Since the release of the Star Wars film, the use and development of special effects has always increased. Since the highly detailed models of the Star Wars films, the trend has been towards more realistic special effects overall. In the mid-1990s, computer technology reached a point where complex visual effects could be rendered so realistically that the special effect in question appeared breathtakingly real. Building on this awareness, the films Twister and Independence Day were released, using the latest computer graphics effects that looked so realistic that it was actually very difficult for audiences to determine where the CGI ended and the models. As a result, disaster films became very successful, leading to films such as Volcano and Dante's Peak, as well as a multitude of other films with disaster as their central theme. Many of these films were so popular that they went on to become some of the biggest films of the decade as well as some of the greatest films of all time. Additionally, audience participation showed the public's desire not only to be entertained, but also to participate in the disaster itself. The result of this catharsis was to give disaster preparedness leaders the opportunity to communicate widely about the dangers that we as a nation, as well as we as a world, may reasonably face in our lives. With the development of special effects in cinema in the early 1900s, notably in George Millie's "A Trip to the Moon", there was a constant effort to take viewers to exotic locations. The effect is to immerse the viewer in this world they are visiting. From the early days, it was always something of an accessory...... middle of paper ......005) Chapter: "Catastrophia" Glenn D. Walters, Ph.D "Understanding the Attraction Popular Horror Cinema: An Integrated-Interactive Model » Journal of Media Psychology, Volume 9, No. 2, Spring 2004: Honeycutt, James et al. “Individual Differences in Catharsis, Emotional Valence, Traumatic Anxiety, and Social Networking Among Victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita” Southern Communication Journal Volume 73, Number 3, 2008Lavik, Erlend. “Battle for the Blockbuster” New Review of Film and Television Studies Volume 6 Number 2 (2008).Brotman, Barbera. “In what direction do emotions go when films reflect current events? » Chicago Tribune, March 21, 2011 < http://goo.gl/HgXDC1 > Lyn Topinka. USGS CVO Menu “Volcanoes in Historical and Popular Culture” May 21, 2008