Jack's essay of "Disaster Movie'

Zhou Yi

Professor Ben Taylor

Research

13 Oct 2010

“Disaster Movie”

     Disaster Films: Disasters have been the subject of film-goers' fascination since the time of silent film epics, and this interest continues to exist up to the present time. Catastrophes can take so many different forms - but they are mostly man-made or natural. They can be either impending or ongoing, or they can exist locally or globally.

The most commonly portrayed disasters in films are:

• natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tropical storms, etc.)
• accidents (skyscraper fires, plane crashes, ocean liners capsized or struck by icebergs, viruses unleashed)
• planetary-related (asteroids or meteors off-course)
• criminally-instigated (bombs planted in planes, terrorist conspiracies)
• alien invasions and rampaging creatures (often mutant)
• nuclear-related crises
• millennial-related (the end of the world, or end of the century tales)
• about failed technology or technology-gone awry (computers running amok)

Along with showing the spectacular disaster, these films concentrate on the chaotic events surrounding the disaster, including efforts for survival, the effects upon individuals and families, and 'what-if' scenarios. The best disaster films comment upon the negative effects of advancing technology, demonstrate the 'hubris' of scientists and other individuals, deliver uplifting moral lessons of sacrifice, and provide a 'how-to' in terms of survival skills.

(TIM DIRKS “Disaster Films” )

      America “Disaster Movies” definitely have a old history and extensive subject. Step by step America disaster movie almost spend a hundred of years developing from naïve to mature. Whatever the subjects of the disaster movies are about man-made or natural reminding us that catastrophe are around us in every time