The Function of Disaster Movies
Disaster movies are often action-packed thrill rides that venture in the sometimes fascinating “what if that hap-pened” side of things. While some are very over-the-top and border on fantasy, others, like Contagion, emphasise realism and actual events. These movies tend to “hit home” with the viewers because they lead them to think “this could happen to me.” Disaster movies exploit the latent fear that recent events caused on the psyche on the masses, tapping into the anxiety and trauma they cause in order to create tension and terror in the viewers. Then, the “agenda” aspect of these movies kick in as they propose to the viewers the best (and only) way these issues can be resolved. Specific groups and
agencies are cast as honourable, helpful and trustworthy during the time of crisis, while others are portrayed as hin-drances and even traitors. The drama that follows becomes a case of predictive programming, as the steps taken in the movie to resolve the problem will there-after appear normal to the masses if they ever occur in real life.
In his book Propagandes Silencieus-es (Silent Propaganda), the journalist and writer Ignacio Ramonet describes the always present underlying message found in disaster movies:In all cases, the disaster causes a kind of ‘state of emergency’ that hands all powers and modes of transportation to state authorities: the police, the army or “the crew.” Portrayed as the ultimate recourse, these institutions are the only ones capable of facing the dangers, the disorder and the decay threatening society thanks to their structure and technical knowledge… As if it was impossible to present to the general public a disaster that is not resolved by state authorities and governmental powers.
Along with the all-importance of authorities, the masses are inevitably presented as a herd of idiots prone to panic that must be kept in the dark.Another constant found in disaster movies is the infantilisation of civilians. The full amplitude of the catas-trophe and the danger the masses are facing is often hidden from them. They are kept out of any decision making process, with the exception of managers and technical specialists (engineers, architects, entrepreneurs) who are sometimes called to intervene in the crises, but always through state authorities.
The general public is often distract-ed with pointless entertainment and encouraged to obey without question to a ‘paternal and benevolent’ elite that is doing everything (to the point of self-
sacrifice) to protect them.These aspects, along with others, prove that disaster movies, beyond their entertaining value, also present a ‘political response’ to a crisis. Behind a naive mode of fantastic storytelling, a silent message is communicated to the public: the ruler’s profound desire to see entities such as the army, the police or ‘prominent men’ take charge of the restoration and the rebuilding of a society in crisis, even if this means partially sacrificing democracy.
agencies are cast as honourable, helpful and trustworthy during the time of crisis, while others are portrayed as hin-drances and even traitors. The drama that follows becomes a case of predictive programming, as the steps taken in the movie to resolve the problem will there-after appear normal to the masses if they ever occur in real life.
In his book Propagandes Silencieus-es (Silent Propaganda), the journalist and writer Ignacio Ramonet describes the always present underlying message found in disaster movies:In all cases, the disaster causes a kind of ‘state of emergency’ that hands all powers and modes of transportation to state authorities: the police, the army or “the crew.” Portrayed as the ultimate recourse, these institutions are the only ones capable of facing the dangers, the disorder and the decay threatening society thanks to their structure and technical knowledge… As if it was impossible to present to the general public a disaster that is not resolved by state authorities and governmental powers.
Along with the all-importance of authorities, the masses are inevitably presented as a herd of idiots prone to panic that must be kept in the dark.Another constant found in disaster movies is the infantilisation of civilians. The full amplitude of the catas-trophe and the danger the masses are facing is often hidden from them. They are kept out of any decision making process, with the exception of managers and technical specialists (engineers, architects, entrepreneurs) who are sometimes called to intervene in the crises, but always through state authorities.
The general public is often distract-ed with pointless entertainment and encouraged to obey without question to a ‘paternal and benevolent’ elite that is doing everything (to the point of self-
sacrifice) to protect them.These aspects, along with others, prove that disaster movies, beyond their entertaining value, also present a ‘political response’ to a crisis. Behind a naive mode of fantastic storytelling, a silent message is communicated to the public: the ruler’s profound desire to see entities such as the army, the police or ‘prominent men’ take charge of the restoration and the rebuilding of a society in crisis, even if this means partially sacrificing democracy.
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