In the constant struggle of man against nature, it is the most devastating adversary of all - a force equal to the power of a million atomic bombs which suddenly explodes to wreak havoc and destruction on an unsuspecting population.
It can turn day into night, air into fire, calm seas into 1,000-foot tsunamis; it can cause earthquakes and mudslides. And it can happen at any time, creating explosive rivers of hot, liquefied rock flowing downhill at speeds of up to 100 mph; expelling water, steam and fast-moving clouds of incandescent gases, pumice and ash; leaving nothing but death and devastation in its wake.
The people of Dante's Peak, an idyllic community of 8,000 nestled at the foot of a towering mountain in the Northern Cascades, don't believe it could ever happen to them. But the danger is real: A sleeping giant is awakening, and the one man who can save them from nature's worst nightmare can't get anyone to heed his warnings.
An epic adventure from Universal Pictures and Pacific Western Productions, Dante's Peak captures the cataclysmic power of a volcanic eruption and explores the ethical dilemma facing those who risk their lives in order to predict when the next big one will erupt.
The film, directed by Roger Donaldson, stars Pierce Brosnan as U.S. Geological Survey volcanologist Harry Dalton, who makes the Dante's Peak establishment nervous with his predictions that their long-dormant mountain is about to "go up." Linda Hamilton stars as the town's mayor, Rachel Wando, who finds herself caught between those who believe the mountain poses no threat and the handsome but troubled scientist's warnings of imminent disaster.
Dante's Peak's stunning visual effects - achieved by seemlessly compositing the largest scale models ever built for a film with live action practical effects shots, further enhanced by state of the art 3-D digital technology - will leave audiences gaping as they witness the awesome fireworks display of the earth tearing itself open, erupting in a fury of flame and ash.
"This is a movie that will get the audience's adrenaline pumping," according to director Roger Donaldson. "Not only is it a roller coaster ride from the first frame to the last, but the underlying story is based on reality."
For Donaldson, making sure that Dante's Peak is grounded in fact was the key to unlocking the movie's dramatic potential. The director, who at one time considered a career in geology, has a working knowledge of volcanoes - a background that came in handy during the extensive research that went into creating a credible and exciting film in which the main conflict is between man and nature. "There are many dangers associated with volcanoes that the public isn't aware of, and I thought this would make a great subject for a movie," says Donaldson.
Despite tremendous advances in early-warning systems, volcanoes can be deadly: more than 30,000 people have been killed by volcanoes in the past 15 years. And considering the fact that there are 1,500 known active volcanoes in the world, with eight to 10 eruptions occurring at any moment, the odds are good that a catastrophic blast will happen sooner rather than later.
With this in mind, Donaldson believed it would be interesting to tap into the physical, emotional and ethical concerns of volcanologists. "Volcanology is not an exact science," he explains. "The movie looks at a group of very knowledgeable, dedicated men and women who end up arguing amongst themselves about what is really going to happen to the volcano. The scientists also have to interact with the townspeople of Dante's Peak, whose lives are in their hands."
Detecting signs of approaching danger is one thing; convincing the authorities to take action is another. Or as Harry confides to Rachel, "I'm better at figuring out volcanoes than people and politics."
At the heart of Dante's Peak, which was produced by Gale Anne Hurd and Joseph M. Singer with executive producer Ilona Herzberg, is a compelling human drama. The film, based on an original screenplay written by Leslie Bohem, begins with an ominous Colombian volcano evacuation scene that ends with researcher Harry Dalton (PIERCE BROSNAN) trying to outrun a pyroclastic cloud when a fragment of molten rock smashes through the cab of his truck, killing his fiancee.
The tragedy causes Harry to reevaluate his life and work, but when he is asked by his former colleagues to investigate minor seismic activity near the Pacific Northwest town of Dante's Peak, he obliges. The town, run by Mayor Rachel Wando (LINDA HAMILTON), a businesswoman and single parent, is on the verge of signing a lucrative agreement with a millionaire who has selected Dante's Peak (rated by Money magazine as the second most desirable place to live in the United States, population under 20,000) as the site of his latest investment - a deal that will substantially boost both the local economy and the self-esteem of its residents.
Expecting to find little more than the routine rumblings common to the region, Harry becomes alarmed by what he sees as evidence of the kind of activity - ground deformation and sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions - that precedes a catastrophic eruption.
Harry appeals to Mayor Wando. Though skeptical at first, she decides "better to be safe than sorry" and calls a town council meeting to discuss Harry's warnings of a pending disaster. As evacuation procedures are being discussed, Harry's boss enters and dissuades the council from declaring a state of alert, questioning the scientific accuracy of Harry's findings.
Yet, the evidence soon mounts and even his colleagues must admit that Harry is right. A town hall meeting is called, but it is a little too late. Just as the meeting is beginning, the auditorium is rocked by a series of powerful earthquakes, sending the panicked citizenry scrambling for exists. Chaos ensues when they see a huge ash cloud over the mountain; traffic snarls the only road leading out of town; buildings start to crumble as the pre-eruption pressure seeks release.
Harry drives Rachel home to get her two kids, only to discover that Graham (JEREMY FOLEY) and Lauren (JAMIE RENEE SMITH) have gone up the mountain in Rachel's car to evacuate their grandmother Ruth (ELIZABETH HOFFMAN), who stubbornly refuses to budge from her lodge. With the earth's clock racing against them, Harry and Rachel must rescue Ruth and the children before the volcano blows.
Producer Joseph M. Singer became intrigued by the idea of a movie about a volcano wreaking havoc on a small town after seeing an interview with a volcanologist. Singer recalls looking on in amazement as the volcanologist, who was captured on videotape out in the field, "watched a pyroclastic cloud [an incandescent cloud of hot gases, ash and rock fragments that surges down a hill at speeds exceeding 100 mph and at temperatures raging to 475° F] emerge from an erupting volcano and commented that the wind was changing and the cloud was moving his way. There was a moment of silence and then he said, 'I think I'm going to die.' Seconds later, that's exactly what happened."
Singer was awed by the tape, which made him wonder what a volcanologist really does. So he "started calling around" only to find "that about half the volcanologists I was trying to contact were dead."
Singer eventually spoke to several United States Geological Survey (USGS) veterans, who had witnessed many eruptions around the world. His conclusion: "These people are the ultimate adventurers, always living on the edge. They go into situations where no sane person would go." However, Singer did not want a movie about "over-the-top thrill seekers" but rather one that offers a realistic look at the natural disaster that has been the source of great myth and fascination for thousands of years.
Singer discussed his idea with screenwriter Leslie Bohem, who was writing Daylight, another Singer production for Universal. Bohem tinkered with the film's main concept until he developed a story line that both he and Singer felt had potential. The script was sold to Universal and Donaldson was brought on board to direct.
Rarely has a natural disaster been presented with the intensity and conviction of Dante's Peak. The filmmakers insisted on scrupulous realism, both in the portrayal of the volcano and the characters themselves. In addition to several months of comprehensive background research, they enlisted the aid of the top experts working in the field of volcanology to ensure the film's authenticity.
Says producer Gale Anne Hurd: "With the help of our consultants - whose input kept us accurate every step of the way - and the outstanding work of our effects and stunts departments, we will take the audience to a place that none of them have ever been before - simply because man cannot get this close to a volcano and survive."
"There are very few films that have this size and scope." add executive producer Ilona Herzberg. "We wanted to create an unforgettable experience, but also stick close to scientific fact."
"We looked at every available piece of literature, movies, documentaries, photographs - anything at all we could find," Donaldson recalls. In addition, Donaldson interviewed volcanologists and even studied first-hand the eruptions of Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii and Washington's Mt. St. Helens.
Despite his immersion into volcanology, Donaldson was not interested in making a docudrama. He says, "Dante's Peak is a dramatic piece that is touching and exciting and funny and terrifying." In addition, the director was adamant about creating a thrilling adventure with fully-realized characters, and refused to sacrifice the relationships of the players to the more eye-catching stunts and special effects.
Pierce Brosnan was completely in-sync with Donaldson's creative approach. "Certainly the volcano is one of the main stars of the film, but the relationships between the characters have not been compromised as a result," the actor says. "You have a group of people striving to come together emotionally and physically to survive some amazing obstacles."
If producer Hurd's experience on such large scale projects as Aliens, The Abyss and The Terminator films has taught her anything, it is that technology is only as good as the material. Explaining why she was drawn to Dante's Peak, she says, "it has all the ingredients for a thrilling motion picture: state of the art visual effects, an exciting story and truly wonderful characters."
Certainly Harry and Rachel are people worth rooting for. Forced to confront his personal demons as a member of the volcano swat team sent to Dante's Peak, Brosnan's scientist is vulnerable as well as heroic. For Brosnan, whose turn as Agent 007 in 1995's Goldeneye resulted in the highest-grossing James Bond film of all time, the role showcases the versatility that has made him one of today's most sought-after leading men.
Having redefined the landscape of women's action roles in The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Hamilton plays an independent single mother trying to balance her family and professional responsibilities. When Harry implores the city council to order an evacuation, Rachel refuses to let money and politics come before her responsibility for the public's safety.
In Dante's Peak, Harry is pitted against his colleagues when he alone believes the town should be evacuated. This scenario is not unusual, according to Donaldson, who notes that one of the volcanologists he interviewed for the movie (and who was brought on as a technical consultant) was one of the people in charge of the USGS team stationed at Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines.
"When Mt. Pinatubo blew in June 1991, there was a big debate amongst the scientists; they were all trying to predict what would happen and, luckily, they predicted the right outcome: a very, very violent eruption," Donaldson says. Having already evacuated more than 20,000 people before the eruption climaxed, creating a mushroom cloud some 130 miles wide, "the volcanologists saved the lives of many thousands of people," the director adds.
Besides giving depth to the characters, the interviews conducted with the volcanologists and the close observations of their work gave the filmmakers a solid grasp of the science of volcanoes, much of which was inserted into the script.
The first ex-USGS scientist to join the production was John P. (Jack) Lockwood, one of the world's most respected volcanologists whose specialty is volcanic hazards appraisal and volcanic risk management. Not only was Lockwood involved in many major eruptions around the world but - of special significance to the Dante's Peak creative team - Lockwood was the one of the USGS team leaders with Philippino volcanologists during the devastating eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.
David Harlow is a volcanologist/earthquake tectonic seismologist with extensive experience studying the after-effects of these natural disasters. Harlow was part of the USGS team that studied the seismological and geological aspects of the 6.2 earthquake that destroyed most of Managua, Nicaragua in 1972. He also witnessed the devastating mud flows that killed 20,000 citizens of Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia, after the eruption in the mid-1980s.
Volcanologist Norman McLeod consulted with the filmmakers to ensure that Dante's Peak remain honest to the work of USGS members. He verified the film's portrayals of the volcanologist's work in monitoring potential eruptions, unexpected conditions and decision-making processes.
"I was based at the Cascades Volcano Observatory, which is being used as the base location in the movie," McLeod points out, "and I can truly say that what I saw during production is very, very realistic." Harlow concurs, "The characters in the movie are very much like those who would be responding to these types of eruptions. The conditions I've dealt with are very similar to what I've seen during production."
Dante's Peak was filmed on location in Wallace, Idaho and on soundstages and outdoor sites in the greater Los Angeles area.
Location manager Ken Levine, production designer Dennis Washington, executive producer Ilona Herzberg and co-producer Marliese Schneider were charged with finding a location that matched Donaldson's detailed vision of the town of Dante's Peak. Levine needed to find a picturesque small town that wouldn't mind being on the receiving end of substantial physical damage. It was also important to find a place surrounded by mountains so the only digital shot necessary would be the actual volcano. Levine found Wallace, a former mining town located in northern Idaho, to be the perfect re-creation of Dante's Peak. An added bonus: there is only one route out of town - the freeway, which plays a significant part in the film's powerful climax.
Levine met with the town council to secure the necessary permits and to make sure the citizens knew from the start that the film company would be transforming their beautiful little town into an unrecognizable area of mass destruction. He was brutally honest, telling the council that the film crew would be dumping simulated (but environmentally safe) volcanic ash over their main streets and generally wreaking film havoc. The town's response: "Mt. St. Helens did that here. We're used to it."
The special effects work on Dante's Peak was one of the most enormous undertakings in the history of filmmaking. Special effects coordinator Roy Arbogast, along with his crew, had to come up with effects that have never been used in film before, simply because no one has ever decided to shoot a volcanic eruption before.
The shoot was challenging for the actors as well. "It's hard to sustain a character in a film of this type," says Hamilton, who's no stranger to big budget effects movies. "Luckily both Pierce and I had done movies prior to Dante's Peak that involved extensive visual effects - you know, putting our heart and soul into scenes where you were basically looking at a brightly colored screen."
As production of the live-action sequences was taking place, over 120 computer generated images (CGI) were being designed and produced as well. The filmmakers selected the Academy Award -winning team at Digital Domain, led by visual effects supervisor Pat McClung to handle the optical work on the film. Beginning with a 100 square foot by 35 foot high wood and steel structure for the volcano - which was built in an airplane hanger in Los Angeles, wheeled onto a tarmac to be shot against the sky and later composited with the live action footage - McClung and his team added computer-generated smoke, ash and lava to practical special effects shots to create the film's climatic eruption.
Arbogast considers his work on Dante's Peak as "probably the biggest in scope I've ever done, because every sequence of the film has some kind of disaster in it...every sequence including all the earthquake scenes, the river crossing. Every single thing we did will interact with Digital Domain's work in one way or another - from what we did with volcanic ash, to our pyroclastic clouds."
One of Arbogast's most important effects, due to the quantity that was needed, and how often it's featured in the film, was the creation of volcanic ash. He recalls, "I saw some film on what volcanic ash really looked like as it was coming down, and the trick was to find something that would look like real ash, as well as be safe for everybody to breathe and get in their eyes, something that would be 100% safe as we were in it for days and days at a time - breathing it, spraying it, blowing it up. So we went through many, many different materials: sawdust, gypsum, flour, wheat flour. What I found worked the best was ground-up newspaper; it's actually just cellulose."
Arbogast continues, "Our method of dispersing it was actually kind of fun: big air cannons. We'd get way back from the set and just blow this stuff into the air - two and three hundred pounds of it at a time - and it would just come down making everything look just right. A little messy, but it worked well."
Dante's Peak extended the bridge between filmmaking and digital technology with drums, an innovative multimedia online production network developed by Sprint, the Kansas City-based telecommunications giant. In effect a virtual production studio, Drums allowed the filmmakers to communicate directly with Digital Domain from remote locations. Thus Donaldson and his crew were able to review the progress of visual effects images during principal photography, a luxury that expedited the post-production process.
To achieve the levels of authenticity counted on by the filmmakers, it was decided to utilize a combination of practical special effects, physical stunts and CGI work, emphasizing the former choices whenever possible. To this end, stunt coordinator R.A. Rondell joined forces with Roy Arbogast to create the film's many spectacular live shots. According to Rondell, working closely with Arbogast and his practical special effects team was essential to the precision of the film, especially in light of all the visual effects which were to be added later.
"We had big, important sequences with giant buildings and telephone poles coming crashing down - and only one chance to do it." says Rondell. Adds executive producer Ilona Herzberg, "Dante's Peak has been incredibly difficult on a physical level. We made the decision early on to work with Digital Domain, but not all of the effects could be done digitally."
One major sequence in Dante's Peak that illustrates the concise communication and cooperation that was required of the live action and visual effects crews was the rescue at the lodge. The main characters - Harry, Rachel, her children Graham and Lauren and their grandmother Ruth - are about to head back down the mountain toward safety when a huge stream of lava (an optical effect created by Digital Domain) slams into the back of the lodge, which bursts into flames. Then the molten rock and debris set the surrounding forest on fire until the area is fully ensconced.
Arbogast remembers trying desperately to keep that sequence in Idaho; he wanted to find a burned-out part of the forest and build the set around it. But the locations didn't work out and it was decided to shoot the sequence on a soundstage in Los Angeles. "We had to build 50 pine and steel trees to burn," he explains. "We took the pine and rammed the steel right through them and then used propane to ignite everything." The lava optical from Digital Domain was inserted into the footage of the forest fire, for a perfect blend of live action and digitally-created film.
Since the beginning of mankind, volcanoes have been the subject of countless myths and legends. Now, thanks to the magic of Hollywood, Dante's Peak brings a contemporary twist to volcano lore with an tale of courage, personal responsibility and redemption set against a backdrop of nature's most devastating spectacle.
"What was fascinating about dealing with this topic is that there is still so little known about these awesome spectacles of nature," says Brosnan.
Adds Hamilton, "It isn't just lava running rushing down a mountain. There are pyroclastic clouds, lahars (a torrential flow of water-saturated volcanic debris, also known as a "glowing avalanche"), earthquakes, fires and floods."
These are volcanoes - and Dante's Peak is as close to one as you will ever want to get.
