Disaster Movies You Shouldn't Miss
July 28th 2009 00:33
Disaster movies are almost always good box office draws. When I was in my teens, there was a glut of big budget disaster movies where worse case scenarios were played out in theaters across the country. The following is a list of some of my favorites. Some of the older movies might show up on cable or on late night television. Others are available on DVD from your local library or rental store.
A Night to Remember: (1958) Before James Cameron's 1997 film "Titanic" this film was about the sinking of the "unsinkable" ship on its maiden voyage was the film to watch. It was filmed in the style of a documentary and while it lacks the special effects of Cameron's version the emotional impact of the movie is powerful.
Airport: (1970) This film about a crippled airliner that must be landed in a blizzard is one of the first big budget disaster films of the 70's. Based on the novel by Alex Hailey, the film featured a stellar cast including Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin.
The Towering Inferno:(1974) This movie can make you fear going into skyscrapers. The premise is quite simple: the world's tallest building (138 floors) opens to the public amid great fanfare. When a fire breaks out on an upper floor, the fire chief, (Steve McQueen) and the architect (Paul Newman) race to rescue people trapped in the burning building.
War of the Worlds:(2005) Steven Spielberg's version of H.G. Wells' classic novel starred Tom Cruise as a divorced father who tries to escape an alien invasion with his two children. Even though the 1953 version scared me as a child, the special effects in the modern version makes it worth watching.
Armageddon:(1998) Michael Bay's film about a crew sent into space to destroy an asteroid that is set to collide with Earth stars Bruce Willis. It has the kind of big special effects you expect from Bay's films. Owen Wilson and Steve Buscemi round out the cast which includes Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler and Billy Bob Thornton.
A Night to Remember: (1958) Before James Cameron's 1997 film "Titanic" this film was about the sinking of the "unsinkable" ship on its maiden voyage was the film to watch. It was filmed in the style of a documentary and while it lacks the special effects of Cameron's version the emotional impact of the movie is powerful.
Airport: (1970) This film about a crippled airliner that must be landed in a blizzard is one of the first big budget disaster films of the 70's. Based on the novel by Alex Hailey, the film featured a stellar cast including Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin.
The Towering Inferno:(1974) This movie can make you fear going into skyscrapers. The premise is quite simple: the world's tallest building (138 floors) opens to the public amid great fanfare. When a fire breaks out on an upper floor, the fire chief, (Steve McQueen) and the architect (Paul Newman) race to rescue people trapped in the burning building.
War of the Worlds:(2005) Steven Spielberg's version of H.G. Wells' classic novel starred Tom Cruise as a divorced father who tries to escape an alien invasion with his two children. Even though the 1953 version scared me as a child, the special effects in the modern version makes it worth watching.
Armageddon:(1998) Michael Bay's film about a crew sent into space to destroy an asteroid that is set to collide with Earth stars Bruce Willis. It has the kind of big special effects you expect from Bay's films. Owen Wilson and Steve Buscemi round out the cast which includes Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler and Billy Bob Thornton.
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