Movies are not just entertainment but also sources of inspiration and influence. While movies like Steven Spielberg’s Jaws became detrimental to sharks, the 1996 blockbuster Twister, ended up becoming a cultural touchstone. Such was a storm created by one single movie, that it not only ignited a passion for weather phenomenon among countless viewers but also gave a significant boost to the recreational activity of storm chasing.
When American Meteorologists Honored Bill Paxton in the Most Unusual Way
The 1996 disaster epic, Twister, was more than just a movie made for entertainment. At its core, the film turned out to be a grand cultural phenomenon, influencing people across the world and the United States. While storm chasing received a significant boost as an activity, a huge number of people became interested in atmospheric sciences as well, leading it to be called the Twister effect.
However, the real essence of the film was realized when Hollywood legend and Twister star Bill Paxton passed away in February 2017, due to complications from a heart surgery. In a tribute that would have made his Twister character, Bill Harding, proud, meteorologists around the world and the United States coordinated a massive effort to spell out the actor’s initials ‘BP’, using GPS spotter units (via CNN).
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Taking a whole two hours to make the tribute happen, the meteorologists and storm chasers used the Spotter Network to create the initials in certain portions of the states of Oklahoma and Kansas. Both states are the heart of Tornado Valley and the heartfelt tribute was centered in the town of Wakita, the city featured in the film and also houses a museum dedicated to Twister.
American Meteorologists’ Tribute to Bill Paxton Was More Than Just a Nod to the Late Actor
When Bill Paxton passed away on 26 February 2017, the news was met with an outpouring of grief from all over the world. many of his industry counterparts went on to pay tribute to him and even dedicated their films to him. But it was the meteorologists’ surprising tribute that stole the show. It was not a simple tribute; the unprecedented effort put into spelling out his initials wasn’t just a nod to the late actor, nor a nod to Paxton’s role in Twister.
The tribute was also a recognition of the profound impact the film and Paxton’s portrayal had on the profession and the public’s interest in meteorology. His passionate portrayal of a storm chaser in the film inspired several generations of meteorologists and sparked a widespread fascination with weather phenomena.
Talking to CNN, John Wetter, the then-president of Spotter Network, the platform behind the tribute, stated,
Bill Paxton’s character in ‘Twister’ helped to make meteorology – and the hobby of storm chasing – cool… There isn’t a storm chaser alive that couldn’t tell you some story about the impact that the movie has had on them as a storm chaser.
And so while the radar tribute was a heartfelt homage to Bill Paxton, befitting of his character Bill Harding in Twister, it also highlights the deep connection between art and science. As the tribute continues to serve as a powerful reminder of how a single film and its lead actor could leave an enduring legacy on an entire field, Twister continues to inspire and influence countless individuals.
Twister can be rented on Amazon Prime Video.
