Dante's Peak (1997)

Washington State is
home to this tourist trap.
No, Grandma! ACID!

This week's movie is Dante's Peak starring Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton (who isn't nearly as bad-ass in this movie as she was in The Terminator.

The real question is, are volcanoes *really* a big disaster? Lava (contrary to Volcano belief, usually moves at only a few meters per hour (although in lava tubes and sewers, 35 mph is believable). A danger lies in their unpredictability. However, volcanoes like Mt. St. Helens and Dante's Peak give plenty of warning that they are waking up. As we'll see in this and several other of our films, the real danger is in the government's decision on whether or not to inform the public.

But we're getting too involved pre-movie. Below are some links that will help you to prepare your senses, Grasshoppers...

- A Geological Guidebook to Dante's Peak describes movie goofs and errors as well as where it gets things right.

- USGS info with general volcano and movie FAQs.

- A Wikipedia article about the movie with links to other science articles.


Mike and I really enjoyed class on Thursday. Hope to see you next week!

- Sarah and Mike