favorite disaster movies, new and old

[skippercollecto]

What is your favorite contemporary disaster film? What is your favorite classic disaster movie?
My favorite contemporary disaster film is "Deep Impact." It's very different from others in the genre, in that there is no reluctant male superhero coming to the rescue at the end. It's the most female oriented disaster movie ever made--not only was the director a woman, but about half of the leads are female. Not all of the good guys (and girls) live. Although the continuity is somewhat choppy and the stories aren't as cohesive as they could be, I've always thought it was the most human end-of-the-world movie I've yet seen.
My all-time favorite movie is "Apollo 13." I know that some might lump that film in with disaster movies, but to me it's not, (a) because I think it's a historical drama instead; and (b) only three people are in danger, and they all live.
As for the older disaster films, I don't know if "Jaws" qualifies or not. It's from the same time period as the original disaster films and a number of people die, but there's no mass destruction. I do think, however, that it is one of the best movies ever made.
Mary

[The 14th Colony]

Comparing Deep Impact to a similar film that came out around the same time period, Armageddon, Deep Impact was a far better film. Armageddon was good for some laughs and the action scectacle of it (though the end was a tear jerker, when a particular character made the choice not to come home.), but DI was a serious film that dealt with the subject in a mature, more believable manner, that didn't try to use fancy stunts, flying manuevers, and explosions to drive the movie.

Re: Disaster films in general, I am a big fan of the disaster flicks of the '70s. Airport '75, Earthquake, Towering Inferno, Posieden Adventure, ect. I would say my two favorites are Posieden Adventure and Towering Inferno.

[The 14th Colony]

I greatly enjoyed Cameron's Titanic, and of course Deep Impact which I said. I am eager to see The Day After Tomorrow. But for the most part, I don't think any of the modern age disaster films can stay in my memory as the Irwin Allen films did, or rather, in my heart. Maybe because I was a child of the 70's that they left such an impact on me as I was growing up whereas the recent ones of the last decade or so where more spectacle than they were story for the most part.

[DarkJedi]

Titanic
Armegeddon
Deep Impact
U-571
Twister (yes its campy but hey I live in tornado alley)

[Eric Paddon]

Today's disaster films will never hold a candle to the best of the 70s. "Airport", "The Poseidon Adventure" and "The Towering Inferno" set a standard that today's disaster films only echo to a hollow degree, especially in how they substitute increasingly ludicrous CGI effects and show not even a pretense of regard for a decent script.

[Bijou88]

The first PG (grownup) movie I ever saw in the theaters was Airport 77. For this reason, it will always have a special place in my heart. I saw it again recently after 20 years. To my pleasant surprise, it holds up. Jack Lemmon is great as the pilot and the supporting cast is filled with familiar faces. Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers), Christopher Lee (Dracula) and Darren McGavin (Kolchak) all put in memorable performances. The special effects circa the non-CGI 70s are very good. This movie is the greatest 1970s disaster movie never made by Irwin Allen.

[skippercollecto]

Last night we saw "The Day After Tomorrow." Despite that fact that it is not doing great box office, it's gotten mixed reviews and the extreme environmentalists are trying to use the film as a political tool, I really enjoyed the film way more than I thought I would. It was different, the way "Deep Impact" was different.
The things that bugged me were the scenes stolen from other movies (not just disaster films--all that snow reminded me of "Dr. Zhivago"); and I thought that the tornadoes in Los Angeles and the scene with Jake Gyllenhall fighting off the wolves were preposterous, but other than them, I was impressed by the movie.
Why was I impressed? It wasn't the global warming threats in the movie that made me think--what I was left thinking about what was going to happen to the characters now that society was going to be rebuilt. In fact, I dreamed about the movie last night after I fell asleep, but it wasn't a nightmare, I was thinking about a sequel!
That's one of the things that watching Galactica 10,000 times has left me with--the possibilities of how to start over.
What have the rest of you thought of this film?
Mary

[Muffit]

My Dinner with Andre was a disaster -- does that count??? :D :D :D

[skippercollecto]

I've finally crossed over into obsession land. I saw The Day After Tomorrow on Saturday night, and it so overwhelmed me that it haunted me all weekend. So I went back again tonight (and paid full price to see it again!). It will undoubtedbly be my favorite movie of the year, and I've already begun my Christmas list. (In other words, I'm telling Santa that if this movie is out on DVD by Christmas, I definitely want it!).
I have a nephew who will be 9 in a few weeks. I am wondering if any of you think, or don't think, this is an appropriate movie for someone his age, since it's PG-13. The movie isn't violent or scary, just very, very intense. There's just the one very minor sex scene which he'd probably not notice anyway, and the swearing is very mild. I asked my sister (his mother) if she said it would be okay and she seemed receptive to it.
I would like to take Mitch to see this, but am basically asking if you think the movie is too intense or too complicated for someone his age (there are a lot of subplots). However, he's seen all three Harry Potter movies in the theater, and really enjoyed them.

Mary

[braxiss]

the poseidon advevture was the first disaster film i remember seeing and it's still my favorite.

[thomas7g]

Ohmy... I JUST bought Deep Impact two nights ago. I saw it at Best Buy for $10!!!!!!!!

I agree with the sassessment that it was a better movie than Armageddon. Though I think Armageddon is more suited for younger people. I've noticed younger people differ from the previous generation in that they have a higher demand for fast paced action, They get bored more easily. So most of the prime moviegoers prefered Armaggeddon.

I do prefer Deep Impact, but I do think it was too long. For the general public, I think they needed a faster film for the reasons I mentioned. I think there is alot that could be cut out without sacrificing quality. The arguments of the crew before the launch, Vanessa Redgraves worried about her ex-husband's marriage, the kids speech to his classmates....all could have been dramatically shortened. I think you could have cut half an hour. The films kinda sputters a little until the president makes his speech to the reporters.

But I did love the movie. And I would have paid more to get this.

btw- at the time this movie was made Disney and Dreamworks were at each other's throats. Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg, the heads of the two companies, were once like father and son, but basically began an intense feud. JK left Disney and formed Dreamworks. And at the time, they both were competing nose to nose with every film. Disney released Bug's Life, Armageddon while Dreamworks did Ants and Deep Impact. For awhile their films were mirror images of each other. I was just mentioning it cause I was wondering if anyone else noticed it?

:)


Oh btw, the biggest disaster epic, Titanic was not bad. I liked it. But the hype and media frenzy was a little over saturated.

:)

[thomas7g]

Oh Mary, I loved Apollo 13 too! I can't believe no one made a film about it before! There was the film Marooned! Which had a similiar plot, but that was fiction.

:D

[Eric Paddon]

The first PG (grownup) movie I ever saw in the theaters was Airport 77. For this reason, it will always have a special place in my heart. I saw it again recently after 20 years. To my pleasant surprise, it holds up. Jack Lemmon is great as the pilot and the supporting cast is filled with familiar faces. Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers), Christopher Lee (Dracula) and Darren McGavin (Kolchak) all put in memorable performances. The special effects circa the non-CGI 70s are very good. This movie is the greatest 1970s disaster movie never made by Irwin Allen.


Out of curiosity, are you familiar with the extended TV cut of the film that runs about 40 minutes longer? This is the version I was first introduced to on network TV showings and as a result whenever I see the theatrical cut, I find it incomprehensible by comparison (George Kennedy doesn't even show up until after the crash in the theatrical version).

[The 14th Colony]

Out of curiosity, are you familiar with the extended TV cut of the film that runs about 40 minutes longer? This is the version I was first introduced to on network TV showings and as a result whenever I see the theatrical cut, I find it incomprehensible by comparison (George Kennedy doesn't even show up until after the crash in the theatrical version).
That info is intriguing. What involvement does Kennedy's character have in the extended version, before the crash?

[skippercollecto]

I've joined a discussion group for TDAT, if anyone else is interested. It's
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The-Day-after-Tomorrow/

[BST]

Although I've enjoyed the disaster films mentioned above (except TDAT - haven't seen it yet), for me, the one that is set apart from the rest is -- The Poseidon Adventure. I think the 'down-to-earth' portrayal of the characters is what really grabbed hold of me. I could picture many of the primary characters as being my friends or neighbors.

[BST]

Hopefully, someone here has a better memory than me. I've been trying to remember the name of a movie that I saw many years ago and just can't remember.

The movie, as I recall, was a made for TV type, probably one of the old "Movie of the Week" films circa late 70's. Anyway, it was a disaster-type film and the disaster was caused by, of all things, solar flares. Some of the scenes looked as if they were set in the California Sierras (now that's novel, eh?).

I only have bits and pieces of the movie, in my head, and if we can determine what the title of it is, I'm going to try renting it if it's available. It seemed "ok" when I watched it and now I'm interested to see if it stands the test of time.

[Dawg]

Who was in it, BST? If we had some actors' names, character names, etc. we could track it down.

I am
Dawg
:warrior:

[BST]

Who was in it, BST? If we had some actors' names, character names, etc. we could track it down.

I am
Dawg
:warrior:

Like I said, the memory is incredibly sketchy about this movie. I don't have a clue as to who was in it. There was at least 1 well-known "star" but, I just can't recall who it was. (In the back of my mind, I'm thinking of someone like James Franciscus.)

oh, soooooooooo confoozed and confuzzled........... :confused:

[Eric Paddon]

That info is intriguing. What involvement does Kennedy's character have in the extended version, before the crash?

Quite a bit. Jack Lemmon's first scene in the TV cut shows him trying out a 747 simulator and Kennedy interrupts him. There are other scenes with Kennedy and his son (the same character we saw in Airport 1975) and him getting word about the plane going down.

The TV cut opens with the accomplices (Monte Markham and Michael Pataki) stealing the knockout gas they use to incapacitate the passengers. There are also scenes that explain why Kathleen Quinlan is so upset (would be romance with the blind piano player who dies), why Darren McGavin suddenly has his arm in a sling and a lot more. It's not that the film is now a great film, but it becomes comprehensible in its TV version, which can't be said of the theatrical one.

[Dawg]

BST, Your movie is "Where Have All the People Gone?" from 1974. It was a made-for-TV movie, rated 5.5 of 10 stars.

And it was Peter Graves who starred, not James Franciscus.

From IMDB.com:

A strange series of solar flares proves fatal for inhabitants of the Earth, except for the fortunate few who are somehow immune from the effects. Animals go insane and human beings turn to white powder, leaving behind only empty clothing. A handful of survivors attempt to rebuild their lives on the de-populated Earth.

It is, apparently, available - but you might have to look for it.

;)

I am
Dawg
:warrior:

[Eric Paddon]

"human beings turn to white powder, leaving behind only empty clothing."

If Gene Roddenberry had nothing to do with that film he could have easily sued for plagiarism since that sounds a lot like what happened to the crew of the U.S.S. Exeter! :)

[BST]

BST, Your movie is "Where Have All the People Gone?" from 1974. It was a made-for-TV movie, rated 5.5 of 10 stars.

And it was Peter Graves who starred, not James Franciscus.

From IMDB.com:



It is, apparently, available - but you might have to look for it.

;)

I am
Dawg
:warrior:

THANK YOU, DAWG!!

You must be part bloodhound!! :D

Now, the search is ON!

[BST]

"human beings turn to white powder, leaving behind only empty clothing."

If Gene Roddenberry had nothing to do with that film he could have easily sued for plagiarism since that sounds a lot like what happened to the crew of the U.S.S. Exeter! :)


"The Omega Glory" .. there are some eerie parallels between the two, eh?

[Rowan]

I have a mystery "disaster" movie I would love help identifying I saw it once when I was a young teenager and came in part way through so I’ve never known the name of it and I have no Idea who the actors where I only remember the story. There is a huge boat like the titanic and it has an accident I don’t recall how but a bunch of people wind up in the water and we follow the destiny of a particular life boat and it’s survivors as they wait for rescue. The thing is that this life boat ends with different survivors than it started with. Initially a Seeing Eye dog (German Shepard) is rescued but then put back in the water in order to make room for a human. At another point one member of an old married couple is put in the water because he is old and not doing well his wife I believe tells them to put her in the water too for she wants to stay with him. Anyways this goes on as people are dumped out of the life raft to make room for the healthier/ younger survivors that the life boat comes across, or something to that effect. There are terrible arguments among the life boat survivors every time over these decisions. The movie ends with the survivors being rescued and an inquisition where the key decision maker is questioned as to his rational for rescuing those he did and dumping out others from the life boat.

Oh yea it seems to me it was in black and white but then it might just have been our TV I’m not sure but the feel of the movie was maybe from the 1950’s or earlier, from what I can vaguely recall.



Any ideas as to what this movie is?

[thomas7g]

Maybe its the first Titanic movie?

[Dawg]

An interesting puzzle, lil sis. It sounds a little like "Seven Waves Away" (aka "Abandon Ship"), a 1957 film starring Tyrone Power, Lloyd Nolan and Mia Zetterling. The IMBD summary is:

After their luxury liner is sunk, a group of over twenty survivors take refuge in a life boat made for only nine. Included in the group are an old opera singer, a nuclear physicist, his wife and child, a General, a play-write and his dog, a college professor, a gambler and his mistress, the ship's nurse, and several members of the crew, including the Captain and executive officer. Soon, the captain dies from his injuries. The executive officer must take charge, and as a hurricane approaches, and their food and water run out, he must decide who to put over the side, and who stays and gets a chance at survival.

This was remade in 1975 as a TV movie called "The Last Survivors", starring Martin Sheen.

There are also a bunch of Titanic movies, including "A Night To Remember" (1958) which dealt with one lifeboat, and several others involving plane crashes and the like. However, none of those plots even come close to your description.

Hope that helps.

(BTW, guys - imdb.com lets you do searches......) ;)

I am
Dawg
:warrior:

[Rowan]

An interesting puzzle, lil sis. It sounds a little like "Seven Waves Away" (aka "Abandon Ship"), a 1957 film starring Tyrone Power, Lloyd Nolan and Mia Zetterling. The IMBD summary is:



This was remade in 1975 as a TV movie called "The Last Survivors", starring Martin Sheen.

There are also a bunch of Titanic movies, including "A Night To Remember" (1958) which dealt with one lifeboat, and several others involving plane crashes and the like. However, none of those plots even come close to your description.

Hope that helps.


I am
Dawg
:warrior:That sounds a lot like it the only problem I have is the dog part I remember only one dog that was rescued and it was the German Shepard there was a teenage boy who wanted to keep it but someone made him put it back in the water. The dog belonged to the blind lady who we presume has died since the dog is on its own. I do recall that the person making the decisions about who stayed and who got dumped was someone from the crew of the original ship, which I would describe as a luxury liner. Thanks Dawg! :D I will give it a look!:D

[skippercollecto]

It took me a little while with thinking, but I've figured out why TDAT blew me away.
1. The music was as sweeping as when I first saw Apollo 13, my all-time favorite movie.
2. Although there are no identical parallel characters, TDAT's characters' relationships with each other, the fact that some of them sacrificed themselves, there were no superheroes, and even the whole situation with the astronauts were all similar to Deep Impact, which until last week was my favorite disaster movie.
3a. TDAT has come the closest to anything I've ever watched in the past 25 years in creating the emotions I felt when I watched Galactica as it first aired. Again, there are no identical parallel characters, but my empathy with them is the same. My curiosity about what happened to them after the story ended is the same.
3b. TDAT and BG are of course both post-apocalyptic stories.
3c. BG the series received a few rave reviews from sci-fi and regular TV critics when it began in 1978 in America, but for the most part it was panned. TDAT has received a few rave reviews but most critics hated it. Both BG and TDAT have done far better financially outside of the United States than in-country, and are viewed way more positively elsewhere.
3d. Like BG, TDAT is developing a small but loyal set of viewers who are defending it like crazy.

[skippercollecto]

Well, in 1995 I saw "Apollo 13" nine times at the theater, but it took me five months to accomplish that. I'm really scaring myself here, but I have seen TDAT six times in the past month, and the month ain't over yet....
I am 43 years old, and I think that everything I've ever learned or experienced regarding fandom since I was a child is finally coming to a head, and this summer I am finally able to take advantage of it.
I've obsessed over one story or another (or one actor or another) since the early 70s, but never had the money, time or opportunity to really enjoy the topics at the time I first developed them. Fandom and collecting (whoever or whatever you liked) were not acceptable hobbies in the 1970s, and so I kept my mouth shut about them; not to mention the fact that I didn't have the money to buy stuff or see movies over and over then.
Things improved in the 1980s: I had a little money to spend on traveling or collecting; I found ways to contact other fans (although it was only snail mail, which sometimes took months); cable TV and VCRs really helped because I started watching things more often.
It was finally in the late 1980s and into the 1990s that I started meeting some of the people I admired (not just sci-fi actors, but others as well).
Anyway, back to TDAT. What took me years to do with Galactica I've done in a matter of four weeks: contacted other fans; joined a discussion group; bought collectibles; found fan fiction to read; and I won't have to wait for years to see it on TV because the DVD will go on sale in a few months.
Hopefully this obsession won't last TOOOO long and I will FINALLY, FINALLY become a grownup and not think about stories created by other people that should not affect me the way they have!
Mary

[martok2112]

Of course, there is also "Meteor" with Sean Connery. :D

Looking for Moneypenny,
Martok2112 :D

[Raymar3d]

I remember the movie, but not the title!

Cool movie.