Krakatoa - The Last Days
Encyclopedia
Krakatoa: The Last Days (also titled Krakatoa: Volcano of Destruction in the U.S. on the Discovery Channel
) is a BBC Television
docudrama
that premiered on May 7, 2006 on BBC One
. The program is based upon a selection of four eyewitness accounts of the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa
, an active stratovolcano
between the islands of Sumatra
and Java
, present day Indonesia
.
, RTL Television
, and France 2
.
on 7 May 2006 and drew 6.4 million viewers (27% audience share)
is the second greatest volcanic eruption in recorded history
(after Mount Tambora
, only 68 years earlier), erupting more than 18 cubic kilometres of tephra
in less than 48 hours, and killing about 36,500 people. A subplot concerning Rogier Verbeek
(played by Kevin McMonagle), a Dutch geologist who had surveyed the area two years earlier and laid the basis for modern vulcanology with his research after the eruption, adds a scientific touch and a helpful map to the computer-generated imagery
that convincingly portrays the ash cloud, collapse of the mountain, pyroclastic flow
s, and tsunami
s. The film also portrays a family trying to escape the devastating volcano and a ship with more than 100 passengers trapped at sea when the eruption reaches its height.
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
) is a BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
docudrama
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
that premiered on May 7, 2006 on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. The program is based upon a selection of four eyewitness accounts of the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa
1883 eruption of Krakatoa
The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa began in May 1883 and culminated with the destruction of Krakatoa on 27 August 1883. Minor seismic activity continued to be reported until February 1884, though reports after October 1883 were later dismissed by Rogier Verbeek's investigation.-Early phase:In the years...
, an active stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
between the islands of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
and Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, present day Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Production
The series was produced by the BBC in co-production with Discovery ChannelDiscovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
, RTL Television
RTL Television
Rtl.de' redirects here. For other uses, see RTL.RTL Television , or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite along with DVB-T , in larger population centres...
, and France 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
.
Ratings
The film was broadcast on BBC OneBBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
on 7 May 2006 and drew 6.4 million viewers (27% audience share)
Synopsis
The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa1883 eruption of Krakatoa
The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa began in May 1883 and culminated with the destruction of Krakatoa on 27 August 1883. Minor seismic activity continued to be reported until February 1884, though reports after October 1883 were later dismissed by Rogier Verbeek's investigation.-Early phase:In the years...
is the second greatest volcanic eruption in recorded history
Recorded history
Recorded history is the period in history of the world after prehistory. It has been written down using language, or recorded using other means of communication. It starts around the 4th millennium BC, with the invention of writing.-Historical accounts:...
(after Mount Tambora
Mount Tambora
Mount Tambora is an active stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, on the island of Sumbawa, Indonesia. Sumbawa is flanked both to the north and south by oceanic crust, and Tambora was formed by the active subduction zone beneath it. This raised Mount Tambora as high as , making it...
, only 68 years earlier), erupting more than 18 cubic kilometres of tephra
Tephra
200px|thumb|right|Tephra horizons in south-central [[Iceland]]. The thick and light coloured layer at center of the photo is [[rhyolitic]] tephra from [[Hekla]]....
in less than 48 hours, and killing about 36,500 people. A subplot concerning Rogier Verbeek
Rogier Verbeek
Rogier Diederik Marius Verbeek was a Dutch geologist and nature scientist.His journal Krakatau, which was edited in 1884 and 1885 by order of the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, is his most known work. It deals with the eruption of the volcanic island Krakatoa in 1883 and brought...
(played by Kevin McMonagle), a Dutch geologist who had surveyed the area two years earlier and laid the basis for modern vulcanology with his research after the eruption, adds a scientific touch and a helpful map to the computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
that convincingly portrays the ash cloud, collapse of the mountain, pyroclastic flow
Pyroclastic flow
A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of superheated gas and rock , which reaches speeds moving away from a volcano of up to 700 km/h . The flows normally hug the ground and travel downhill, or spread laterally under gravity...
s, and tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
s. The film also portrays a family trying to escape the devastating volcano and a ship with more than 100 passengers trapped at sea when the eruption reaches its height.
Cast
- Rupert Penry-JonesRupert Penry-JonesRupert William Penry-Jones is an English actor, best known for his role as Adam Carter in the British television series Spooks, also broadcast under the title MI-5.-Family life:Penry-Jones was born in London on September 22, 1970...
as Willem Bejjernick - Olivia WilliamsOlivia WilliamsOlivia Haigh Williams is an English film, stage and television actress who has appeared in British and American films and television series.-Early life:Williams was born in Camden Town, London, England...
as Johanna Beijerinck - Kevin McMonagle as Rogier VerbeekRogier VerbeekRogier Diederik Marius Verbeek was a Dutch geologist and nature scientist.His journal Krakatau, which was edited in 1884 and 1885 by order of the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, is his most known work. It deals with the eruption of the volcanic island Krakatoa in 1883 and brought...
- Bill FlynnBill FlynnBill Flynn was a South African actor and comedian. He was born in Cape Town and matriculated from Plumstead High School...
as Gerrit Schuit - Darrell D'Silva as Captain Lindeman
Trivia
- Just after Captain Lindeman leaves the cargo bay and heads to the ship's deck, one of the girls begins to sing a song to calm down the nervous passengers. The song is "Płonie ognisko w lesie", a popular Polish scoutScoutingScouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
song. It was written in 1922, 39 years after Krakatoa eruption.