The Swarm (1978) - Quotes

The Terror of Uncontrollable Destruction

Taglines: The most terrifying thing about THE SWARM is that it is based on Fact: It exists. Fact: It has awesome destructive power. Fact: We don't know how to stop it.

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A Prediction Beyond Just a Movie

Taglines: This is more than a movie. It's a prediction!

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Real Monsters Descend in Swarm

Taglines: Monsters by the millions - and they're all for real!

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A New Presence Arrives

Taglines: ... is here!

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Predictions Beyond Speculation

Taglines: It's more than a speculation - it's a prediction!

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Uncertain Victory and Hope for Survival

Capt. Helena Anderson: Did we finally beat them? Or is this just a temporary victory?

Brad Crane: I - I don't know. But we did gain time. If we use it wisely, and if we're lucky, the world might just survive.

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Different Sonic Levels Amidst Helicopter Noise

Capt. Helena Anderson: Won't the noise of the helicopters drown out your sound?

Brad Crane: No. It's an entirely different sonic level.

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Strategic Approach to Bee Control

General Slater: The bees have formed almost a complete circle. Billions of em. And that's what we've been waiting for.

Brad Crane: Waiting for what?

General Slater: The battle plan is to get em all into one area - and then zap em.

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The Risks of Overconfidence in Safety Measures

Dr. Andrews: Billions of dollars have been made to make these nuclear plants safe, fail safe! The odds of anything going wrong are astronomical, doctor.

Dr. Hubbard: I appreciate that, Doctor. But let me ask you. In all your fail-safe techniques, is there a provision for an attack by killer bees?

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Nuclear Power and Environmental Threats Discussed

General Slater: I can tell you right now, we're going to have trouble with that nuclear power plant. No way they'll shut down voluntarily. Millions of people in the area need the energy.

Dr. Hubbard: If we don't shut em down, the bees will.

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Visual Contact with a Threatening Mass

Airman #1: [radioing from a helicopter] Air Search One to Top Kick. We have visual contact.

General Slater: Identify.

Airman #1: A black mass, sir. A moving black mass. Zero altitude. Dead ahead. They're hitting us! Oh my God! We're out - we're out of control! Ahhhhhhh!

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Intelligence and Motives in Nature's Creatures

Brad Crane: Are you endowing these bees with human motives? Like saving their fellow bees from captivity, or seeking revenge on Mankind?

General Slater: I always credit my enemy, no matter what he may be, with equal intelligence.

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Consequences of Destruction in Desperate Times

Brad Crane: General, if you use that, nothing will grow out there for the next ten years.

General Slater: Why worry about shaving when somebody's going to cut your head off?

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Debate Over Bee Control and Human Safety

Brad Crane: These bees, General, are of joint concern, and they are killing Americans, without reference as to whether or not they have a serial number and are expected to salute you! So there will be no air drops of any kind until I give the OK.

General Slater: Your OK, huh? Then it is just possible I can persuade you to attack this particular swarm, now that we know where it is. Attack and eliminate it!

Brad Crane: Possibly, if you can explain to me, how you air drop chemicals, without killing the native insect life. If your chemical will kill the African bee, it will also kill the American bee, right?

General Slater: Right. And better a few American bees than a lot of American people!

Brad Crane: [Crane storms off] That is the point, general. The honey bee is vital to the environment. Every year in America, they pollinate six billion dollars worth of crops. If you kill the bee, you're gonna kill the crop. If you kill the plants, you'll kill the people. No. No, general. There will be no air drop, until we know exactly, what we are dropping, and where, and how. Excuse me.

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Bees and Plastic: A Troubling Discovery

Brad Crane: [Holding it up; He starts pointing out the other fragments] Plastic. It's a piece of a plastic cup. There are pieces all around here. Look. Look, there. There. There.

General Slater: What's so significant about that?

Brad Crane: I'm afraid to speculate. But, I think, the bees, did this.

General Slater: Are you saying these bees eat plastic?

Brad Crane: No, no.But I'm wondering. Your American Honeybee has a weak mouth, that couldn't even break the skin, of a grape. But it looks like this species, is tearing up, plastic cups, possibly to line their hives. Now, if this is true, they didn't, just get here. I mean, the invasion, didn't, just now begin. They have been here some time. Breeding. Increasing.

General Slater: So?

Brad Crane: Well, suppose these bees, are using plastic, to insulate their hives.

General Slater: No bee is that smart.

Brad Crane: Suppose these African bees are.

Warning of an Approaching Swarm

Maureen Schuster: Attention! Attention! This is Miss Schuster. Please listen very carefully. A swarm of killer bees is coming this way.

Impending Disappearance in Houston Sector

General Slater: By tomorrow there will be no more Africans... at least not in the Houston sector.

Blame and Responsibility in Crisis Situations

General Slater: Houston on fire. Will history blame me, or the bees?

The Abundance of Bees

Brad Crane: Bees, bees, what a lot of bees.

Unexpected Battle Against Bees After Fifteen Years

Brad Crane: We've been fighting a losing battle against the insects for fifteen years, but I never thought I'd see the final face-off in my lifetime. And I never dreamed, that it would turn out to be the bees. They've always been our friend.

The Threat of Invading Swarms

Brad Crane: Look, what I do for a living isn't important. What is important, critical, is that there are probably other invading swarms and what these bees did here, they can do again, all over the Southwest and, ultimately, all over the country.