It’s Getting Hot in Here or I Lava The 90’s
Dante’s Peak vs. Valcano
We’ve talked about the 90’s before and its need to bring back the disaster movie. That trend didn’t just end with big objects from outer space. We had plenty to worry about that sprang up from below us here on earth.
Volcanoes became hot (pardon the pun) in the year 1997. There hadn’t really been a flick that featured them since…well…I suppose Joe Versus the Volcano? In any event, the lava spewing mountain became a star in two movies that year, and only 3 months apart.
The first to be released was Dante’s Peak, or if you prefer James Bond Versus the Volcano. Directed by the man who gave us not only the epic Species, Roger Donaldson also directed The Bounty which starred Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson. He’s also responsible for Cocktail. Where did you go wrong Roger?
Plot Shot: James Bond…I mean a scientist discovers that the volcano everyone thought wasn’t active is about to go boom on the town of Dante’s Peak. No one believes him until there’s ash hits the fan.
The movie starred Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton. Out of the two volcano flicks, it’s actually considered the better one.
Up next is the aptly named Volcano. This movie is sort of a fantasy for a lot of people as it focuses on the destruction of LA.
Plot Shot: After an earthquake, a volcano forms under LA. No one believes the scientists until it’s too late (of course…why have them around??) and surprise you’ve got lava flows in downtown.
Starring Tommy Lee Jones who was one of the bigger draws at the theater at that time thanks to The Fugitive, Volcano also featured Anne Heche and Don Cheadle. I never said the movie didn’t have talent (well, in the case of Jones and Cheadle I mean).
Mick Jackson directed Volcano. He must have a real love hate thing going on with LA since he also directed LA Story starring Steve Martin. Mick is pretty much strictly TV now and one can’t help but wonder if the reason was Volcano, his last major film release.
Volcano tries to end with a message…that message tries to be poignant but really feels more like bullshit. By this I mean, after you’ve shown some nasty deaths and things going boom for two hours suddenly it’s all to make a point about race and unity??? HUH? What a sad commentary on the city if it takes flaming fiery death for everyone to see past the whole race thing. Like I said, this Mick guy seems to have a lot of non-like for LA.
Both films have some nasty deaths, but I have to say that I think Volcano wins for most disturbing with the slow disintegration of the heroic Stan (played by Drew Carrey’s cross dressing brother) who lands in lava after saving the life of a guy trapped by it. As the lava eats him away we get to watch THE WHOLE THING. Scientifically accurate or not, it’s still messed up.
— Jessica Dwyer
