The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler (1971) User Reviews

Long forgotten cloning thriller

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 18 October 2015]

THE RESURRECTION OF ZACHARY WHEELER is a weird little sci fi movie most probably forgotten by today's audiences. Certainly the low budget of the thing is off-putting, but if you can overcome the film's deficiencies then you might just enjoy it nonetheless. This is a fun little cloning thriller that plays out with the same kind of verve as a Michael Crichton film or the likes of THE CHINA SYNDROME.

Leslie Nielsen stars in the straight role of a reporter who witnesses a politician being mortally injured in a car accident. Before long the whole thing is hushed up, so he takes it upon himself to investigate and uncover the truth, which is that the government have begun a cloning scheme in order to harvest spare parts. There are a few chase scenes here, alongside some moments involving people in dodgy blue make up, and it's all very limited. But the film covers the same paranoid government conspiracy ground as many a '70s thriller, and Nielsen gives a solid performance as the lead. Bradford Dillman and Angie Dickinson play in support.

For the SF completist

[Mandemus · 6/10 · 11 February 2008]

Worth seeing, if you are into speculative fiction dealing with clones. I agree with the few other reviews here about the merits of this film. The clone concept was original in film, and had been seen on television a year earlier in Boswell's "Timeslip" TV series (1970).

This film is worthy of interest mostly for the ideas presented and because of its descendants in the genre: Coma (1978), Clonus (1979), The Island (2005). I have only seen such poor camera-work done in the worst of B-movies, however. No prizes here for visuals, which are remarkable for their lack of art or ability. Seriously, the average person with a cellphone camera and no training could do as good or better job at framing a scene. The acting is serviceable, TV-style of the period, and fans of Leslie Nielsen will enjoy an early performance from him.

This review is not a raving recommendation. Serious SF fans and film collectors will not be disappointed to have Resurrection in their collections. Others should steer clear.

Great movie, but doesn't have an end.

[cujoe_da_man · 6/10 · 25 June 2022]

Picked this up from a local store that re-sells DVD's and gave it a shot since it had Leslie Nielsen in it. I was expecting campy, but not 'Naked Gun', which is how many of us remember Leslie Nielsen.

One of the earliest works I've seen Leslie Nielsen in was 'Forbidden Planet' and being so young and unfamiliar with his earlier work, I was unaware I was actually watching him. This movie, being 15 years later, I recognized him a lot easier, but it was still strange to see him in something that he wasn't playing a comedy role. Though, the DVD I got with his picture on the cover is more recent, from the 90's- early 2000's.

Leslie Nielsen, regardless of his role, always plays his characters straight forward and with a straight face. Even as Frank Drebin in 'Naked Gun/Police Squad' or Dr. Rumak in 'Airplane!', he's always a serious character delivering funny lines. In this movie, he's a hard-edged reporter who happens upon the accident of senator Zachary Wheeler. Every step of the way, he stays focused on his task and is even a bit pushy in many instances, as one would expect a character like this to be.

The plot itself is decently thought out, usually weighing the pros and cons of cloning and the morale and ethical implications thereof. The commity (and even doctors) in charge of the project are written in such a way to never truly be the "evil bad guy", but never actually being the "white knight". All the characters of the project are left in a mostly ambiguously gray area and to me that really sets the tone for real life. They might not think what they're doing is wrong and they always validate their decisions with the whole in mind, not just themselves, but they aren't above letting a little blackmail steer their judgement.

The writers knew what they were going for and did it well, but one problem I had with the movie is there is no specific focus on any one character. Despite the name of the movie, it seems to focus equally among senator Wheeler, Harry Walsh, the doctors, and the commity. This isn't a bad thing, but it just seems like they could have combined some of the story to shorten the screen time of each while still achieving the same message. That, however, might have shortened the movie itself which does seem like it was light on plot points to make it a full feature. Again, not bad, but you can really tell their ideas might have been stretched a bit thin.

It's a decent mix of (light) sci-fi and detective genres, but it does get pretty slow. They don't give away too much in the beginning and you find out most of it toward the middle and end, but it at least holds your interest enough to find out more and what they might do with the project.

The quality of the movie is subpar at best, even a bluray version I've seen is just watchable. This movie was shot on video tape and THEN transferred to 35mm. This means there is no original 35mm print to restore from if it were shot the other way around. The bluray copy does seem to bring up the color quality, but you're still stuck with a paltry 240p screen size and the inevitable tape to film transfer issues, such as tracking errors and lots of film noise (one portion of the movie has a green line running through it for about 20 seconds and later on large bits of fuzz can be seen slipping along the film reel across the light into the lens). You're also going to have random dialogue cuts, most likely multiple video tape switching to put it on 35mm as one long run and sometimes audio doesn't sync.

-Ending spoiler-

The movie ends abruptly with Walsh finally discovering the truth of senator Wheeler and both being blackmailed into keeping the project silent. Walsh and Wheeler, however, have unofficially agreed to expose everything at any cost. This seemed like a good setup for an ending, but a sudden phone call to the doctor leaves you with the information that someone has had a second coronary and he will be at the facility shortly. The movie literally stops after that with no followup and we are left wondering who this person is and what they have to do with the rest of the movie. I scanned through and could not find any other mention of the name, though I'll admit that I simply cannot make out the name, it sounds like he says "Joanne Lie", but he says "he", so I don't have a clue.

I would like to think this meant they were going to have a sequel, but I can't imagine what it would be like and how they would have filled another hour and a half now that we know everything. Still, if you're a fan of Leslie Nielsen or are curious about one of the very first movies about cloning, I recommend at least giving it a try.

30 years later, same debate.

[jnc01 · 7 July 2001]

Watch this movie, and reflect that 30 years later, we are having a similar ethical debate on stem cell research, and the use of aborted faetuses to cure diseases.

Further reflect on recent cloning advances. What if you could clone a human, with no brain? (It is an unfortunate condition that occurs occationally in humans. The offspring die shortly after birth.) Would it be moral to use their bodies to extend your life?

Fairly diverting medical sci-fi thiller

[Red-Barracuda · 5/10 · 27 August 2023]

This medical thriller with sci-fi underpinning is seemingly the first movie to feature cloning. In it, a U. S. Senator and future presidential hopeful is involved in a car crash but he mysteriously disappears from the hospital and is taken to the New Mexico desert for some sinister surgery; a diligent reporter tries to find out what's going on.

When watching this, I was sure it must be a TV movie as opposed to a feature film, as it has that cosy dependability and restraint that 70's American telly movies have. Turns out though it was at the cinemas, so what do I know? With its dark goings on in secret hospital complexes, it does foreshadow later films such as Coma. But this one is definitely less fully realised, with the clones themselves being a bit under-utilized - they're sort of like low budget zombies. Cast-wise it has Brad Dillman as the Senator who barely gets out of bed and Angie Dickinson running through the motions as a nurse. Its mostly a Leslie Nielsen vehicle, with him as the reporter out for the truth. He's dependable enough of course but, given Nielsen's career moves later in the 80's, its hard not to think its actually Frank Drebin on the case.

There's always a catch!

[lost-in-limbo · 7/10 · 2 September 2006]

TV reporter Harry Welsh happens to be a witness to a car accident involving the US Senator Clayton Zachary Wheeler. Welsh see this as a good news story, but after taking him to the hospital and getting ready to broadcast it. The senator has suddenly disappeared and has been taken away to a secret hospital in New Mexico. No one believes Welsh and for not detracting his bulletin he is fired, as news came in that the Senator was on a fishing trip. So decides to go ahead and investigate, because he knows that it was the senator he saw half-dead in the car crash. When Wheeler finally comes around, he learns of the new medical technology governed by an elite group, which involves cloning people, and using these identical (but empty) vessels to harvest the organs for important transplants.

What a cheap little unknown gem! I picked up the video at a pawnshop, and when I decided to give it a look. To my surprise the video was still in its packaging, despite the video cases roughed up look. Before the likes of some medical thrillers involving Michael Crichton's "Coma (1978)" and such, this one does seem way before its time and a blue print for those paranoia medical thrillers. The concept behind the film definitely stands up more so today, because of touchy issue of stem cell research. For such low budget restraints it relies more so on story telling by developing a riveting mystery, clever ideas and moody characters. While the action here is very little and extremely dry, it doesn't foil some well placed tension that's sustained by such simple diversions (like fleeing) then anything explosive. On show are raw camera-work and quite a distant, but more often an energetic and high pitch music score that resembled that the golden age of cinema. Make-up for the clones was well conceived and they did provide some startling images. Pacing can get rather stodgy and you call it a rather colourless display, but where it mostly counts, Director Bob Wynn and co have done a fine job with what they had to work with here. At least when it does slow down it gets straight back into it.

The technically well-defined script (that dabs in a touch of sharp wit) goes into thorough detail about the ethics of such power governed by political influence. Where this technology can easily be corrupted and how life is a privilege, where everybody deserves a choice. No matter if these clones can't think on their own behalf, they still can breath, which counts for something. While extremely chatty, they're just so many interesting facets, conspiracies and questions in this thought-provoking material. It could have turn into a shoddy and daftly mess, but the theories thrown up are plausibly integrated. After thinking it might lead to something big. It pretty much leaves you in an insecure state (as there's no real conclusion), which can annoy if you're looking for answers. The performances aren't anything special and for some could be too blunt, but I thought Leslie Nielsen in the lead as Harry Welsh gave in a focused and likable turn. Bradford Dillman as Senator Wheeler, Angie Dickinson as Dr Diana Johnson and James Daly as Dr Redding were more than reasonable.

At best it's conventional film-making, which simply sticks to its strengths.

Would Make Michael Crichton Proud

[Sturgeon54 · 7/10 · 15 June 2005]

This film did remind me of the kinds of ideas in Crichton's novels - especially his early medical fiction. Who would have guessed that a now-forgotten low-budget B-movie would actually end up more timely almost 40 years after its original release? I don't know of any earlier film treatments of the subject of cloning than this film - I really wonder what audiences thought when this first came out, as the plot line of the film must have seemed really wild back then. I don't particularly care for remakes - especially of good movies like this - but now would be a terrific time for a remake of this story, possibly with a better budget. As it is, the film stretches its budget pretty well, but I would have appreciated greater attention to the scientific aspects of the cloning (possibly with some special effects). Additionally, because all of the real-life politicians seem to be weighing in on the stem cell and medical ethics issues, the political aspects of the story would fit perfectly into a remake, where they could be fleshed out in greater detail. I guess this movie just has me thinking more of what it could have been than what it is. On its own level, it is a surprisingly thoughtful low-budget film that concentrates on ideas, rather than action. For that, it is well worth searching out.

On a final note, it has a ridiculous non-sequitur ending that had me giggling, but the ending seems to fit a cheap movie like this, whose filmmakers certainly couldn't afford a lot of explosions and gunfights .

Conehead Clones

[Chase_Witherspoon · 7/10 · 25 January 2010]

A senator (Dillman) is near-fatally injured in a car wreck witnessed only by intrepid reporter (Nielsen) whose eyewitness account is gagged for national security purposes. Discontent with the ruse, Nielsen investigates and ends up discovering an elaborate human organ harvesting clinic that potentially holds the key to mankind's survival - but only a select few. Science Fiction/pseudo political thriller chooses to focus on the moral dilemmas of its cause, resorting to limp-wristed protection of its diabolical secrets, when opposition threaten to reveal the project's secrets.

Small in scale, and more akin to the production values of a telemovie than a fully fledged feature film, there are however some assets in the cast and one or two plot twists to which you can look forward. Dillman as the title character spends most of his time comatose and then in a wheelchair debating scientific heresy, while Dickinson looks more like a space cadet than the dedicated doctor, who believes her work is of national significance. Nielsen is essentially the central character, a tenacious reporter not content to digest the force-fed facts without due interrogation. He spends most of the film, piecing together evidence that eventually leads him to the mysterious clinic in New Mexico. Noted stage actor Daly is also quite effective as the clinic's principal surgeon; his attempt to rationalise the existence of the coneheaded clones (called Somas) lies more in the field of fantasy than it does in any serious debate on human cloning.

Well scripted, with okay special effects, concerned mostly of pale-faced make-up on stupefied faces - the Dillman zoo experiment is unintentionally funny, his 'full retard' no doubt perfected by hours of rehearsals and takes. Dressed in monk-like garb with coneheaded frontal lobe projection, the Somas are also quite inspired imagery; more emphasis on their existence might have balanced the argument better, but their brief inclusion is still an alarming visual demonstration of the human harvesting process depicted in the film. Despite its 100 minutes, there's ample action, characterisation and plot development; had the climax resolved more satisfactorily, the film might have become a minor cult favourite, ahead of its time in terms of content. As it is, a worthy sci-fi companion, and perhaps no longer such a distant prospect.

A film way ahead of it's time !

[ragsrolf · 8/10 · 25 November 2007]

Hi,

I just read your review of "The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler" posted 15th of June, 2005 . Wow ! You have no idea how that made me feel. I don't know why I typed that old title into Google, maybe just boredom or some weird ego trip, but I am one of the writers of that screenplay along with my then writing partner Jay Simms . It all started with my reading an article in Esquire magazine regarding the possibility of organ transplants . At that time I was working as a Production Coordinator on the TV series " Big Valley" and I mentioned it to Jay who was one of the writers and before we knew it we came up with the idea for a screenplay. It took about 3 weeks and when we finished it we gave it to Jays' agent who said " It's too far out". That turned out to be the general consensus and both Jay and I went on to different things . Eventually it was bought and produced with a very small budget, very evident in the final version but it did have a "far out" premise. I never wrote another screenplay but went on to a career as a film editor but deep down there lurks a frustrated writer. Who knows, maybe I'll try it again. Glad you liked what you saw and you're right, with a few more bucks it could have been a "killer" !

Regards,

Tom Rolf

"Living is an addictive thing"

[richardchatten · 7/10 · 30 October 2021]

Another politically loaded sci-fi fable from the pen of the writer of 'The Creation of the Humanoids', much of it shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Fairly typical of the sort of thing Leslie Nielsen was making in his days as a straight actor, this has a very similar plot 'Seconds' and 'Never Let Me Go', but with more emphasis on action (and a generally rather whimsical score by Marlin Skiles). As it unfolds it splits into two separate narratives involving Nielsen on one hand and Dillman on the other.

But the mood darkens considerably (and the plot turns far more ghoulish) as the political implications of creating longevity for a select and amoral few (here decided by a cabal called the Committee of Nine) are explored. And when the two strands finally come together there's a zinger of a punchline.

Angie Dickinson (now ninety) also has a raunchy scene shaving Dillman.

Pretty good for its day - thought provoking now, three decades on!

[uds3 · 15 August 2002]

Elements of COMA and THE SIXTH DAY here, basically the moral, social and scientific implications behind cloning. Perhaps even more relevant today given the arguments being bandied about in the public forum for and against stem-cell research.

Dying Senator Zachary Wheeler is whisked into a government-funded and hushed-up medical facility in "no questions asked" Mexico for "treatment." Reporter Nielsen smells a story - the "scoop" of the century as it turns out!

Without giving too much away, the basic premise turns out to be assembly-line cloning for random organ donation or whatever spare parts are needed - remarkably similar in ethical background to the entire stem-cell debate.

Thinking persons' sci-fi.

Very Relevant

[rjdcheers · 7/10 · 24 February 2021]

I was shocked as to how good this film is

Such that I cannot believe no decent writer or director has done an update.

With all the effects available today I can see an update as a great success

In the meantime a good watch and Nielsen running around in all seriousness pre Airplane.. Priceless

A Fun Little B-movie About Cloning

[lukem-52760 · 7/10 · 8 November 2021]

I found this forgotten little B-movie enjoyable with two greats as the leads.

The Naked Gun legend Leslie Neilson is the lead here in a serious role as a reporter who witnesses something that no one believes & try to cover up what he knows. Neilson is good in his role as he dodges & runs from those trying to silence him & it leads him to a secret medical place in Mexico where there's Cloning happening.

Bradford Dillman (Piranha, Dirty Harry films) plays an injured "important" man who ends up at the secret medical clinic. Dillman was a good actor & reminds me so much of Charlton Heston.

All in all a decent enough little sci-fi Thriller made with a low-budget but full of mystery & fun.

Nothing great but decent enough.

The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler review

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 20 April 2020]

A reporter who happens to be at the scene of a car crash in which a prominent senator is badly injured smells something fishy when the senator's office denies his involvement and insists he's away on a fishing holiday. A reasonably diverting, but ultimately forgettable, SF conspiracy thriller that has the low-cost look and feel of a TV movie. Leslie Nielsen plays it straight as the inquisitive reporter and does a pretty good job, while Bradford Dillman does his best Charlton Heston impersonation as the senator who woos doctor Angie Dickinson from his bed. The moral and ethical aspects that the film explores are fairly interesting, but it's about 15 minutes too long.

The "Terrifying" type of low-budget Sci-Fi!

[Coventry · 8/10 · 13 June 2019]

To me, at least, "The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler" belongs to a very selected group of 70s cult/science fiction movies. They are criminally obscure and practically forgotten, presumably due to the low-budget production values and lack of action and/or special effects, but at the same time they are unbelievably intelligent and downright terrifying due to the ahead-of-its-time themes and story lines. This film pretty much gave me the same overwhelming effect as when I first watched the 1979 gem "Parts: The Clonus Horror". Not coincidentally both films are very similar, dealing with early types of cloning methods, conspiracies to protect the elite classes and massive media cover-ups. Both titles are original, tense, disturbing and fascinating, but also inexplicably underrated. Oh, and they have something else in common: Michael Bay stole the innovative ideas of both films for his own fake Sci-Fi box office hit "The Island"!

The film predates Leslie Nielsen's typecasting period, which began with "Police Squad" and lasted for the rest of his life, so you might have to make a mental switch to take him serious as the stubborn but persistent research journalist. He, Harry Walsh, arrives at the scene of a tragic car accident and identifies a near-fatally injured victim as the young & upcoming senator Zachary Wheeler. Later in the hospital, however, all the staff denies that Wheeler got admitted and Walsh is rudely thrown off the premises. Despite pressure from his chief editor and government spokespersons, Walsh refuses to publicly recall his earlier reporting and gets fired. He privately continues to look for answers, though, and traces down Wheeler to a remote New Mexican medical facility where, in all secrecy, the upmost amazing scientific breakthroughs are being realized. Meanwhile, the recovering senator Wheeler also discovers the truth behind his miraculous rescue, and he's not as pleased as you'd think.

I deeply and humbly bow my head to the writers of progressive Sci-Fi like this! Can you believe this plot is nearly 50 years old? The plot already dealing with clones before the term "clones" was even properly integrated. They are referred to as "Somas" instead. Topics like stem cell treatment nowadays still lead to heavy moral discussion, but it featured here first. Moreover, "The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler" is also a very competent action/thriller effort! Walsh's cat-and-mouse games with a duo of pursuing goons are amusing and certain sequences inside the facility definitely hold a shock-effect in store. Excellent performances from Bradford Dillman and Angie Dickinson as well. The utterly abrupt non-ending initially feels frustrating, but it also underlines the soberness, realism and intellect of the script. Rich, influential and powerful people always win.

An obscurity worth seeking out.

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 24 July 2018]

Zachary Wheeler (Bradford Dillman), a state senator with great potential, gets into a horrific traffic accident in the opening minutes of this film. It doesn't seem that he will make it, and Harry Walsh (Leslie Nielsen), a reporter who arrives on the scene, accompanies him to Bethesda, where Harry witnesses the senator being whisked away to parts unknown. A cover-up is engineered regarding the senators' whereabouts, and Harry is right to smell a rat. He doggedly pursues his story, despite some risk to life and limb, while a revived Senator Wheeler discovers the incredible medical breakthrough that prolonged his life.

"The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler" is telling a tried-and-true Dr. Frankenstein-type story (scripted by Jay Simms and Tom Rolf), complete with the expected indignant reaction as the senator can't believe the gall of these doctors. The plot is rather reminiscent of the more well-known "Parts: The Clonus Horror", except that RoZW predates "Parts" by several years. It leads to some effectively creepy moments, and the yarn concocted by Simms & Rolf is utterly absorbing and interesting. The eventual resolution is not very satisfying, but up until then the film is quite fun, with plenty of location shooting in New Mexico, and a quick-thinking, likeable protagonist in the form of Walsh. You have to respect this guy for being so tenacious.

The whole cast is great. Dillman and Angie Dickinson, as one of the clinic doctors, strike up a warm relationship, James Daly is authoritative as the not-that-good doctor who's pioneered this revolutionary surgery, and Robert J. Wilke is an appropriately cold-blooded antagonist determined to keep the operations a secret. Other familiar faces like Jack Carter, Don Haggerty, William Bryant, Tristram Coffin, Byron Morrow, Harry Holcombe, and Tyler McVey also turn up.

Mildly flashy opening credits do give this the feeling of a classic B picture from decades past, which is fitting, since this was clearly done on a somewhat limited budget. But the moral / ethical questions posed here are still extremely relevant 47 years later.

The sole theatrical directing effort for Bob Wynn, who mostly worked in TV.

Eight out of 10.

Surprising suspenseful, timely topic ...

[yortsnave · 8/10 · 21 February 2000]

This is a surprisingly suspenseful and thought-provoking sci-fi movie. Even more topical and relevant today, as cloning and organ transplantation become more mature. To what lengths will we go, what will we pay, to be cured of our worst degenerative diseases and to live almost forever? How much power would an organisation have, that could give us such health and near-immortality?

Lost Sci-fi Classic

[chow913 · 8/10 · 27 June 2013]

I just had to write a review of this film because every sci-fi fan mistakenly believes that 'The Island' 2005 was plagiarized from 'Parts: The Clonus Horror' 1979. Well actually both films were remakes of 'The Resurrection of Zackary Wheeler' which puts them both to shame.

The plot: Leslie Neilson stars as TV reporter who just happens to witness the fatal car accident of Senator Zachary Wheeler, whose in line to be elected the next US president.

The plot moves at a fast pace and Neilson is immediately fired for reporting a false story. The mass media, government, and industry are all covering up Zachary Wheeler's car accident and apparent death. Neilson isn't taking this lying down and is determined to find the truth no matter how many men in black agents are chasing him.

Meanwhile Senator Wheeler awakes in a private super secret hospital with only minor injuries. As we know from the other films, the hospital's miracle secret is clones. By cloning Zachary Wheeler they have enough spare body parts to keep him alive for as long as he's useful.

Much to the surprise of the Illuminati shadow government the Senator isn't grateful he's sickened by their illegal cloning project and also very upset to learn what everyone else in the free world already knows, America isn't a democracy. An Illuminati commission of government and industry manipulates all aspects of human life. Their cloning project is just another aspect of their well established power. Wheeler is only a senator because they will it. He will only be elected the next president because they will it. And now he's only alive because they will it and he benefits them.

As Wheeler recovers and wrestles with the moral dilemmas of absolute power corrupting absolutely he sparks love with his nurse and the two debate the moral issues. Clearly she's a Jezebel.

The other 50% of the film is everyman Neilson outwitting the army of government agents after him. Think, 'North By North West.' 'The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler isn't going to win any award for production quality but the screenplay is very solid and fast paced. The acting is also outstanding from both Neilson and Bradford Dillman as Wheeler.

This is a must see and proves the evil cloning conspiracy story actually started out great. It was 'Parts The Clonus Horror' and 'The Island' which mucked it up.

thought-provoking and unsettling

[myriamlenys · 8/10 · 14 March 2024]

Arriving shortly after a car crash, a journalist recognizes one of the badly-injured victims as an American senator. He literally follows the ambulance carrying the moribund victim to the hospital. Strangely enough, hospital personnel starts to deny the presence of the senator...

"The resurrection of Zachary Wheeler" is a mix of thriller and science fiction. The plot deals with a tenacious journalist getting a whiff of a top-secret project of dubious morality. As the man eludes bullies and pursuers, he uncovers ever more hair-raising information.

"The resurrection" is quite good, although the ending falls flat. More inspired writing might have led up to a nerve-shattering climax or an ultimate surprise twist. Still, the movie provides a great deal of food for thought, especially with regard to the way in which the powerful use carrots and sticks in order to elicit obedience. Another issue concerns the utilization (and over-utilization) of the term "national interest". Who defines the concept ? And why do the interests of the Nation coincide so often with the interests of the rich and powerful ?

In the movie there's a scene where a recovering hospital patient receives a nice bunch of chrysanthemums. As a Belgian this scene made me grin. In this part of the world, we associate the flower with graveyards. Each year at the beginning of November, families adorn the graves of deceased relatives with pots or bouquets of flowers, mainly chrysanthemums. Consequently giving a hospital patient a bunch of the stuff takes on a whole different meaning than it does in the USA.

So "The resurrection" is well worth your time and attention. If you'd like to watch another examination of some of the same themes, do take a look at the British series called "Chimera". (Wrote a short review there only recently.) It's criminally under-appreciated.