A huge swarm of deadly African bees spreads terror over American cities by killing thousands of people.
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Title: The Swarm (1978)
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Nominated for
1
Oscar.
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Michael Caine | ... |
Brad Crane
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| Katharine Ross | ... |
Captain Helena Anderson
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| Richard Widmark | ... |
General Slater
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| Richard Chamberlain | ... |
Dr. Hubbard
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| Olivia de Havilland | ... |
Maureen Schuester
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| Ben Johnson | ... |
Felix
|
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| Lee Grant | ... |
Anne MacGregor
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| José Ferrer | ... |
Dr. Andrews
(as Jose Ferrer)
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| Patty Duke | ... |
Rita
(as Patty Duke Astin)
|
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| Slim Pickens | ... |
Jud Hawkins
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| Bradford Dillman | ... |
Major Baker
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| Fred MacMurray | ... |
Mayor Clarence
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| Henry Fonda | ... |
Dr. Walter Krim
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| Cameron Mitchell | ... |
General Thompson
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Christian Juttner | ... |
Paul Durant
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Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Killer bees from South America have been breeding with the gentler bees of more northern climes, slowly extending their territory northward decade after decade. Entomologist Brad Crane has discovered that something is making them come together in huge, killer swarms. He wants to keep the General Slater from using military tactics from further upsetting the balance of nature as they join to try to stop the swarms from approaching Houston. Written by Ørnås
Taglines:
The most terrifying thing about THE SWARM is that it is based on Fact: It exists. Fact: It has awesome destructive power. Fact: We don't know how to stop it. See more »Genres:
HorrorParents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
14 July 1978 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Der tödliche Schwarm See more »Box Office
Budget:
$21,000,000 (estimated)Gross:
$10,000,000 (USA)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (extended)Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Major Baker: Can we really count on a scientist who prays?
General Slater: I wouldn't count on one who doesn't.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Michael Caine has claimed in interviews that he used his fee from this film to buy a house in LA. See more »Goofs
When the stuntman crashes through the window of the base in Houston to fall to his 30-story death, hanging plants can be seen on the outside, revealing he is simply crashing from one room to another. See more »Quotes
[Watching Crane pray after Helena suffers toxic shock from a bee sting]Major Baker: Can we really count on a scientist who prays?
General Slater: I wouldn't count on one who doesn't.
See more »
Irwin Allens's Production of The Swarm received almost universally negative reviews and was laughed off the screen by audiences but as an entertainment it's hard not to love. A super swarm of killer bees (meticulously animated by painting black dots on the film frame by frame) invades America killing everyone in their path including an all star cast of aging Hollywood A-listers, the army and even a playground filled with school children in one bravura, tasteless sequence. The body count accelerates deliriously as cities burst into flames, passenger trains hurl off their tracks and even a power plant under attack goes nuclear! The chaos and carnage is EPIC in scale while the genuinely great actors speak hilariously bad lines like; 'Bees, bees what a lot of bees.'. One of two films released by The Master of Disaster that year which helped kill his career the other being; Beyond the Poseidon Adventure.