Earthquake

I really enjoyed the practical effects before CGI took over the film industry. This is the time when making disaster films was a huge challenge. This is decent film making at its best. The visual effects are incredible and is still good by today's standard. This must have been amazing at the time of release. Charlton Heston is a likable hero as usual. I enjoyed how the characters interacted with one another and how their characters developed during and after the disaster. The film did end rather abruptly, but it was an enjoyable action drama.

I saw this movie on the big-screen when it was released and I actually found the Sensurround (R) to be annoying, but the film isn't as bad as critics made it out to be. I agree, the casting could have been better (the Ava Gardner/Loorne Green argument is a good one), but this is a special effects movie, and the special effects were pretty good by 1974 standards. Besides, how can a movie about the destruction of LA be so bad?

Ordinary catastrophe movie in soap opera and vintage style with all star cast dealing with a huge earthquake outbursts at a noisy city. It has a long prologue presenting Charlton Heston, his drunk wife, Ava Gardner, and his lover, Genevieve Bujold. As well as other characters as a spectacle motorcycle rider, Richard Roundtree, a drunken man, Walter Matthaw, an avenger military, Marjoe Gortner, a besieged beautiful girl, Victoria Principal, and several others. As an earthquake causing death, destruction and wreak havoc. This impressive quake has an awesome and destructive power enhanced by the sensorround sound.

Acceptable disaster movie paced in fits and starts with a great cast, though a little wasted. The impressive cast cannot save this passable film , at all. It lacks deep characterization , displaying some boring moments and a tiring script that was presumibly well paid . This was a successful catastrophe movie that belongs to disaster movie genre of the 70s and 80s such as Towering inferno, Poseidon, Beyond Poseidon, The swarm, Avalanche, The Russian rollercoaster, Avalanche express , Airport I, II, III.. and whose main representative was producer Irwin Allen. It packs primitive and traditional special effects by LB Abbott , with no computer generator effects . It contains an atmospheric and adequate cinematography by Philip H. Lahtrop. And a sensitive and enjoyable musical score by the always great and incombustible John Williams. Main cast is pretty well, giving understanding interpretations as Charlton Heston, Genevieve Bujold, Ava Gardner and Lorne Greene. Support cast is frankly excellent such as Lloyd Nolan, Victoria Principal, Barry Sullivan, Pedro Armendariz Jr, John Randolph, Scott Hylands, Donald Moffat, brothers Jesse, Alan Vint, Walter Matthaw, George Murdock and usual in catastrophe movies, George Kennedy, among others.

The motion picture financed by Jennings Lang who produced Airport series was professionally directed by Mark Robson. He was a classical director. Robson had a prolific career, delivering classic movies, as well as hits and flops. He directed some classy terror movies as Ghost ship, Bedlam, The seventh victim ,Isle of dead, all of them produced by Val Lewton. Subsequently, he directed all kinds of genres in films as Peyton Place, The harder they fall, Edge of doom, Champion, Bright victory, Trial , Bridges at Toko-Ri, Return to Paradise, The inn of the sixth happiness, Valley of dolls, Von Ryan express, Last command , The prize, From the terrace, among others. Rating 6/10. Acceptable, passable and decent disaster movie.

Remy (Ava Gardner) and Stuart Graff (Charlton Heston)'s marriage is falling apart. She ODs once again after another fight. During a small earthquake, she jumps up and reveals that she's faking. He's a construction engineer working for his father-in-law Sam Royce (Lorne Greene). He starts an affair with the widow of his friend and single mom Denise Marshall (Geneviève Bujold). There is a mysterious drowning at a local dam and other disturbing signs. LAPD cop Lou Slade (George Kennedy) gets suspended for punching a clueless county cop. Miles (Richard Roundtree) is a motorcycle rider perfecting a new stunt. Grad student Russell predicts the big one in 48 hours.

Walter Matthau's getup is hilarious. That bar is a weird place and that T-shirt is super fine. I like that group of characters. They're a little off-beat and slightly fun. I care a lot less about the affair and the jealousy within the Graff marriage. They could drop into the earth for all I care. The earthquake action is as much as can be expected with shaking cameras, miniatures, falling styrofoam and other stuntwork. This is good special effects for its times and satisfies the need for destruction. It's nowhere near as visually compelling as CGI but it feeds the same animal instincts. There is a good 15 minutes of continuous destruction. The aftermath is a mix of good rescue scenarios and bad melodrama.

Middle of the road disaster movie attempt has all the elements, but just misses the right tone needed to assure the momentum for a two-hour shakedown. Heston (hot on the heels of "Skyjacked" and moments away from "Airport 1975") and Gardner are beyond their prime in roles perhaps better suited to younger performers, nevertheless, there is ample youth displayed in Marjoe Gortner playing an unhinged national guardsman taking his duty far too seriously, Richard Roundtree riding the "Shaft" wave as a self-styled Evel Kneivel, and beauties Genevieve Bujold and Victoria Principal in shallow, supporting roles.

The story revolves around the destruction of Los Angeles following a series of tremors, claiming the lives of many of the cast and sparing some who probably should have perished. Lorne Greene plays Ava Gardner's dad (apparently he was 4 or 5 when she was conceived), Barry Sullivan is a seismologist, and for some unknown reason Walter Matthau plays a barfly who's too sozzled to know what's happening when the big one razes the bar (so to speak). There's the usual solar system worth of stars and character actors in varying roles ranging from George Kennedy as an LAPD cop with plenty on his plate, to HB Haggerty and Lonny Chapman in an uncredited role.

Made at a time when these type of films were in vogue, you didn't need to think too hard about the back stories and soap opera melodrama, just recline and enjoy the ensuing pandemonium, here, focused mainly on the post-earthquake looting and usual stories of heroism, survival and sometimes, tragedy. Nothing heavy nor sentimental with which to contend, it's just plain old meat and drink, take it or leave it, disaster movie 101.