With films like San Francisco (1936) and The Hurricane (1937) on-screen mayhem was certainly nothing new. Whether man-made or an uncontrollable force of nature, the disaster was usually a dramatic device that came at the end of the movie. In the 70's that all changed.

The disaster was now the focus of the story. Once the revamped genre became popular with audiences, successful producers like Jennings Lang (the Airport sequels) and Irwin Allen (The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno) couldn't come up with perilous plots fast enough.

The scripts for these orgies of calamity were filled with outrageous situations and two-dimensional characters. But, when Helen Hayes won an Oscar for her role in Airport (1970), it legitimized the genre. This might also explain why some of Hollywood's biggest stars were lining up to be put through the ringer in these multi-million dollar celebrations of human tragedy.

With hammy overacting and dubious special effects, the disaster films of the 1970's offer up a cornucopia of campy delights. After all, who wouldn't what to see their favorite stars fighting for survival only to be killed off by the whims of fate? Ah, the magic of the movies.

Airport (1970)
The classic that started it all.

Airport '77 (1977)
An airplane movie underwater, brilliant idea!

Airport '79 (1979)
Hilarity at the speed of sound

Earthquake (1974)
If L.A.'s a rockin', don't come a knockin'!

Meteor (1979)
James Bond vs. the rock from outer space.

The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Set the standard for all disaster movies to come.

The Swarm (1978)
The bees are mad as hell and they're not gonna take it anymore!

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
The waterlogged sequel to…well, you can guess.

When Time Ran Out (1980)
A prophetic title if ever there was one.