Review of The Towering Inferno (1974) by Timothy S — 14 Oct 2014

Perhaps the greatest mainstay of 1970's cinema that I miss the most are the epic disaster pictures, most of which were created by mayhem maestro Irwin Allen. One of his most popular features was "The Towering Inferno," and although it wasn't my personal favorite, it did carry on the sub-genre in grand and glorious tradition.

It's an epic production, on a scale that would simply be unmanageable by today's standards, full of cheesy characters and dialogue and all of the other staples such as the spectacular death scenes and the warnings that go unheeded.

The film has assembled a great cast of favorites from the era, and it's great fun watching Steve McQueen and Paul Newman clash on the screen especially since they reportedly clashed so much behind the scenes as well. It's also refreshing to see a film from this time period because it relies so much on actual special effects and not computer generated ones, and there are a number of stunts here that are quite spectacular.

Another great thing about these pictures is that there were never any steadfast rules on what stars lived or died, and that really adds to the shock value. Granted the whole thing is an exercise in excess, but in films such as this, that's really part of the fun. From Allen and her crew, you wouldn't expect anything less. "The Towering Inferno" is an exemplary example of the genre, an overlong, melodramatic-filled thrill-ride that likes of which we could never see today. It's not the best of the lot but you have to admire it for its technical achievements and sheer entertainment value.