Review of The Towering Inferno (1974) by Danny R — 04 Dec 2011

Irwin Allen's magnificent production of "The Towering Inferno" is one of the greatest disaster films ever made, an awesome multimillion-dollar all-star epic spectacle, it concerns the Glass Tower an architectural marvel which is the world's tallest building, a 138 story golden monolith of glass and steel that completely dominates the San Francisco skyline, it proudly awaits its glamorous gala dedicatory ceremonies, leaders of politics, society and the entertainment world are all in hand to witness the unveiling of this towering colossus, but of the eve of skyscraper's debut, Doug Roberts the architect who designed the building, played by Paul Newman in a solid and charismatic performance is not too enthusiastic because of a defective burnt wire found in the basement system control panel by the building's maintenance crew, Roberts discovers that there is a larger problem, cut-rate wiring runs throughout the building and it could start electrical fires breaking-out everywhere, Roberts contacts the builder James Duncan played superbly by William Holden and pleads for him to postpone the building's dedication, Duncan refuses and a fire does breakout in a storage room on the 81st floor, which quickly spreads and hits the gas lines causing a massive explosion and firet traps 300 guests in the building's penthouse ballroom on the 135th floor, Steve McQueen brilliantly plays the heroic Fire Chief Michael O'Hallorhan who along with Roberts must fine a way of getting those people down before the out of control fire reaches them.

Terrific direction by John Guillermin with Irwin Allen marvelously directing the film's spectacular action sequences which includes the incredible torrential climatic ending where enormous top-floor water tanks are blown up releasing a million gallions of water in a last-ditch effort to put out the raging fires.

Exquisite supporting performances from Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, Susan Blakely, Jennifer Jones, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, Jack Collins, Norman Burton and Felton Perry. The extraordinary Oscar nominated pre-CGI special effects by L.

B. Abbott and Matthew Yuricich are very impressive, the pyrotechnics are gripping and the optical effects, matte paintings and miniatures all add realism and help create a threatening atmosphere of calamity, the film has sensational stunts thanks to the superb 25 stuntmen and stuntwomen under the supervision of coordinator Paul Stader they performed more than 200 individual stunts for this film, gorgeous Oscar winning cinematography by Fred J.

Koenekamf and a wonderfully dynamic score by John Williams. A suspenseful, well-crafted cinematic gem of the early 70s that earned 8 Academy Awards nominations including Best Picture. Highly Recommended.