Main Cast: Michael Caine, Katharine Ross, Richard Widmark, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia de Havilland
Release Year: 1978
Country: US
Run Time: 116 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Killer bees migrate to the United States from Africa via South America in this disaster film produced and directed by the genre's chief architect, Irwin Allen, and written by Stirling Silliphant, scribe of The Poseidon Adventure. Haughty entomologist Brad Crane (Michael Caine) shows up at a secret military base full of dead soldiers, shocking the attendant General Slater (Richard Widmark). Crane announces that the soldiers are the victims of killer bees with amazingly potent venom; he's been tracking huge swarms of the things and fears they'll kill millions before they're through. Eventually, the president asks Crane to lead the battle against the killer insects and he assembles a team of crack scientists. Meanwhile, the bees overpower a family picnic in nearby Marysville; only the son, Paul (Christian Juttner), escapes with his life. Crane and military physician Helena Anderson (Katherine Ross) head to Marysville to warn the populace about the impending danger. Among the citizens in the direct path of the bees are schoolmarm Maureen Schuster (Olivia de Havilland) and her competing suitors, Felix (Ben Johnson) and Clarence (Fred MacMurray). Eventually, the bees stage a massacre in Marysville and then set their sights on Houston. Neither pesticides, firebombing, nor the heroic sacrifice of scientist Dr. Krim (Henry Fonda) seems to offer a solution for the impending disaster. Universally reviled by critics, The Swarm failed to continue Allen's winning streak at the box office. Caine would re-team with his director the following year for Beyond the Poseidon Adventure. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Ben Johnson - Felix; Lee Grant - Anne MacGregor; José Ferrer - Dr. Andrews; Slim Pickens - Jud Hawkins; Bradford Dillman - Maj. Baker; Fred MacMurray - Clarence; Henry Fonda - Dr. Krim; Cameron Mitchell - Gen. Thompson; Christian Juttner - Paul Durant; Morgan Paull - Dr. Newman; Alejandro Rey - Dr. Martinez; Don "Red" Barry - Pete Harris; Patty Duke - Rita Bard; Frank Blair - Himself; Arell Blanton - Sergeant; Doria Cook - Mrs. Durant; Pat Culliton - Sheriff Morrison; Howard Culver - Airman #2; Trent Dolan - Radio Sergeant; John Furlong - Cameraman; Chuck Hayward - Standby Engineer; Steven Marlo - 1st Pilot; Chris Petersen - Hal; Steve Powers - Radarmen; Elizabeth Rogers - Woman Scientist; Michael Sheehan - Airman #1; Arthur Space - Engineer; Ernie F. Orsatti - Duty Officer; Bill Snider - Radarman #2; Robert Varney - Mr. Durant; John Williams - Launching Officer; Marcia Nicholson - Captain; George Simmons - Nurse
Credit
Jack Baur - Casting, Paul Zastupnevich - Costume Designer, Mike Salamunovich - First Assistant Director, Irwin Allen - Director, Harold Kress - Editor, Ruby Ford - Hair Styles, Sheridan Dar Reid - Location Manager, Jerry Goldsmith - Composer (Music Score), Tony Lloyd - Makeup, Michael Benson - Camera Operator, Stan Jolley - Production Designer, Fred Koenekamp - Cinematographer, Norman A. Cook - Production Manager, Irwin Allen - Producer, Harold L. Fuhrman - Set Designer, Stuart A. Reiss - Set Designer, Alfred M. Kemper - Set Designer, L.B. Abbott - Special Effects, Howard Jensen - Special Effects, VanDer Veer Photo Effects - Special Effects, Les Fresholtz - Sound/Sound Designer, Michael Minkler - Sound/Sound Designer, Arthur Piantadosi - Sound/Sound Designer, Herman Lewis - Sound/Sound Designer, Allan R. Potter - Sound Editor, Paul Stader - Stunts, Hubie Kerns Jr. - Stunts, Paul Stader - Stunts Coordinator, Stirling Silliphant - Screenwriter, Fred Hesper - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Tony Habib - Publicist, Ed Morey III - First Assistant Camera, Serge Poupis - First Assistant Camera, Gene Stout - Gaffer, Donald Harris - Music Editor, George E. Swink - Post Production Supervisor, Ralph Aubert - Properties Master, Julie Pitkanen - Script Supervisor, Skip Surguine - Second Assistant Director, John Monte - Still Photographer, Timothy Board - First Assistant Editor, Art Volpert - Production Controller, Arthur Herzog - Book Author, Donah Bassett - Negative Cutter
Many filmgoers and critics consider this film one of the worst "disaster films" ever made, along with Allen's subsequent films Beyond the Poseidon Adventure and When Time Ran Out (1980). It was one of two disaster films (the other being 1979's Beyond the Poseidon Adventure), directed solely by the "master of disaster" Allen, who had experience directing several movies and many episodes of his TV shows.
The film was a notorious box office bomb upon its release in 1978, barely making it two weeks in theaters. Michael Caine, despite other failed films, claims it is the worst film he ever made (along with his later film Ashanti): "It wasn't just me, Hank Fonda was in it too, but I got the blame for it" he claimed in an interview with Michael Parkinson.
The film was released initially at 116 minutes. When released on laserdisc in the 1980s, it was expanded to 156 minutes. This 156 minute version is the one available on DVD.
Score
The musical score was composed by Academy Award winner Jerry Goldsmith and used French horns and such to sound like the humming of bees.
The score was originally released on Warner Bros. Records in 1978 at the same time of the movie, but has since gone out of print. An expanded, remastered score was released in a limited edition by Prometheus Records and contained over forty minutes of previously unreleased material. It has also gone out of print.
