When Time Ran Out... 1980 James Goldstone

Here it is - the last disaster movie of the 70's.  It's fitting that it stars a great big volcano, since after this one, disaster movies were dormant for a good long time.  There's a brand new hotel in Hawaii, just outside an active volcano.  James Franciscus, sans beard, is the geologist in charge of making sure the volcano doesn't blow everything up.  He's married to William Holden's daughter, and William Holden and Paul Newman are the hotel investors.  They can make him rich, so he lies about the danger.  Plus, Barbara Carrera works there, and if they shut down the hotel, then James Franciscus won't be able to continue his illicit relationship with her.  He'd rather jeopardize the saftey of hundreds of people than give up his action on the side.  He's the bad guy.

In addition to those stars of the 70's, this film also has Jacqueline Bisset, who's two-timing William Holden with Paul Newman, Ernest Borgnine as a cop, Red Buttons as his prey, Edward Albert as one of the help, Burgess Meredith as an old-time vaudeville/circus performer, Pat Morita as a bar owner who organizes cockfights, and a post-football pre-Webster Alex Karras as Paul Newman's bodyguard.  It's all set up pretty well, it's just that when the volcano does go, it looks more like a volcano you'd have made on your kitchen table for 7th grade science tha a real volcano.  It does explode with about an hour left, which is nice, because then you can start to play the "Who's gonna die?" guessing game pretty early.

Every time I watch one of these movies, I get that warm, fuzzy feeling.  I know all of the cliches, I know who's gonna die, I even know the theme songs in some occasions, so when I get the chance to see a new one, like this or The Hindenburg, it's a good day.  I'm a little sad that I don't have any of the old ones left to discover, but if my last classic disaster movie has improvised high wire walking on a destroyed bridge to save the last few stragglers, then so be it.  That roman candle volcano in the back is a celebration of this genre.  It's a pretty fitting way to go out, after all.