Airport from 1970 was not the first "disaster film" but it was a monster box office hit that ignited a series of disaster films throughout the Seventies until the spoof Airplane (1980) would put it all to rest 10 years later. With the release of San Andreas (2015), Decades of Horror '70 takes a look at four of the major shakers and movers in this star studded sub-genre: Airport (1970), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Earthquake (1974) and The Towering Inferno (1974). The Black Saint and Doc Rotten tackle another groovy horror film from the 1970s.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 17 – Disaster Films
Airport – The Poseidon Adventure – Earthquake – The Towering Inferno
The Black Saint and Doc Rotten celebrate the decade of disaster by looking at the big four. Starting with Airport, the take a quick look as the box office, the filming and the cast all the way to The Towering Inferno. The films remain influential and are remarkable in how they hold up after all these years. What makes them so incredible? Is it the nature of the sub-genre? Is it the incredible cast that include a string of Hollywood greats from their time? Check out the famous faces these films include, Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Helen Hayes, Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons, Ernest Borgnine, Charleton Heston, George Kennedy, Faye Dunaway, Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. Big special effects, sprawling soap opera conflicts and sensurround. Hold tight, The Black Saint and Doc Rotten are here to rescue you. "Linda! My Linda!" - Ernest Borgnine, The Poseidon Adventure.
AIRPORT (1970)
Based on the novel by Arthur Hailey and directed by George Seaton, Airport stars Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jean Seberg, Jacqueline Bisset, George Kennedy, Helen Hayes, Van Heflin, Maureen Stapleton, Lloyd Nolan, Barbara Hale, Gary Collins. The film earns Helen Hayes an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Released on March 5, 1970 with a budget of $10 million, it grosses over $100 million.
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972)
Irwin Allen steps into the disaster film ring with The Poseidon Adventure in 1972 with perhaps the best of all disaster films. The film is based on the novel Paul Gallico and is directed by Ronald Neame. The cast is phenomenal staring Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, Pamela Sue Martin, Arthur O'Connell, Eric Shea and Leslie Nielsen. The film would earn the Best Original Song Academy Award for "The Morning After" and the Special Achievement Award for Visual Effects. Released on December 13, 1972 with a budget of $5 million, it grosses over $90 million.
EARTHQUAKE (1974)
Mark Robson directs the original screenplay from George Fox and Mario Puzo presenting what would be advertised as "An Event..." film. Known for being presented in sensurround, Earthquake stars harlton Heston, Ava Gardner, George Kennedy, Lorne Green, Genevieve Bujold, Richard Roundtree, Marjoe Gortner, Barry Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan, Victoria Principal and Walter Matthau (as Walter Matuschanskayasky). It wins the Academy Award for Best Sound and the Special Achievement Award for Visual Effects. Released on November 15, 1974 with a budget of $7 million, it grosses over $75 million.
THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974)
Irwin Allen is back again using two books as inspiration - the novel The Tower by Richard Martin Stern and the novel The Glass Inferno by Thomas N. Scortia & Frank M. Robinson - for the block buster of all disaster films, the Towering Inferno. The film stars Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astair, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, Jennifer Jones, O.J. Simson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner and Mike Lookingland. The films wins Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Music, Original Song: "We May Never Love Like This Again." Released on December 16, 1974 with a budget of $14 million, it grosses over $116 million.
We want to hear from you - the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at theblacksaint@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
