Bug story
An earthquake releases a bunch of mutant cockroaches that can create fire by rubbing their cerci together. Eventually most of the bugs die because they cannot survive in the low air pressure on the Earth's surface, but a scientist, Professor James Parmiter, keeps one alive in a pressure chamber. He successfully breeds the mutant cockroach with a modern cockroach, creating a breed of intelligent, flying super-cockroaches. It is based on Thomas Page's 1973 novel The Hephaestus Plague.
5 total · 3 major · 2 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| collectively intelligent beings | major | The cockroaches breed by James Parmiter became collectively intelligent to the point that they spelled out "we live" using their bodies. |
| human vs. beast | major | The people of a small town were imperiled by a breed of mutant cockroaches. |
| obsession | major | Biologist James Parmiter became obsessed with breeding fire producing cockroaches even though it was very dangerous to do so and warned not to do it. |
| Christianity | minor | The film began with a preacher giving a sermon on how people were falling away from the Lord. |
| husband and wife | minor | James Parmiter's wife Carrie fell victim to the fire producing cockroaches. |