Earthquake

Earthquake (1974)

Runtime: 122 minutes

Directed by: Mark Robson

Starring: An all-star cast I list below

From: Universal

If you ever wanted to see Walter Matthau dressed like a 70's pimp... years ago I saw one scene of the movie and it was of Matthau in a bar wearing from the waist up an astounding red and white ensemble, complete w/ bright red hat. It was so absurd I guffawed out loud; don't ask me why it was just last night that I saw the movie in full. Incidentally, Walter did the movie for free as he was friends w/ the producer; he was credited as Walter Matuschanskayasky which actually started the rumor that it was his legit surname! For the record, the name on his birth certificate was Walter Jake Matthow.

As Airport was a big hit for Universal, naturally they wanted to have another disaster movie; a real life San Francisco earthquake in '71 provided the inspiration. Mario Puzo's original script languished for a bit until The Poseidon Adventure was a success; that gave the studio the boot in the ass for this to be made. I understand that the script they filmed w/ was far different than what was first written. As is, the first 50 minutes is full of melodrama as all the various characters are introduced to the audience. The main plot is the first world problem of how Charlton Heston is unhappily married to a real shrew of a woman (Ava Garner) but he's more interested in Genevieve Bujold, who is at least not a wet blanket. The other famous faces including Richard Roundtree (sans mustache but still a badass), young giant-haired Victoria Principal, George Kennedy as a loose cannon cop, Marjoe Gortner, Lorne Greene as Garner's father-which strains credulity as Greene wasn't even 8 years older than Garner-Lloyd Nolan, Barry Sullivan, Pedro Armendariz, Jr., Jesse Vint and Alan Vint.

Once the titular event happens, thankfully we finally go to town and besides the utter destruction of Los Angeles that happens-”war zone” sounds like a crass term to use in 2022 but that is the best comparison to make-the main characters start interacting with each other, heroic acts are seen, and not everyone survives by the time the end credits roll. If only I could have seen this theatrically back in '74... I say that due to the then-new Sensurround system that Universal only used a few times. It was basically an early version of a subwoofer that literally shook some auditoriums to the point of minor damage... can't imagine why it didn't take off. Even if it has most of the disaster movie cliches, I was entertained enough by the carnage, stirred enough by all the heroes stepping up to the plate and laughed enough at Walter Matuschanskayasky's character-even it became preposterous by the end-to have liked this overall.