Review of Earthquake (1974) by The Critic ( — 11 Jan 2015

1970s Hollywood productions are defined by their large-scale disaster pics and 'Earthquake', sandwiched in-between Irwin Allen blockbusters 'The Poseidon Adventure' (December 1972) and 'The Towering Inferno' (December 1974), was one of the significant releases. It follows Allen's formula insofar as casting established and potential stars playing easily identifiable characters and the reliance on competent special effects and stunt teams (141 members; a record at the time). The film also utilised new audio technology, "Sensurround", so that audiences would feel as though they were literally in the middle of the action when the titular event and obligatory aftershocks occurred. Such a gimmick became redundant when the film is presented away from the big screen and this is where the weight of the film rests on Mario Puzo and George Fox's script. The characters here are a mixed bag; some are quite engaging (Geneviève Bujold as a single mother and actress) and others are too oddball to be completely accessible (Marjoe Gortner as a military personnel who makes ends meet as a store clerk). The central figures are a feuding couple played by a generally good Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner. The script was trimmed down so that their backstory is never fully explored and thereby the characters, particularly Gardner's emotionally unstable spoilt brat, fail to truly capture one's sympathy when their lives are threatened.

And of the titular natural disaster itself... The earthquake lasts for just under eight minutes and is a wonderfully shot and edited sequence. Genuinely thrilling with almost-always believable moments of carnage (sans the elevator shot), the film still holds up relatively well today, but will perhaps be most embraced by fans of the genre. Features Walter Matthau (beautifully credited as "Walter Matuschanskayasky") as a barfly and a spunky Victoria Principal sporting one of cinema's greatest afros.