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What actually makes a disaster movie?

Is it explosions? CGI destruction? Cities getting wiped off the map?

Or is it something smaller—and a lot more human?

In this episode of Original Geek, we break down what defines a true disaster movie, why the best ones still work decades later, and why so many modern films miss the point entirely.

From the golden age classics like The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno to modern, grounded survival stories like Greenland, we explore the core formula that makes disaster movies resonate: ordinary people, impossible choices, and society under pressure.

We also debate whether superhero movies, sci-fi epics, and “disaster-adjacent” films really belong in the genre—and why bigger destruction doesn’t always mean better storytelling.

If you love disaster movies, grew up watching them, or just want to understand why some stick with you long after the credits roll, this one’s for you.

Welcome back to the basement.

Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.

Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.

👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.

If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.