The Big Bus

The Big Bus from 1976 is a comedic disaster movie that features an all-star cast led by Joseph Bologna, Stockard Channing, and John Beck. This film follows the story of a brand new, state-of-the-art nuclear-powered bus designed to cross the United States in record time.

The movie takes place in the fictional company, Cyclops Motors, which has built "the Super Bus," known as the "SST" (Super Sonic Transport). The SST is a colossal bus fitting up to 110 passengers with amenities such as a pool, bar, and lounge.

Joseph Bologna plays Dan Torrance, the engineer who designed the bus. He is tasked with leading the crew of the inaugural coast-to-coast trip to New York from Los Angeles. However, the crew quickly discovers that the bus was sabotaged with a bomb, and the engine has a glitch that could potentially cause the vehicle to explode.

Stockard Channing plays Kitty Baxter, Dan's ex-girlfriend, who is hired as a public relations officer for the trip. The group also consists of an alcoholic driver, poorlly trained asthmatic agent, a suicidal mechanic, a faith healer, a gourmet chef, a lounge singer, and more quirky characters.

As the SST sets off from Los Angeles, the problems begin to outweigh the benefits. The bus is a runaway, swaying through the California hills, and unable to stop due to brake issues. A police chase ensues, culminating in the bus flying over a police cruiser and landing perfectly on the other side of a broken bridge.

As the journey progresses, the bus crew continues to face problems such as lost brakes, lost engines, and lost hairpieces. With each passing second, the situation gets more critical, and the passengers begin to lose faith in the bus and their crew. But the most pressing concern soon becomes a nuclear explosion threat, escalating the danger to the point of global catastrophe.

As the bus makes its final approach to New York City, it becomes synonymous with danger and folly to a public whose substantial investment now looks hopeless. The crew ultimately embodies the can-do spirit required to save the bus, themselves, and the world.

The Big Bus is an amusing, well-constructed Comedy, Disaster movie that enhances the template established by the 1970s “B” disaster movie tradition with more slapstick and general silliness thrown in. The extensive cast of character actors and future stars includes Ned Beatty, Lynn Redgrave, and Ruth Gordon, among others. With singular visual effects for its time and creative direction, this movie is sure to make you laugh out loud.

If you are in the mood for a laugh-out-loud comedy that also showcases the disaster movie genre, The Big Bus should be top on your list of movies to watch. The film is an exquisite combination of slapstick humor, amusing characters, and remarkable effects. Despite being a comedy, the Big Bus has remained a classic and demonstrates that interlocking complex characters with amusing predicaments is a winning recipe.