The term 'disaster' marks this sub-genre as being part of a cinema of spectacle, where the disaster itself is some monumental, unstoppable and overwhelmingly spectacular event. It is beyond human control, beyond the power of all human achievement in science, physical strength, or organisation.
Earth, air, fire and water, any one of these is the monumental enemy in a disaster movie, yet man's struggle against the elements is only part of the scenario; human nature's struggle against itself is usually the main focus.
Disaster movie examples
Some disaster films are responses to actual natural disasters, such as Dante’s Peak, 1997, based on the sudden eruption in America of the dormant Mount St. Helens volcano, or Twister, 1996, prompted by real activities and weather phenomenon in the US. As an example of an action adventure movie’s production values, however, Volcano, 1997, is a better example because it is so over the top, it bends science in a fanciful way, and has a strong relationship story threaded throughout.
The overriding theme is that nature is stronger than humans, who must use their wits and courage to survive, but many people will perish, perhaps because of their innate weaknesses or character flaws. Other themes, such as distrust of experts or inertia in the face of negative information, or self-interest (e.g. greed) versus self-sacrifice, make an ordinary man emerge as a hero.
Settings and locations of the disaster film
Thought to be a stage in the formation of the action adventure genre as we now recognise it, the disaster movie is a type of film where the action is concentrated in one place, usually a carefully defined location such as:
- a (sinking) ship
- tower
- aircraft
- small town or district or airport
- remote wilderness, such as mountainside, prairie, or desert
This is the basic equilibrium threatened by disequilibrium story, where the comfortable everyday environment is suddenly under threat of destruction by violent and unavoidable events. See if you can name two disaster movies about each of the types of location listed.
Binary oppositions in the disaster movie
This sub-genre has strong themes, restricted settings and a tight timeline, for a simple linear plot. The classic opposition in this group of films begins with the theme of the monumental disaster versus the puny individual, an unstoppable and vast phenomenon against a tiny group of seemingly helpless survivors. This binary opposition can be developed further as annihilation versus survivalism, and becomes the individual versus the big scenario, when the unwilling hero begins to show his determination.
There tends to be a cast of stock characters for disaster films, which the audience enjoy identifying, and cheering for, or against. In terms of the characters' behaviours, the basic good versus evil binary is very transparent, but the two oppositions that are most developed explore relations between the individual and society. Explaining these is a useful part of an analysis.
Themes from individual v. society
Themes revealed in the exploration of the individual in the disaster movie are:
- self-sacrifice
- redemption
- teamwork
- relationships
Reflections on society and the way it succeeds or fails in the disaster movie:
- science & technology
- corporate greed
- complacency
- ability to recognise the power of Nature to turn on us
While the action adventure movie is unquestionably a family genre, the disaster movie racks up the suspense and illustrates the main characters in real and sometimes seemingly inescapable danger. It characteristically deals with downbeat social themes, such as corrupt local government, and the consequences of their weaknesses and who suffers those consequences.
The cinema of spectacle
The first tranche of disaster movies were made in the 1970s, as Hollywood was struggling to survive successive changes in both regulation and audience behaviour. The 1950s and 1960s had produced a range of successful biblical and historical epic films marketed on technicolour, special effects, spectacular scenery and high profile stars, such as Charlton Heston and Elizabeth Taylor.
1970s budgets did not run to similar casts of thousands or far-flung locations, but the tightly confined limits of the sinking ocean liner, the inside of a tower block or of an aeroplane made for spectacle with studio-created special effects.
Irwin Allen was already a master of science fantasy spectacle when he brought together the novel by award-winning author, Paul Gallico, and a range of stars to produce The Poseidon Adventure in 1972. Here the dual generic features of special effects and the count-down of survivors is clear from the poster. Classic Hollywood verisimilitude made this a convincing story and a resounding success.
(Click on images below to enlarge).
Sources
Glenn Kay and Michael Rose (2006) Disaster movies: a loud, long, explosive, star-studded guide to avalanches ... Chicago Review Press
Barry Langford (2005) Film Genre Hollywood and Beyond Edinburgh University Press
Tzvetan Todorov (1999) Genres in Discourse Cambridge University Press
Todorov demonstrated at http://www.mediaknowall.com/gcse/keyconceptsgcse/keycon.php?pageID=narrative
Valerie Williamson - Dr. Val Williamson is a freelance journalist and academic specialising in historical and popular culture topics.
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