Krakatoa

movie

movie poster for Krakatoa

Released April 23, 1933

Overview

Krakatoa is a 1933 American Pre-Code short documentary film produced by Joe Rock. The story describes how the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa on the island blew half of the large island into the air that produced a tsunami, and an air wave that was felt seven times around the globe. The eruption also emitted tons of dust that dimmed the sun all over the world for many months. It won the Academy Award in 1934 for Best Short Subject (Novelty).

Reviews

Rating: 6/10

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CinemaSerf:

Although I’ve only been able to see a fraction of this original documentary, that’s still enough to appreciate quite an impressive demonstration of courageous camerawork. I always thought the volcano was already on an island, but what we see here basically shows us how the planet creates new islands from scratch. With jets of steam and molten rock clearly seen shooting up to three thousand feet into the air directly from craters far beneath the ocean, the proximity of the cameras to the violence of nature in this remote location is quite compelling to watch for a few lively minutes. It’s really almost as astonishing that this entire film doesn’t exist anymore, too!

6/28/2025