For nearly half a century, volcanoes have been consistently misrepresented in cinema. Whether a stage for a climactic battle, an evil lair for a dark antagonist, or a menacing obstacle in nearly every disaster movie, these burning mountains have been repeatedly used as menacing symbols of danger and power. There's almost no consideration given to their physics or how they work in the real world beyond shooting smoke and lava. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Common examples of defects, however, have to do with how volcanoes erupt and affect the environment and living things, such as the heat of the magma, density and velocity of the lava, and pressure that precedes a eruption. These concepts are often ignored in fantasy films such as The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003), or more commonly in disaster films such as Volcano or Dante's Peak (1997). Ironically, disaster movies probably have the most flaws regarding volcanoes, even though the movie plots revolve entirely around them. One of the most stereotypical misconceptions about volcanoes is the idea that they are always tall mountains that explode with giant clouds of ash as they flood. the ground with lava. In reality, volcanoes can only emit explosions of ash (also known as pyroclastic clouds) or emit streams of molten rock, but not both. Contrary to popular belief, clouds are more dangerous than lava. The reason is the consistency of the magma. The amount of silicon determines whether the magma will solidify enough to accumulate or liquefy enough to flow. High mountains, called stratovolcanoes, are made of magma so rich in silicon that it prevents gases from escaping, causing enormous amounts of pressure to build up. When stratovolcanoes finally erupt, they release gas and ash with enormous force and speed, but there is no lava present because it was too busy hardening into the rock and holding onto the gases. Shield volcanoes, however, are the type that send molten rock flowing into the environment. Their silicon deficiencies allow huge lava flows to flow out of short, flat hills, but no threatening mountain peaks are created. Despite this, these characteristics are always generalized and mixed together so that the volcano is more massive and epic in its destruction. This is most evident in the movie Dante's Peak. The 110-minute film features everything that can go wrong at a volcano, including earthquakes, pyroclastic clouds, ash storms, lahars, acidic waters, meteorite-like rock debris and lava flows. While a pyroclastic flow creates a climactic and believable climax at the end, the lava floods raise some criticism. There is a scene in the film where the protagonists and their children go to a cabin to save their grandmother from the eruption of the titular mountain. As they leave the cabin, the magma immediately burns the back wall and floods the living room within seconds. Since the peak is a stratovolcano, there should be no magma flows, let alone lava traveling at high speed. Even Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings trilogy makes it a blatant stereotype to have all the volcanic tropes rolled into one. event. In addition to generalizing mafic and felsic lava, however, there is a scene in the final film, The Return of the King, that incorrectly displays the density of lava. As a result of the climactic battle between the hobbit, Frodo, and the evil creature, Gollum, over the One Ring, Gollum ends up falling and splashing into a river of lava with the ring. Gollum sinks into molten rock within six seconds and the ring manages to float on a piece of lava crust for a.