The Swarm (1978) on Netflix
A swarm of killer bees attacks a top-security Air Force missile bunker in south Texas. Entomologist Bradford Crane argues the bees are behind it, while General Slater wants a military response.
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- Netflix1.4/5
- IMDb4.5/109,480 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes9%
Trailer
Plot summary
A secured Air Force missile bunker in south Texas is knocked out by an unknown force. The investigative team that responds finds Bradford Crane, a scientist, on the base; he had been following a swarm of killer bees. General Slater sends two helicopters to scout the area, and the swarm destroys both. Crane tells Slater that African killer bees hit the bunker, and base doctor Helena Anderson backs his account. The bees also strike a rural family, and their son Paul drives into Marysville as the town readies its annual flower festival. Dr. Walter Krim tells Crane the long-feared war with the bees has started. Slater proposes dropping poison on the swarm, while Crane worries the chemical would ruin plant life for ten years or more.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Swarm (1978)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- The American Bee Association considered taking legal action against the producers of The Swarm for defaming the western honey bee, after the film's closing credits ran a disclaimer insisting that its African killer bees bore no relationship to the hardworking American honey bee.
- Between 15 million and 22 million bees were used in the production of The Swarm, including 800,000 bees with their stingers removed so the cast could work safely with them, while about 100 people were employed just to care for and transport the insects.
- Olivia de Havilland was actually stung by a bee while filming The Swarm, a shoot that employed about 100 people to care for and transport the bees used in the production.
- Jerry Goldsmith's score for The Swarm, performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, used French horns and comparable instruments in an attempt to produce sound effects resembling the sound of an apiary mega-swarm.
