I agree with albatross - there's little mystery as to why EKG disassociated himself from the risible film version of his memorable book.
Viewing the film as an impressionable youngster I made a solemn mental note that in the unlikely event of achieving lofty ambitions of becoming an airline captain that I would never, ever, rest my coffee cup on the centre pedestal.
And so the seed was sown. For the best part of 30 years whenever (albeit only momentarily) the pedestal was used as a coffee table the harvest has been images of erroneous fire warnings, unnecessary shut-downs and rip-snorting high drama.
I think it was perhaps the laissez-faire whistling of the captain ( Blue moon?) as all four engines were fuel starved under IMC whilst descending into a fjord that proved the final straw for EKG.