For this year's summer screenings at the Gallivan Center, the Utah Film Center--inspired perhaps by the apocalyptic mindset of 2012--is serving up a month of vintage disaster movies. First comes the film that inspired the term “disaster movie” in the first place: the 1970 drama Airport, based on Arthur Hailey's best-selling novel. On the ground in Chicago, an airport manager tries to deal with the effects of a major snowstorm; in the air, a mentally disturbed passenger with a bomb is ready to commit suicide by blowing up a plane. Hard as it may be to believe, this is the kind of film that earned 10 Academy Award nominations--but perhaps more significant to film history, it made possible the genius of the genre satire Airplane!
Throughout the rest of July, the Gallivan Center series offers more human drama in the midst of chaos. On July 16, a deadly virus from space threatens humanity in the science-fiction thriller The Andromeda Strain. July 23 brings passengers in peril on a sinking ship in 1972's original The Poseidon Adventure. And July 30 wraps things up with the all-star spectacle of 1974's The Towering Inferno. Bring a blanket and refreshments, or buy goodies at the show. And just keep telling yourself: It's only a movie. (Scott Renshaw)
Date: Jul 9, 2012
Time: 9 pm
Phone: 801-535-6117
Address: 239 S. Main, Salt Lake City, 84111
Where: Gallivan Center
