Why We Can’t Get Enough ‘Sharknado’
Each summer since 2013 we have been treated to a storm of flying sharks courtesy of the SyFy Channel, beginning with director Anthony C. Ferrante’s Sharknado. There is no shortage of computer-generated mutant shark movies on the channel, but few have gained the notoriety and cult status of the Sharknado series. These are by no means what you would call “good” movies, so why are they so successful? Maybe it’s because they never take themselves too seriously. Just look at the title – Sharknado created a buzz even before the first film’s SyFy premiere in the summer of 2013. A tornado…of sharks! (Actually it was a hurricane which originated in the Pacific Ocean in the first film, but “Sharkicane“ doesn’t sound as good.)
Some of the modern day killer shark flicks seem to revel in their ridiculousness, but Sharknado does so with a cast of well-known performers including Ian Ziering and Tara Reid in the lead roles. The series is also littered with cameo appearances from almost anyone imaginable. Judd Hirsch (as a taxi driver of course), Ann Coulter, Al Roker, Mark Cuban, Geraldo Rivera, Caroline Williams, Kelly Osbourne, Lloyd Kaufman, Gary Busey, Dolph Lundgren, Jerry Springer, and Gilbert Gottfried – just to name a few – all appear throughout the Sharknado series. Let’s not forget about “The Hoff” who was brought into the franchise in a supporting role for Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! and Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens.
One aspect that seems to work well in the Sharknado movies is the way in which the cast mostly plays it straight despite the silly premise of sharks attacking people from the sky. You would almost expect the actors to burst into laughter while delivering some of their lines, but there is a balance here that makes the movies just over-the-top enough to keep us entertained for two hours. Curiously the awful CGI effects add to the fun as well, rather than detract as they typically do in most low budget films. The bad FX give Sharknado a somewhat cartoonish quality.
Trying to spot the classic horror and science fiction references peppered throughout the Sharknado series is also part of the fun, although some of them are glaringly obvious (Twilight Zone anyone?). Those unfamiliar with the so-bad-they’re-slightly-awesome killer shark series will have a chance to get caught up on Sunday, August 19th 2018 beginning at 10AM EST when SyFy will be running a Sharknado marathon. This will conclude with the brand new sixth (and final?) installment, The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time which debuts at 8PM EST. Be sure to check it out, if you dare.