Pompeii – a Geological Movie-Review : Introducing the Main Character

The new movie “Pompeii” reconstructs one of the most famous volcanic eruptions in history with unprecedented “3D” special effects – but even the best visuals can’t help if the science is wrong – so how geological accurate is the movie ?

Mount Vesuvius as reconstructed in the new film “Pompeii” (from the movie trailer – copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher or studio, it is believed that the use of low-resolution images for discussion and education purpose qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law).

The Man who made Mountains

U.S.G.S. engineer Bailey Willis († February 19, 1949) was known for his unorthodox approach to geological questions. Puzzled by the geological structures he discovered in mountain ranges, long before computer-models were available, he constructed a machine to simulate the mountain-forming process.