The Swarm (1978)

Director:

Irwin Allen

Writers:

Arthur Herzog III (novel)
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 July 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

It's more than a speculation - it's a prediction !

Plot:

A huge swarm of deadly African bees spreads terror over American cities by killing thousands of people.

Plot Keywords:

Swarm | Bee | Military | Killer Bee | Scientist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Brad Crane
Katharine Ross	...	Helena
Richard Widmark	...	Gen. Slater
Richard Chamberlain	...	Dr. Hubbard
Olivia de Havilland	...	Maureen Schuester
Ben Johnson	...	Felix
Lee Grant	...	Anne MacGregor
José Ferrer	...	Dr. Andrews (as Jose Ferrer)
Patty Duke	...	Rita (as Patty Duke Astin)
Slim Pickens	...	Jud Hawkins
Bradford Dillman	...	Major Baker
Fred MacMurray	...	Clarence
Henry Fonda	...	Dr. Krim
Cameron Mitchell	...	General Thompson
Christian Juttner	...	Paul Durant
Morgan Paull	...	Dr. Newman
Alejandro Rey	...	Dr. Martinez
Don 'Red' Barry	...	Pete Harris (as Don 'Red' Barry)
Elizabeth Rogers	...	Woman Scientist (extended version only)
Doria Cook-Nelson	...	Mrs. Durant (as Doria Cook)
Robert Varney	...	Mr. Durant
Ernie F. Orsatti	...	Duty Officer (as Ernie Orsatti)
Patrick Culliton	...	Sheriff Morrison
John Furlong	...	Cameraman
Chris Petersen	...	Hal
Jerry Toomey	...	Eddie
Barbara Costello	...	Receptionist / Nurse (extended version only)
Jenifer Taurins	...	Nurse (extended version only)
David Himes	...	Radioman (extended version only)
Mara Cook	...	Secretary
Joey Eisnach	...	Bee Boy
Stephen Powers	...	Radarman
Chris Capen	...	Lieutenant
Tony Haig	...	Officer #2
Bill Snider	...	Radarman #2
George F. Simmons	...	Nurse (as George Simmons)
Arell Blanton	...	Sergeant
Trent Dolan	...	Radio Sergeant
John Williams	...	Launching Officer
Steven Marlo	...	Pilot #1 (as Steve Marlo)
Phil Montgomery	...	Mechanic
Jim Galante	...	Doctor (extended version only)
Frank Blair	...	Himself
Marcia Nicholson	...	Captain
Arthur Space	...	Engineer
Chuck Hayward	...	Standby Engineer
Glenn Charles Lewis	...	Chemical Warfare Guard
Art Balinger	...	Radio Announcer
Michael Sheehan	...	Airman #1
Howard Culver	...	Airman #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marneen Fields	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
Larry Moran	...	Colonel's Son (uncredited)
John Otrin	...	Wild Lines (uncredited)

Directed by
Irwin Allen

Writing credits
Arthur Herzog III		(novel) (as Arthur Herzog)
Stirling Silliphant		(screenplay)

Produced by
Irwin Allen	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Fred J. Koenekamp		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Harold F. Kress

Casting by
Jack Baur

Production Design by
Stan Jolley

Set Decoration by
Stuart A. Reiss		(as Stuart Reiss)

Costume Design by
Paul Zastupnevich		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Ruby Ford	....	hair stylist
Tony Lloyd	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Norman A. Cook	....	production manager
George E. Swink	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herb Adelman	....	second assistant director: trainee
Mike Salamunovich	....	assistant director
Skip Surguine	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ralph Aubert	....	property master
Tom Cranham	....	production illustrator
Harold Fuhrman	....	set designer
Alfred M. Kemper	....	set designer
Joseph Musso	....	production illustrator
William O'Brien	....	assistant art director
Irwin 'Eppy' Epstein	....	drapery (uncredited)

Sound Department
Les Fresholtz	....	re-recording mixer
Herman Lewis	....	production mixer
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Arthur Piantadosi	....	re-recording mixer
Allan R. Potter	....	sound editor
Robert Gravenor	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Jerry Jacobson	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Howard Jensen	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
L.B. Abbott	....	special photographic effects
George D. Dodge	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Harold E. Wellman	....	process photography (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Stader	....	stunt coordinator
Brian J. Williams	....	stunt performer
Greg Anderson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Caruso	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marneen Fields	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Holt	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mike Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mags Kavanaugh	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Moio	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
John Nowak	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Benson	....	camera operator
Hal Landaker	....	video supervisor
John Monte	....	still photographer
Edward Morey III	....	assistant cameraman (as Ed Morey III)
Bill Ryan	....	electronics foreman
Gene Stout	....	gaffer
Bob Apger	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Richard Barth	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
John Murray	....	key grip (uncredited)
Victor Nikaido	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Gordon Paschal	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Serge Poupis	....	assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Lance Williams	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Bill Young	....	grip (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutting
Tim Board	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Donald Harris	....	music editor
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer
Les Fresholtz	....	re-scoring mixer (uncredited)
Arthur Piantadosi	....	re-scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Nancy Claycomb	....	production secretary
Al Gail	....	production executive
Ron Gruchy	....	air force coordinator (as Major Ron Gruchy)
Tony Habeeb	....	publicist
Ken Harris	....	technical advisor: bee
Fred Hesper	....	technical advisor: bee
George Leslie	....	cost controller
Steven Marlo	....	dialogue coach
Sidney Marshall	....	production executive
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
Sheridan Dar Reid	....	location manager (as Sheridan Reid)
Bill Ryan	....	electronic foreman
Art Volpert	....	executive assistant to producer

Production Companies

• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros A Warner Communications Company)
• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1978) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1978) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia (1978) (Austria) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1980) (USA) (TV)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1989) (Greece) (VHS)
• Esselte CIC Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1984) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Department of Defense, The  we gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of: for their assistance in making this motion picture (as the Department of Defense)
• Pacific Title  titles
• United States Air Force, The  we gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of: for their assistance in making this motion picture (as the United States Air Force)
• Van der Veer Photo Effects  opticals (as Van Der Veer Photo Effects)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

116 min | USA:155 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1978) | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (video re-rating) (1998) (2002) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:12 (orginal rating) | France:-12 | West Germany:16 (nf) | Argentina:16 | UK:12 (tv rating) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987)

Filming Locations:

Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

The movie became notable for a "Scream Moan" by veteran actress Olivia de Havilland who screams a moan when she sees dead children outside her window.

Goofs:

Continuity: The morgue at the base only shows about a dozen bagged corpses, although over twice that number were visible earlier in the movie.

Quotes:

Dr. Andrews:Billions of dollars have been spent to make these nuclear plants safe. Fail-safe! The odds against anything going wrong are astronomical, Doctor!
Dr. Hubbard:I appreciate that, Doctor. But let me ask you. In all your fail-safe techniques, is there a provision for an attack by killer bees?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Boom! Hollywood's Greatest Disaster Movies (2000) (V)

I never thought it would be the bees. They've always been our friends.

Michael Caine should have got his Oscar for uttering that line.

I was actually scared by this movie on TV when I was young because of the scene of the children being "swarmed" at recess. Yet a quarter of a century later, I had to get the DVD because this is one movie guaranteed to cheer me up. It's all been said in other comments - cheese, camp, so bad it's good. Ed Wood would be proud.

The scenes between Caine's scientist and Widmark's general are all classics. The icing on the cake is the two scenes with Slim Pickens. And the debate between Caine and Chamberlain over whether the bees should be called African or Brazilian. By the way, why does Richard Chamberlain look like he's on a break from a touring company of Victor/Victoria?

One plus of the DVD version is a half hour behind the scenes feature: "Inside the Swarm". You get to see several of the actors talk with utmost sincerity (and straight faces!) about the "real" dangers of killer bees.

The folks who wrote "Airplane!" couldn't even make a parody of this -- it's already hysterical.