Earthquake

Director: Mark Robson, John Andreas Andersen Mark Robson

Overview

Los Angeles is the natural site for a film about earthquakes: they happen there frequently, and the landscape is familiar to moviegoers from thousands of films. A huge number of ongoing vignettes, which include cameos from numerous celebrities and stars are tied together by the ongoing efforts of architect Graff (Charlton Heston) to rescue his estranged spoiled-rich-girl wife (Ava Gardner), while helping out with the ongoing rescue efforts taking place around him and also trying to determine what has happened to his mistress Denise (Genevi?ve Bujold). The rumbling sound effect designed for this film (Sensurround) won a "Best Sound" Oscar for the film in 1975.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/09/2006
UPC:	0025193046925
Original Release:	1974
Rating:	PG
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:03:00
Sales rank:	17,113

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Charlton Heston	Steward Graff
Ava Gardner	Remy Graff
George Kennedy	Lew Slade
Lorne Greene	Sam Royce
Richard Roundtree	Miles
Marjoe Gortner	Jody
Barry Sullivan	Dr. Stockle
Lloyd Nolan	Dr. Vance
Victoria Principal	Rosa
Walter Matthau	Drunk
Monica Lewis	Royce's Sectretary
Gabriel Dell	Miles's Manager
Pedro Armendariz Jr.	Slade's Partner
Lloyd Gough	Cameron
John Randolph	Mayor
Pedro Armendariz	Actor
Kip Niven	Assistant Seismologist
Scott Hylands	Assistant Dam Caretaker
Tiger Williams	Corry Marshall,Composer
Donald Moffat	Dr. Harvey Johnson
Jesse Vint	Buck,Ralph
Lionel Johnston	Hank
John Elerick	Carl Reeds
John S. Ragin	Chief Inspector
George Murdock	Colonel
Donald Mantooth	Sid
Michael Richardson	Sandy
Alex Brown	Pool Player,Pool Player
Bob Cunningham	Dr. Frank Ames
John Dennis	Brawny Foreman
Gene Dynarski	Dam Caretaker
Pedro Armendariz, Jr.	Slade's Partner
Robert Gravage	Farmer Mr. Griggs
H.B. Haggerty	Pool Player
Dave Morick	Technician
Inez Pedroza	Laura
Tim Herbert	Man
Debralee Scott	Newlywed
Geneviève Bujold	Denise
Kristoffer Joner	Kristian Eikjord
Ane Dahl Torp	Idun Karlsen
Edith Haagenrud-Sande	Julia Eikjord
Kathrine Thorborg Johansen	Marit Lindblom
Jonas Hoff Oftebro	Sondre Eikjord
Stig R. Amdam	Johannes Løberg
Catrin Sagen	Vilde
Per Frisch	Konrad Lindblom
Fredrik Skavlan	Skavlan
Ravdeep Singh Bajwa	Resepsjonist
Ingvild Haugstad	Ingrid
Johannes Ringen	Composer
Johan Söderqvist	Composer

Technical Credits

Mario Puzo

John Kåre Raake

Harald Rosenløw-Eeg

Mark Robson	Director,Producer
Mario Puzo	Screenwriter
Frank Brendel	Special Effects
Jennings Lang	Executive Producer
Jack McMasters	Special Effects
Glen Robinson	Special Effects
Albert Whitlock	Special Effects
Melvin Metcalfe Sr.	Sound/Sound Designer,Sound Effects
John Daheim	Stunts
Roswell A. Hoffmann	Special Effects
Ronald Pierce	Sound Effects,Sound/Sound Designer
Jack Danskin	Sound Effects
John Andreas Andersen	Director
John Kåre Raake	Screenwriter
Harald Rosenløw-Eeg	Screenwriter
Are Heidenstrom	Producer
Martin Sundland	Producer
Michaela Dvorska	Stunts

Editorial Reviews

Universal Pictures' big-ticket entry in the early 1970's disaster film cycle has all the carnage one might expect from this sort of film but not much else. The script has the usual fistful of soap opera-styled plot threads necessary for this kind of film but none of them are distinctive enough to truly involve the viewer. Mark Robson's direction gives the film a professional veneer but his pacing of the material is weak, especially in the second half of the film, and the film's flat, t.v.-style cinematography and studio backlot sets give it the look of a hastily-assembled t.v. movie. The lackluster storytelling isn't helped by the film's star-happy approach to casting: for example, Ava Gardner plays Lorne Greene's daughter despite the fact they are only a few years apart in age. On the positive side, the film's earthquake sequence is handled in an impressive, fx-heavy style and the post-destruction of images of L.A. are often quite stunning thanks to excellent visual effects by Albert Whitlock. Schlock fans will also be delighted by some scene-stealing supporting performances, including an amusingly macho turn from George Kennedy as a tough-guy cop and Marjoe Gortner's over-the-top work as a repressed grocery clerk who gives in to his military-man fantasies when the earthquake hits. All in all, Earthquake doesn't really succeed as a drama or an adventure but it might amuse viewers looking for a big-budget trash fix.