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Films with theme "American disaster films", sorted by revenue
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The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
, 2h22Directed by Robert Aldrich, Oscar Rudolph
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Transport films, Aviation films, Dans un avion, Le désert, Disaster films, American disaster films, Films about aviation accidents or incidents
Actors James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine, George Kennedy
Frank Towns (James Stewart) is the pilot of a twin-engine Fairchild C-82 Packet cargo plane flying from Jaghbub to Benghazi in Libya. Lew Moran (Richard Attenborough) is the navigator while the passengers are Capt. Harris (Peter Finch) and Sgt. Watson (Ronald Fraser) of the British Army; Dr. Renaud (Christian Marquand), a physician; Heinrich Dorfmann (Hardy Krüger), a German aeronautical engineer; Mr. Standish (Dan Duryea), an oil company accountant; and several oil workers that include Trucker Cobb (Ernest Borgnine), a mentally-disturbed foreman; Ratbags Crow (Ian Bannen), a mean-spirited, sardonic Scot; Carlos (Alex Montoya) and his pet monkey; and Gabriel (Gabriele Tinti). A sudden sandstorm shuts down the engines, forcing Towns to crash-land in the desert. As the aircraft careens to a stop, several oil drums and oil drilling gear break loose and severely injure Gabriel's leg. Two other workers are killed.
Impulse (1984)
, 1h31Directed by Graham Baker
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Horror
Themes Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Tim Matheson, Meg Tilly, Hume Cronyn, Bill Paxton, John Karlen, Peter Jason
The film is about the residents of a small rural town whose inhabitants start to exhibit strange and violent behavior after a small earthquake ruptures the seal on a toxic waste burial site. The toxic material has migrated into the town's local dairy milk supply. Stuart, played by Tim Matheson, and his girlfriend Jennifer, played by Meg Tilly, come to the town to visit her hospitalized mother. The couple begin to notice increasingly odd behavior by several of the townspeople. Although Stuart drinks the local milk, Jennifer does not. As the day progresses, the townspeople and Stuart begin to exhibit signs of violent and extreme sexual behavior. Jennifer visits her friend Margo (Amy Stryker) where she observes evidence that she broke her son's arm. When Jennifer tries to leave in her car, she can't because the kids have slashed her ties. When she tries to leave in Margo's car, the kids trap her in the garage and set it on fire. Jennifer barely escapes with her life. The local doctor (Hume Cronyn) euthanizes Jennifer's mother then takes his own life. Stuart discovers that Jennifer's brother Eddie (Bill Paxton) harbors incestuous feelings for her and kills him. As the town descends into chaos and Stuart becomes violent, Jennifer flees in a pickup truck but gets stuck outside of town.
Island in the Sky (1953)
, 1h49Directed by William A. Wellman
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure
Themes Transport films, Aviation films, Disaster films, American disaster films, Films about aviation accidents or incidents, United States Armed Forces in films
Actors John Wayne, Lloyd Nolan, James Arness, Andy Devine, Harry Carey, Jr., Walter Abel
The film follows a pilot and crew of a World War II-era Douglas C-47 Skytrain (the military version of the DC-3) who try to survive after a forced emergency landing in the uncharted wildlands near the Quebec-Labrador border. The pilot, Dooley (John Wayne), is a former airline pilot, who, like many others, was pressed into duty hauling war supplies across the northern route to England. Icy conditions force the aircraft to land, and with the difficulties of navigating far from settled country, they can provide only an approximate position to rescuers.
Fate Is the Hunter (1964)
, 1h46Directed by Ralph Nelson
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Transport films, Aviation films, Disaster films, American disaster films, Films about aviation accidents or incidents
Actors Glenn Ford, Nancy Kwan, Rod Taylor, Suzanne Pleshette, Jane Russell, Constance Towers
Pilot Jack Savage (Rod Taylor) is suspected of drinking and causing an airliner crash that kills 53 people and leaves only a single survivor, Martha Webster (Susanne Pleshette), a flight attendant. The captain's wartime buddy, airline executive Sam C. McBane (Glenn Ford), is convinced of his friend's innocence and investigates doggedly. Flashbacks deal with both Jack's past and Sam meeting him, plus others they used to know.
, 2h8Directed by Mario Van Peebles
Origin USA
Genres War, Action
Themes Films about animals, Seafaring films, Transport films, Aviation films, Submarine films, Films about sharks, Political films, Disaster films, American disaster films, Films about seafaring accidents or incidents, United States Armed Forces in films
Actors Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane, Matt Lanter, Brian Presley, Emily Tennant
Pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, un navire de la Marine américaine est coulé par un sous-marin japonais, laissant 900 membres d'équipage échoués dans les eaux infestées de requins.
The Last Voyage (1960)
, 1h31Directed by Andrew L. Stone
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Adventure
Themes La fin du monde, Seafaring films, Transport films, Disaster films, American disaster films, Films about seafaring accidents or incidents
Actors Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone, George Sanders, Edmond O'Brien, Woody Strode, Jack Kruschen
The film begins with a view of the SS Claridon, as the narrator (George Furness, who also plays Third Officer Osborne in the film) states, "The SS Claridon, a proud ship, a venerable ship, but as ships go, an old ship. A very old ship. For 38 years she's weathered everything the elements could throw at her. Typhoons, zero-zero fogs, the scorching heat of the tropics. Now she is scheduled for only five more crossings. Then a new ship, a posh, streamlined beauty, will take her place. It is then that the Claridon will pass into oblivion. She has an appointment with the scrapyard. But it's an appointment she'll never keep. For this is her last voyage.
Testament (1983)
, 1h30Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Action
Themes Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Films set in the future, Political films, Dystopian films, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Jane Alexander, William Devane, Ross Harris, Roxana Zal, Lukas Haas, Leon Ames
The Wetherly family—husband Tom (William Devane), wife Carol (Jane Alexander), and children Brad (Ross Harris), Mary Liz (Roxana Zal), and Scottie (Lukas Haas) -- live in the fictional suburb of Hamelin, California, within a 90-minute drive of San Francisco, where Tom works.
The War of the Worlds (1953)
, 1h21Directed by Byron Haskin
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Horror
Themes Space adventure films, Mars in film, Films based on science fiction novels, Films set in the future, Films about extraterrestrial life, Martiens, Space opera, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Cedric Hardwicke, Sandro Giglio, Robert O. Cornthwaite
In early 1950s southern California, Dr. Clayton Forrester (Gene Barry), a scientist who had worked on the Manhattan Project, is fishing with colleagues when a large object crashes near the town of Linda Rosa. At the impact site, he meets Sylvia Van Buren (Ann Robinson) and her uncle, Pastor Matthew Collins (Lewis Martin). Van Buren was told that the meteorite came down at a low angle, while Forrester observes it appears far lighter than normal for its massive size. His Geiger counter also detects it is slightly radioactive, but the object is still too hot to examine closely. Unable to account for these anomalies, Forrester is intrigued and decides to wait in town overnight for the object to cool down.
, 1h20Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Giant monster films, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Raymond Burr, Takashi Shimura, Kenji Sahara, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata
American reporter, Steve Martin (Raymond Burr), is brought to a hospital with dozens of maimed and wounded citizens. In flashback, Martin recalls stopping over in Tokyo, where a series of ship disasters catches his attention. When a survivor finally washes up on Odo Island, Martin flies there for the story with Tomo Iwanaga (Frank Iwanaga), a representative of the Japanese security forces and learns of the island inhabitants' belief in a sea monster god known to them as "Godzilla", which they believe is causing the disasters.
Passengers (2008)
, 1h33Directed by Rodrigo García
Origin Canada
Genres Drama, Thriller, Fantastic, Romance
Themes Psychologie, Transport films, Aviation films, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, Clea DuVall, Andre Braugher, Chelah Horsdal, David Morse
Psychotherapist Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) is called upon by her supervisor (Andre Braugher) to treat a group of five survivors of a recent plane crash; passengers Dean (Ryan Robbins), Norman (Don Thompson), Shannon (Clea DuVall), Eric (Patrick Wilson) and flight attendant Janice (Chelah Horsdal). Claire talks to Eric in the hospital, who seems unusually upbeat. When Claire holds a counselling session for the survivors (except Eric, who decided not to come), she receives different recounts, with some not even remembering certain parts of the crash. Afterwards, Claire meets up with Mr. Arkin (David Morse), who is seemingly an official from the airline to confirm which parts of their recounts are true. He however dismisses her, claiming that the crash was the pilot's fault. She then proceeds to Eric's home for a private counselling, with Eric becoming attracted to her. Claire becomes suspicious of him when he reveals personal information about her, including how he knows what type of coffee she likes and asking whether she has a sister.
, 1h32Directed by Robert Wise
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller
Themes Radio, Films about religion, Films set in the future, Films about extraterrestrial life, Political films, Dystopian films, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Robot films, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Billy Gray, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Frances Bavier
When a flying saucer lands in Washington, D.C., the U. S. Army quickly encircles the spaceship. A humanoid (Michael Rennie) emerges, announcing that he has come in peace. As he advances, he unexpectedly opens a small cylindrical device and is shot by a nervous soldier who thinks it's a weapon. A tall robot emerges from the saucer and quickly disintegrates the army's deployed weapons with an energy ray. The alien orders the robot, Gort, to stop. He explains that the broken device was a gift for the President, which would have enabled him "to study life on the other planets".
When Worlds Collide (1951)
, 1h23Directed by Rudolph Maté
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Space adventure films, La fin du monde, Films about religion, Films based on science fiction novels, Films set in the future, Political films, Dystopian films, Impact events in fiction, Space opera, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Larry Keating, Peter Hansen, John Hoyt, Rachel Ames
Pilot David Randall is paid to fly top-secret photographs from South African astronomer Dr. Emery Bronson to Dr. Cole Hendron in the United States. Hendron, with the assistance of his daughter Joyce, confirms their worst fears: Bronson has discovered a rogue star named Bellus that is on a collision course with Earth.
Fair Wind to Java (1953)
, 1h32Directed by Joseph Kane
Origin USA
Genres Action, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Films about volcanoes, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Fred MacMurray, Vera Ralston, Robert Douglas, Victor McLaglen, John Russell, Claude Jarman Jr.
In 1883, the Boston, Massachusetts, company that owns the full-rigged sailing ship Gerrymander gives the ship's captain, Captain Boll, six months to show a profit for the company in the Gerrymander 's operations in the Netherlands East Indies. Facing both pirates and a trade exclusion policy that prevents him from carrying goods between ports in the islands, Boll looks for a way for the Gerrymander to make money. In Soerabaja on Java, Boll encounters an Indonesian whose life he once saved. The Indonesian tells Boll that native divers salvaged a fortune in diamonds from the sunken ship Pieterzoon, contrary to legend which says the diamonds were lost. The Indonesian directs Boll to a Chinese junk captain who has cargo that will lead Boll to the diamonds.
Miracle Mile (1988)
, 1h27Directed by Steve De Jarnatt
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Comedy, Action, Romance
Themes Politique, Films about religion, Films set in the future, Political films, Dystopian films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Anthony Edwards, Mare Winningham, Denise Crosby, John Agar, Mykelti Williamson, Lou Hancock
The film takes place in a single day and night. The film opens with the two main characters, Harry (Anthony Edwards) and Julie (Mare Winningham), meeting at the La Brea Tar Pits and immediately falling in love. After spending the afternoon together, they make a date to meet after her shift ends at midnight at a local coffee shop, but a power failure means Harry's alarm fails to wake him and Julie leaves for home.
, 1h35Directed by Ranald MacDougall
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Romance
Themes La fin du monde, Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Films based on science fiction novels, Films set in the future, Political films, Dystopian films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Inger Stevens, Mel Ferrer, Harry Belafonte
African-American coal mine inspector Ralph Burton (Harry Belafonte) becomes trapped underground in a cave-in while inspecting a mine in Pennsylvania. He can hear rescuers digging towards him, but after a few days they slow down and then stop completely. Alarmed, he digs his own way out. Reaching the surface, he finds a deserted world. (No bodies are seen at any time in the film.) Some discarded newspapers provide an explanation: one proclaims "UN Retaliates For Use Of Atomic Poison", another that "Millions Flee From Cities! End Of The World". Ralph later plays tapes at a radio station that an unknown nation had used radioactive isotopes as a weapon, yielding a dust cloud that spread globally and was completely lethal for a five-day period.