Earthquake [DVD]

I saw this movie originally when it first came out at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. For years I wanted a copy of my own and finally saw that Amazon had it for sale. Works perfect and is an awesome film!

Good plot, good acting, believable situation (earthqauke in LA), excellent effects

classic. Was one of my all time favs growing up - however some of the effects (which won acadeny awards at the time) just don't hold up to modern scrutiny. Still, a fun watch.

These were the nicknames for "Earthquake" and "The Towering Inferno" during the fall of 1974 when these films were released.Yah...what they could do today with all the CGI stuff, but I'll still take "Earthquake".The Sensurround gimmick was fun and the special effects and matte paintings by Albert Whitlock still hold up.I was at Universal studios after the filming and part of the tour was the "making of".They had to dig giant holes in the soundstage to accommodate the fake skyscraper sets where people are flying out of the side of the building. Got to see raw footage of the stunt people flying into giant airbags etc.The part with the flood where Roundtree comes flying down a street with water behind him used to be part of the back lot tour.I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Whitlock at a seminar where he explained a lot of the tricks.Most of the tops of the buildings on the back lot were matted in.If you slow the picture down you can see the amazing optical work during the big one. Debris falling, insulation, broken glass. My only fault with film is when the chick is screaming "Mother" during the big one, you can tell Mommy already had broken glass in her face before it falls. Look quick you guys.At the end of the film you see fires at different points of the scene. Mr. Whitlock did this by setting blow torches off at different parts of a dark soundstage and then incorporating it into the film.If you want to see the late Mr. Whitlock in "person" check out "High Anxiety".He played Madeline Kahn's father and also did the matte work for this Mel Brooks film.He also did the matte work for "The Hindenburg" the following year which he won his second consecutive Oscar for special effects along with "Earthquake" the year before.He also did matte work for Hitchcock during the early years in the sixties starting with "The Birds" and into the seventies up to "Family Plot". He was a master painter.Hope this was helpful to all of the "fifty some things" who remember the disaster craze with fond memories.P.S Chuck and Ava really did hate each other in real life. Guess that's why their scenes seem real."Airport" "Poseidon Adventure" "Towering Inferno" and now "Earthquake" are available on Blu-ray.All we need is "Airport 1975" on Blu to complete the high def fun of the 70's disaster genre.

The film itself is a fair movie. All-star cast (George Kennedy shines in this one) and some impressive effects for the time, (Some cheesy ones as well, see the "blood" splatter in the elevator scene). It stands in the middle of the disaster film genre but it is still a must own if you are a film buff. Be warned, the sound will really shake a living room if you have surround sound, a powerful woofer and turn up the volume. One fun fact... a sequel was planned with the survivors heading to San Fransisco, only to be hit by an even larger earthquake. You can debate if this or "San Andreas" is a better earthquake movie.

SOME---if not most---of these reviews are over ten years old, and are for a DVD.I bought t-h-i-s Blu-ray in 2016, and watched it TODAY.The picture has been cleaned up to appear to be MUCH newer than its actualscreening-date in 1974.You have the choice of watching this in DTS 5.1 Surround, or 2.1 Sensurround...a somewhat modified 5.1. ...and it's also a few other languages.I watched the movie on a 55" Sony TV with a Bose 5.1 Surround System.Of course, this was filmed before the advent/invent of Digital F/X---extensive mini-atures, and crude matte paintings, so, the MAIN reason for watching it is seeing thestars: Ava Gardner, George Kennedy, Lorne Greene, Geneviève Bujold, RichardRoundtree, Marjoe Gortner, Barry Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan and Victoria Principal, Lookfor Walter Matthau---credited as: "Walter Matuschanskayasky"--- playing a mumblingdrunk. In the credits after him is a guy Bowery Boys fans will recognize as Gabe Dell---(the Bowery Boys' romantic lead [with the dimpled chin] billed as Gabriel Dell).Actors DO change their names. Thomas Cruise Mapother, IV is known as Tom Cruise...HE isn't in this, but there ARE a lot of explosions and rumbles!Well, anyway, the audio was crisp; the picture was pristine; the SFX were, well... it IS a42-year-old "bomb", but CURIOSITY has to give it a few extra stars to pad out a TV-movie-of-the-week's quality flick, BECAUSE of the sensurround. This is just a few minutes over 2-hours, and is NOT the padded, TV, version.I didn't LOVE it, but, I DID like it. I'm 67, so I was just 25 when I first saw it... a couple yearsafter returning from Vietnam. I'm thinkin'... if YOU are 25---now---you'd probably rather seea newer Asylum earthquake movie; if you're old enough to KNOW the names of ANY of thestars I mentioned [other than Tom], give it a chance to shake your home theater: I watchedit with MY sound on 75 of 100.

Great action movie!

This the Earthquake film that when you saw it at the Cinema, the wall's actually cracked due to the base sound being used at the time it was shown. This is also the original film which started all the other's following it. Don't forget this was made in the 70's. I thought it was excellent. A very good story line. Excellent character's played by decent star's. All in all a damn good movie. The special effect's are very good for their day. If you want action, you certainly get it. There are some funny moment's in it as well. Watch what happen's at the end of the car chase. It is still well worth a watch even today. You decide if you want to buy it. I think it's worth it. PC. 16.12. 2017.

'A WELL STAGED APOCALYPTIC MOVIE FROM YESTERYEAR' (A CLASSIC OF IT'S DAY)Watching films such as this have to be viewed realising that all the effects had to be staged using polystyreneand models, not having the benefit of the virtual reality today's technology brings to the screen.With a cast of many of the big-names of the day this apocalyptic movie was certainly a must-see back then, asthe returns at the box-office clearly shows.The film tells of a catastrophic 'Earthquake' in the Los Angeles region of California...........After a series of mini-quakes many begin to believe the 'Big-One' was imminent.......do the authorities cause wide-spread panic by making the findings of seismologists public.When the devastation occurs it see's people trapped in buildings people buried by falling debris...panic and confusion,with unlikely heroes emerging in the face of adversity including 'Graff's' (Charlton Heston) father-in-law 'Royce' (LorneGreene) who at great risk to himself helps many of his staff escape his badly damaged Office block.Many are drawn to an underground car-park where emergency measures are in-place including medical attention andfood, however after a strong after-shock those in the temporary shelter become trapped.'Graff' who's wife 'Remy' (Ava Gardner) and indeed lover 'Denise' (Genevieve Bujold) and son 'Corry' (Tiger Williams)are among those trapped is helped by LAPD Officer 'Slade' (George Kennedy)(a drunk brilliantly portrayed by 'Walter Matthau' barely felt the Earth move)However, the danger is not over for many of the trapped and indeed their heroic rescuers.The film was produced and released in 1974 given which the Blu-ray upgrade is actually pretty good, the special-effectsimpressive for that time......though many would argue perhaps a little dated....still worth a re-visit in my view.* Must admit, am looking forward to the special-effects blockbuster 'San-Andreas' though of course not wishing for thereality's of that particular 'Time-Bomb' which would of course be devastating for the highly populated region.

I remember this fondly from growing up in the 70’s. We’re on a disaster movie mission at the moment and after working our way through the the usual suspects (airport box set, towering inferno, Poseidon), I came across this gem which I’d forgotten about. Special effects aren’t great (putting it mildly), unintentionally funny at the most in opportune moments and the usual 70’s rhetoric but it was worth it for the nostalgia. Absolutely fab.

Good engrossing film. I remember going to a cinema when I lived in London as a boy to watch this film in a preview screening. When the Sensurround soundtrack kicked in the whole cinema started vibrating and, for a moment, I was genuinely concerned. I had hoped to re-create that room shaking bass back home with my sub woofer but alas it did not materialise. Don't know why, but I was disappointed.I still recommend this film though because as well as an all-star cast including some of the biggest names in the business back then. The director captures the mounting suspense and concern about the earthquakes and the collateral damage they cause highly effectively. The film has that 'big budget' feel to it so you can tell you're in for a treat.

My Dad wanted me to buy this for him as he seems to be wanting to watch all the old films he remembers and had on VHS!He said it was great and a lovely distraction during lockdown.