The Swarm

The Swarm is a 1978 American natural horror film directed and produced by Irwin Allen and based on Arthur Herzog's 1974 novel. It stars an ensemble cast, including Michael Caine, Katharine Ross, Richard Widmark, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia de Havilland, Ben Johnson, Lee Grant, José Ferrer, Patty Duke, Slim Pickens, Bradford Dillman, Henry Fonda and Fred MacMurray in his final film role. It follows a scientist and a military task force who try to prevent a large swarm of killer bees from invading Texas. The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and was a box-office bomb, although praise was given to the costume design. It has been considered to be one of the worst films ever made. Plot In south Texas, a top-security United States Air Force ICBM command bunker is invaded and neutralized by an unknown force. An Air Force unit, led by Major Baker, investigates and comes across an unauthorized scientist at the secured base, Dr. Bradford Crane, who was tracking a large swarm of killer bees when they attacked the Air Force bunker. General Slater orders two helicopters to check the area, whereupon the helicopters are destroyed by the swarm of bees. Crane insists to Slater that the base was attacked by the same African killer bees that destroyed the helicopters. Helena Anderson, one of the base's doctors, supports Crane's story. Meanwhile, in the nearby countryside, the Durant family is attacked by the swarm of the bees. The mother and father die from the bee stings, but Paul, their son, escapes in their car. Although he is stung, Paul manages to make it into town and crashes into the Marysville town square, where the citizens are preparing for the annual flower festival. The boy is brought into the hands of military personnel, where, due to the aftereffects of the bee sting, he hallucinates a vision of giant bees attacking him. Wheelchair-bound Dr. Walter Krim confirms to Crane that the war against the bees they have feared for a long time has started. At the gates of the base, Slater confronts angry county engineer Jed Hawkins, who demands to see the dead body of his son, an airman in the bunker who was killed by the bees. Hawkins takes the body bag and departs, leaving the entire watching crowd silent over the loss. Slater suggests airdropping poison on the swarm, but Crane considers the ecological possibilities of the situation, as the poison will wipe out plant growth for a decade or more.