Tornado! (1996) (TV)

Director:

Noel Nosseck

Writer (WGA):

John Logan (written by)

Release Date:

7 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

Hell has no fury like a twister.

Plot:

An accountant sent to produce an evaluation of a tornado research project, and the scientist running the project pursue tornadoes and each other.

Plot Keywords:

Tornado | Disaster | Research | Scientist | Storm

Cast

Bruce Campbell	...	Jake Thorne
Shannon Sturges	...	Samantha 'Sam' Callen
Ernie Hudson	...	Dr. Joe Branson
L.Q. Jones	...	Ephram Thorne
Bo Eason	...	Tex Fulton
Charles Homet	...	Richie Cochran
Carrie Boren	...	Mattie Peck
Aaron Izbicki	...	Oliver Nessle
John Mansfield	...	Andy Ward
Jeannie Fitzsimmons	...	Margie Ward
Julie Erickson	...	Zeena
Steve Flanagin	...	Mr. Peck
Mona Lee Fultz	...	Mrs. Peck
Carmen Nogales	...	Lucy's Mother
Shannon Marie Woodward	...	Lucy

Also Known As:

Chasseurs de tornades (France) [fr]
Tornade (Canada: French title) (video title) [fr]
Tornado! (Brazil) [pt]

MPAA:

Rated PG for some perilous weather sequences and mild language.

Runtime:

89 min | UK:84 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Hallmark Entertainment

Trivia:

In the scenes in the newsroom of a fictitious TV studio, producers actually went to Austin, Texas then-rechristened FOX affiliate, KTBC.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Tornadoes don't have a calm center, most have mini-cyclones rotating around the main vortex.

Quotes:

Sam Callen: So, why are tornados always picking on Texas?
Dr. Branson: Could be the hats.

Soundtrack:

I'm Worth It

better than Twister...

I was surprised by this movie. Don't get me wrong...this movie is no academy award winner, but it's better (more accurate) than Twister, which had to have the bigger budget by far. There actually was a device that was used by tornado researchers a while ago, called Toto I think, like the device that's in the movie. I don't think that it ever actually came in contact with a tornado though. I was also surprised at how the National Weather Service was portrayed in the movie. They (in particular SPC, which is actually the Storm Prediction Center) seem very inept and ineffective, which is an unfair portrait. The acronym "SPC" is never actually defined in the movie either, I don't think, which is strange considering that I think most people wouldn't know what SPC was. The ending of the movie is a little hokey, but this movie was a lot better than I thought it was going to be.