Earthquake is still one of the classic disaster thrillers

Earthquake remains a classic disaster thriller even though the visual effects are nothing compared to what’s possible with today’s technology.

Mark Robson assembles a real cast in the 1974 disaster thriller. By this time, disasters have hit the air and sea at the airport and Poseidon’s adventure, respectively. It was only a matter of time before the disaster struck the earth. When disaster strikes, it’s almost always Los Angeles, or San Francisco, or in recent years, Chicago. Filmmakers make best use of available technology to recreate and subsequently destroy Los Angeles via full-size sets, scale models and matte paintings. They also use the Shaker Mount camera system to make us feel the earthquake on the screen.

The movie will look a lot different with 2022 technology. I hesitate to even think about it. Want to talk about technology? Try watching this movie right after San Andreas! In hindsight, one should watch the two films in reverse order. It’s like talking about apples and oranges because San Andreas can do so much more than earthquake. Of course we should watch these films through the lens with which they were made. For being a 1974 movie, it has been a derogatory slander several times.

We are following a number of people. Too much to tell you the truth. They are led by Stuart Graf (Charlton Heston) and Remy Royce Graf (Ava Gardner). Stewart works for Remy’s father, Sam Royce (Lauren Green). Meanwhile, he is cheating on his wife with Dennis the Younger (Genevieve Bogold), who has a son, Corey (Tiger Williams). Elsewhere in town, police officer Lou Slade (George Kinney) realizes he no longer wants to be a cop. He knew he wanted to help people but not in this way. Funny enough, there’s a brawl going on in the bar while he and his mate just don’t care. Miles Quad (Richard Roundtree), also in the pub, is a motorcycle champion and plans on his next act.

After alerting the National Guard and the police, Jodi Goad (Margo Gurtner) basically gets down to business. We’ll see a callback later but first, his roommates tease him excessively. Not cool, folks. Not cool. I think what it’s about comes about because it’s the absolute jerk at the end of the day.

After the initial activity, the Wilson Plaza Shopping Center is serving as a temporary screening. While Stewart is on the way back with Lou, Rosa (Victoria Principal), and other passengers, they learn that it has been destroyed. Stewart isn’t one to give up so he starts planning a rescue mission. While all this is happening, the Mulholland Dam is finally broken and begins to flood the city and the sewers. You guessed it! They only have minutes to get everyone to safety before it’s too late.

Undoubtedly, the shaker camera and the visual effects are the best part of the movie. Upon its theatrical release, the studio played it in theaters with the Sensurround system. It wasn’t without controversy because it was supposed to make you feel like there was a real earthquake. Put it this way: The Chinese stage had to install a grid because the ceiling plaster was starting to crack. Beyond that, John Williams scored the film. He will also make another disastrous movie in the same year in The Towering Inferno. Both films would receive multiple Academy Award nominations. Earthquake received the Best Sound Award and the Academy’s Special Achievement Award for Special Effects. Other nominations were for editing, cinematography and art direction. Williams misses here but will still get a nomination elsewhere.

There is a lot that could happen in this movie. You obviously want the stars to survive but in a movie called Earthquake, you don’t want to see them just sitting there. You want to see them run for their lives! And yes, that is what happens in one form or another. If they are not hiding under a car or anything you have, they are trying to look for safety. Sometimes this is easier said than done.

The most puzzling part of the movie is the portrayal of Lorne Greene as Ava Gardner’s father. They are less than ten years old. A similar casting took place a few years ago, with William Daniels playing Dustin Hoffman’s father in The Graduate. Of course, that would happen again in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when Sean Connery played Harrison Ford’s father.

Although Earthquake is still a classic due to the technology available at the time, there are plenty of people to follow within a couple of hours of running time.

Director: Mark Robson Writers: George Fox and Mario Bozocast: Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, George Kennedy, Lorne Green, Genevieve Bogold, Richard Roundtree, Margo Gortner, Barry Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan, Victoria Principal

Universal Earthquake was released in theaters on November 15, 1974.

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