Disaster Movie

Films of a science fiction nature focusing on natural disasters, that is, catastrophic events on a grand scale that, in the most extreme cases, provoke critical upheavals on a global level. The list of potential tragedies is a long one indeed: atmospheric degradation, ozone depletion, asteroid impacts, volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, glaciations, fires, floods, etc. Depending on the circumstances, these cataclysms may be related - either directly or indirectly - to human activity. If the phenomenon does in fact turn out to be caused (whether wholly or in part) by mankind, it's quite probable that the film will also garner the "Ecology" Tag.
More broadly, we'll also include in this Tag films in which episodes of destruction are linked to potential attacks by gigantic creatures or extraterrestrial invaders.

Although movies depicting natural disasters date all the way back to the 1930s - "Deluge" (1933) by Felix E. Feist represents perhaps the first example of the genre - its most fruitful period stretched from the 1970s to the dawn of the new millennium. Since they're inherently glitzy and spectacular - with an emphasis on SFX and featuring a large number of actors and concomitant extras - disaster movies have long been the almost exclusive province of Hollywood (which is why they're often also labelled with the "Colossal" Tag). A few notable examples have been produced outside the US, including some appealing Japanese films (probably the best is Ishirō Honda's "Gorath" from 1962, although the numerous adaptations of Sakyo Komatsu's novels shouldn't be overlooked) and a handful of Italian titles such as Paolo Heusch's "The Day the Sky Exploded", or the dignified "War Between the Planets" by Antonio Margheriti. Additionally, we'd cite René Cardona Jr. whose low-budget genre mash-ups from Mexico - works like the 1978 "Cyclone" - became cult favorites.

However, the ongoing evolution - and declining price tag - of computer graphics and technology in general has allowed the rise of movie producers who specialize in churning out and distributing low-budget films. One such example is the independent film company The Asylum, which injected a disaster component into trash films, a combination that became something of a trademark for the American production house.

Note: For apocalyptic scenarios caused by viruses or biological agents (bacteria, prions, protozoa, etc.), the "Infection" Tag will almost certainly be added.