Some say the world will end in fire,

It is this fascination that is the subject of this paper, specifically the allure of disaster films.

What draws people to see disaster films? From seeing just one preview, anyone can tell what the movie is about and what the outcome will be. The climax is never in doubt. Besides that, why would anyone want to see a movie about ordinary people, in somewhat realistic settings, getting killed? What, then, is the fascination that draws thousands to the screen to witness cosmic disasters and humanity's own self-designed catastrophes?

Morbid curiosity explains this phenomenon. It is this "curiosity about morbid events" (a phrase that Jack B. Haskins of the University of Tennessee prefers to "morbid curiosity" due to the negative connotations of the latter) that impels people to see disaster films (1). Gary Webb, a disaster researcher from the Univers

Robert Frost used the universal symbols of fire and ice to describe the final devastation of humanity and the world as we know it. In the realm of disaster films, the more popular catastrophe is fire. The reason for this lies in the life of the fire itself. While ice is inert, and seemingly dead, fire is alive and consuming (Annan, 34). It has a much higher potential to satisfy the viewer's pursuit of Haskins' comfortable arousal and is symbolic of humanity's insatiable, and sometimes destructive, desires. One of the most famous disaster films of all time, The Poseidon Adventure, uses fire to achieve audience catharsis. In fact, it was billed as "Hell, Upside Down" (Annan 100). The audience is able to achieve a state of high arousal by "courting disaster from the safety of the movie theater" (Askins 1)

Askins, Justin. "Courting Disaster." Roanoke Times & World News Metro; Vol. 12-156; Editorial Section

In cinema, as in literature, there must be conflict for there to be a storyline. This conflict may be man versus man, man versus nature, man versus society, or a combination of these. In any event, the majority of disaster films give us a group of characters who must unite in order to achieve a common goal, survival.

Annan, David. Catastrophe! The End in the Cinema. New York: Bounty Books, 1975.

What is it? It's morbid curiosity - something we all share, but few of us are willing to admit to. As human beings, we crave knowledge of the unknown and the distressing - it transports us from the mendacity of everyday life to somewhere unsettlingly familiar where we can indulge ourselves in a vicarious thrill or two. Morbid curiosity is not the desire to be in a haunted house - it's the safety of knowing you're not there that allows you to keep the chill of fear pleasantly light (Kate 1).

Another facet to this experience is the unconscious identification with the hero. Annan explains it this way: "What is common to all these films is that the superhero always wins against all odds, and the audiences feel that somewhere, somehow, their superego or dream man is protecting them from the worst that can happen" (97). Audiences who view movies such as Airport and The Towering Inferno are able to leave the theater with an unreasonable confidence in their ability to withstand similar catastrophes simply because they feel as if they have already been through the same ordeal.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Robert Frost, Spanish Inquisition, God Annan, Days Pompeii, Towering Inferno, Poseidon Adventure, Cold War, Arousal Jag, Paris-Will Burn, Kai Erikson, morbid curiosity, disaster films, disaster film, arousal jag, fire ice, popular culture, cold war, haskins 3, collective unconscious survival, tenebrous kate, annan explains, people disaster films, ancient city pompeii, popular culture disasters,
Approximate Word count = 1893
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)