Disaster Film Genre Formulas - From Fall 2007

Essay that examined the Disaster Genre for EST: 330 Natural Disasters Course at SBU with Professor Paul Siegel

This essay received an A = 100 and under the Works Cited, my professor wrote “Great Paper"

(This essay has been updated with better grammar from the originally graded version. Significant changes are noted with strikethroughs and/or asterisks. Professor’s notes are in larger, capitalized Font. Updated and additional notes are further below.) 

But first, a Film Reference Guide:

"Twister (Jan de Bont, 1996)

Disaster = Tornadoes in Mid-West America. Classification = Sudden onset, short lived, natural disaster (nature caused and humans suffer). Characters = Bill Harding - hero & tornado chaser (Bill Paxton); Jo Harding - female tornado chaser & Bill's separated wife (Helen Hunt); Jonas Miller - corporate sponsored rival tornado chaser (Cary Elwes). Imdb.com Page

Dane's Peak (Roger Donaldson, 1997)

Disaster = Volcano eruption in small town. Classification = Sudden onset, short lived, natural disaster (nature caused and humans suffer). Characters = Harry Dalton - hero and geologist (Pierce Brosnan); Rachel Wando - town mayor and mother (Linda Hamilton); Graham and Lauren - Linda's pre-teen children; Ruth - Rachel's ex-mother-in-law. Imdb.com Page

Volcano (Mick Jackson, 1997)

Disaster = Earthquakes and lava flow under Los Angeles. Classification = Sudden onset, short lived, natural disaster (urban development over fault line). Characters = Mike Roark - hero & director of Emergency Dept. (Tommy Lee Jones); Dr. Amy Barnes - seismologist (Anne Heche); Emmitt - Mike's assistant at headquarters (Don Cheadle); Kelly - Mike's daughter (Gaby Hoffmann). Imdb.com Page

Deep Impact (Mimi Leder, 1998)

Disaster = Meteoroid on path to hit Earth. Classification = Will cause extinction. Characters = Leo Biederman - hero & high school astronomer who helped discover meteoroid (Elijah Wood); Sarah Hotchner - Leo's girlfriend (Leelee Sobieski); Jenny Lerner - TV new anchor who uncovers the story about the meteoroid (Tea Leoni); U.S. President Beck (Morgan Freeman). Imdb.com Page

Armageddon (Michael Bay, 1998)

Disaster = Meteoroid on path to hit Earth. Classification = Will cause extinction. Characters = Harry Stamper - hero & oil driller (Bruce Willis); Grace - Harry's daughter (Liv Tyler); A.J. Frost - Harry's employee and Grace's boyfriend (Ben Affleck); NASA Administrator (Billy Bob Thornton). Imdb.com Page.

The Core (Jon Amiel, 2003)

Disaster = Earth has stopped spinning and will lose its electromagnetic field. INTERESTING. Classification = sudden onset, long lived , ecological/environmental (due to failed government project, human caused and nature suffers). Characters = Dr. Josh Keyes - hero & climatologist/geophysicist professor (Aaron Eckhart); Major Rebecca Childes - astronaut & pilot (Hilary Swank); Dr. Zimsky - famous rival scientist but *not evil (Stanley Tucci). Imdb.com Page

The Day After Tomorrow (Roland Emmerich, 2004)

Disaster = Global warming escalates to an Ice Age in less than a week. Classification = short onset, long lived, ecological/environmental (due to great human error). Characters = Jack Hall - hero & climatologist (Dennis Quaid); Sam - Jack's high school aged son (Jake Gyllenhaal). Imdb.com Page

Cloverfield - From Spring 2008

 Cloverfield – Spring 2008

Review originally published in SBU's The Statesman

(This review has been updated with better grammar from the originally published version. Significant changes are noted with strikethroughs and/or asterisks. Updated and additional notes are further below.)

"This movie is AWESOME! You must see it in the theater. It is not a typical January release because most action films are reserved for summer, but even 5 months from now, nothing could compare to the excitement Cloverfield gives you. You will stay on the edge of your seat for its entirety.

Cloverfield was a team effort: J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves, and Drew Goddard are connected by their work on Lost, Alias, and *...Felicity? (I should have originally phrased it this way for better effect.) Like these three TV shows the This movie has a mysterious monster, takes place on an island, is in an urban environment, features a capable relatively unknown inexpensive cast of actors, a mission, and relationships that push the plot forward to keep the audience's interest. "The tape you are about to watch was found in an area 'formerly known as Central Park'." You can already imagine the ending so it's about how it got to Central Park that matters.

Rob has gotten a promotion that requires him to move to Japan. The characters' relationships are revealed as Hud captures testimonials wishing Rob luck at his good-bye party. Suddenly there is a citywide blackout and presumed earthquake. The guests go to the roof for a better look when a skyscraper is destroyed and the debris cloud comes down as something screams.

Purple Violets - From Fall 2007

Purple Violets – Fall 2007

Review originally published in SBU's The Statesman

(This review has been updated with better grammar from the originally published version. Significant changes are noted with strikethroughs and/or asterisks. Updated and additional notes are further below.)

"There is no doubt that offering a film exclusively on iTunes is a smart business and marketing plan. It is just one more push ahead into the future of distribution options and technological advances. Independent filmmakers will especially benefit because there are no extra fees to enter the festival circuits or major studios to contend with.

Purple Violets is the latest project from Edward Burns. He has received praise from his past directorial works - The Brothers McMullen, She's The One, and Sidewalks of New York - and little acknowledgement for what he only acted in. Purple Violets was supposed to be a return to his intellect but instead of originality it is crossing the line to cliche conventions and an unaffecting plot.