<P> Crichton said he did not wish to make his directorial debut with science fiction but, "That's the only way I could get the studio to let me direct . People think I'm good at it I guess ." </P> <P> Crichton's agent introduced him to Paul Lazarus III and they became friends and decided to make a film together . The script was written in August 1972 . Lazarus says he asked Crichton why he did not tell the story as a book; Crichton said he felt the story was visual, and would not really work as a book . </P> <P> The script was offered to all the major studios . They all turned down the project except for Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer, then under head of production Dan Melnick and president James T. Aubrey . Crichton: </P> <P> MGM had a bad reputation among filmmakers; in recent years, directors as diverse as Robert Altman, Blake Edwards, Stanley Kubrick, Fred Zinneman and Sam Peckinpah had complained bitterly about their treatment there . There were too many stories of unreasonable pressure, arbitrary script changes, inadequate post production, and cavalier recutting of the final film . Nobody who had a choice made a picture at Metro, but then we didn't have a choice . Dan Melnick...assured (us)... that we would not be subjected to the usual MGM treatment . In large part, he made good on that promise . </P>

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