The first of 1997’s volcano disaster movies (the second being Volcano) was arguably the better of the two, but both of them made for passable entertainment with some spectacular special effects to serve as icing on the stale cake. After all, Dante’s Peak doesn’t pretend to be anything more than an updated variation on a whole catalog of disaster movie clichés. Despite all that, it’s reasonably enjoyable. It’s an added bonus that the script is just smart enough to allow Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton to play their roles with straight faces, never condescending to the audience of the formulaic story. He’s a volcano expert from the U.S. Geological Survey, and she’s the mayor of a cozy Washington State town perched beneath a volcano that’s about to blow. Telltale signs are everywhere, so evacuation must be carried out immediately. Of course, not everybody’s eager to leave, and even some of Brosnan’s colleagues think his alarm is premature. This sets the stage for massive ash clouds, rivers of raging mud and molten rock, flattened forests, and death-defying escapes by Brosnan, Hamilton, and some (but not all) of her family, friends, and townsfolk. So what if it’s all pretty flaky… and can a four-wheel-drive vehicle travel over fire and molten lava without bursting its tires? Don’t ask too many questions, and you’ll find Dante’s Peak to be (if you’ll pardon the pun) a total blast. The Collector’s Edition DVD includes a documentary about volcanoes, Getting Close to the Show, in addition to behind-the-scenes footage, exclusive coverage of the creation of special effects, and audio commentary with director Roger Donaldson. –Jeff Shannon
Special Features
- Documentary “Getting Close to the Show” containing interviews with Roger Donaldson, Pierce Brosnan, ‘Linda Hamilton’ , Ilona Herzberg and vulcanologist David Harlow
- Storyboards, production designs and other still photographs
- Shooting script
- Original advertising concepts and campaigns
- Original stereo music score on alternate audio track during the documentary
Product Details
- Actors: Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton, Charles Hallahan, Jamie Renée Smith, Jeremy Foley
- Format: Anamorphic, Collector’s Edition, Color, Dolby, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Studio: Universal Studios
- DVD Release Date: August 23, 2005
- Run Time: 109 minutes
