarez' blood from a tube in the centrifuge.
Spread
10. Jimbo Scott kisses Allison at Logan Airport in Boston.
Spread
11. Henry Seward coughs during a movie in a crowded thearter.
Spread
12. A patient is discovered at Cedar Creek Hospital who has the disease but
has no contact with others who are sick.
Spread
13. Two different strains of the Motaba virus are discovered in Cedar Creek.
Trace and contain
14. Casey becomes ill.
Spread
15. Robbie is stuck with a needle that she was injecting into Casey.
Spread
16. The dead man is found on the ship and a picture of a monkey is found
above his bunk.
Trace and contain
17. Mrs. Jeffries sees a picture of the monkey on television.
Trace and contain
18. Daniels' helicopter blocks the path of the airplane carrying the firebomb.
Trace and contain
Overall Questions
1. Describe how the virologists determined the identity of the virus causing
the disease, how they tracked the epidemic and how they eventually
conquered the virus.
Determined: took samples, looked through microscope to determine
characteristics
2. Why was the Motaba Virus so dangerous after it mutated?
Because it became airborne
3. If a virus, just like the Motaba virus in the movie, were to break out in a
Canadian city, do you think it would be acceptable to do what the
government had planned? Explain your answer.
Answer: Your opinion
4. Consider your answer to the last question. Would your opinion change if
the lives of the rest of Canada depended on it? What about the rest of the
world?
Answer: Your opinion
5. Do you think it is okay to sacrifice human life for the benefit of other
humans? Explain. What would the Catholic Churches perspective be on
this topic?
Answer: Your opinion
6. How does the movie relate to your everyday life? What things can you do
to prevent or limit contamination from any virus?
7. At the beginning of the film is a quote by Nobel Prize Winner Joshua
Lederberg.
“The single biggest threat to man's continued dominance on this planet is the virus”
Discuss this quote. Do you agree with it? Why or why not? What evidence from this
film supports Lederberg's view? What evidence from other sources that you have
read or viewed lends support? What do you feel is significant about Lederberg's
statement in light of recent news regarding bioterrorism? What do you fell will be
the future of human dominance on Earth? Support your views with facts and logical
thought.