Theater Thursday

Disaster Movies

The Day After Tomorrow has opened to rave great passable some reviews, and disaster movies are once again in vogue. This week's Theatre Thursday questions are about those motion pictures that make us want to avoid the water, planes, tall buildings, large cruise ships, angry atomic reptiles and everything in general that makes life enjoyable...



1) What's your favorite disaster movie of all time? It's a toss up between 'Titanic' and 'The Poseidon Adventure'.



2) Do you prefer a disaster movie with tons of special effects, carnage and general mayhem (i.e. Armageddon) or would you rather see one where the focus is on the people and the event's effects on their lives (i.e. Deep Impact)? Special effects are nice, but if there's no emotional bond between me and the characters, I'm not going to care one way or the other what happens to them.



3) Of all the disaster movies you've seen, which depicts the most realistic portrayal of what might happen in an actual disaster? Which was the most far-fetched? I can't remember the title, but there's a very good movie about two mountain climbers and what physical and physiological problems occur when one is injured and exposed to the harsh, cold weather. They did an excellent job of depicting the effects of hypothermia and how dangerous it is. They also did a fantastic job of admonishing the viewer to be properly prepared when you're in nature. Mother Nature can change so quickly!



Bonus) Which character would you be if you were in a disaster movie - the tough hero, the corrupt businessman who profits from it all, the old lady who runs around and screams "We're doomed!!!", the kid who saves the day, the young guy who buys it in the first five minutes of the disaster, or another stock character? I would be a strong, supportive, and active character working on a solution. I wouldn't be the hero, but I'd certainly be second string!