The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 23, 1975, Page Page 6, Image 6
Entertainment
Disaster '
BY TEItRY DUGAS
Of The Gamecock staff
Much has been said in recent
months about the "sudden rise" of
the disaster film. A few moments
thought, however, will show that
the disaster films are simply an
offshoot of the spectacular film, a
tried and proven Hollywood for
mula.
The spectacular has been around
as long as film itself. The first
appeal of film was in showing
sights beyond the experience of the
average man. One of the greatest
silent films, D.W. Griffith's -"In
tolerance" placed more -action
before an audience than they could
grasp. The vast tableau soon
became a staple of the silent epic of
the 1910's. As the novelty of the
screen lessened, however, viewers
became more discriminating and
the appeal of the spectacular had
vanished by the mid 1920's.
The spectacular reappeared in
the early 1930's as a step-child of
the Great Depression. In every
time of national economic un
certainty, the film industry has
enjoyed unparalleled growth. One
explanation offered for this has
been the public's desire for escape
from every day life. Director Cecil
B. De Mille gambled that the mood
of the country was right for the
return of the spectacular boosted
with sound, vast exterior shots,
and thousands of extras. The
gamble was successful. "Sign of
the Cross" in 1932 paved the way
for a rash of spectacular films
culminating in De Mille's own
"The Crusades," one of the top
grossing films of 1935. Following
the return of economic stability,
audiences and, consequently, the
film industry, moved on to other
themes and abandoned the spec
tacular.
The relative stability of the late
1950's pushed the spectacular into
the background until the economic
and political uncertainty of the
1960's caused Hollywood to revive
it. "Spartacus" in 1960, "The
Longest Day" in 1962, and "Dr.
Zhivago" in 1965 were all top
money makers for their years.
1968 also proved a bumper year for
spectaculars with both "2001" and
Movies
BY RON WRIGHT
Of The Gamecock staff
THE DOVE-The "true" story
of Robin Lee Graham's solo
circumnavigation of the world.
Hardly. Poor acting and bad
screenplay make this movie
nothing more than a sen
sationalized exaggeration of the
real event. However, an ex
cellent musical score by John
Barry combined with beautiful
filming make this movie worth
hearing-I mean seeing. (PG
Dutch Square)
DELIVERANCE--Nominated
for an academy award for Best
Picture in 1972. Deliverance
offers an excellent screenplay by
James Dickey and adequate
acting by Jon Voight and Burt
Reynolds. This film has been off
the circuit - long enough for a
second viewing. (THU., FRI.,
SAT., Russell House Theater R)
DR. STRANGELOVE--An
excellent satirical comedy about
the accidental start of a nuclear
war. Don't mlss the optuity
to see Slim Pickens riean A
bomb dropped on Russia from a
B-52. (Wednesday Rumsil House
'rhater)
trikes C6o
"Plainet of the Apes." 'All told, of
the 50 top grossing films of the
1960's, 13 were spectaculars.
It is for- the psychologists to
determine why, but the spec
tacular film of the 1970's has ap
peared in the guise of the disaster
film. "Airport" thrilled audiences
in 1970 with the sight of George
Kennedy throwing a 727 into a four
wheel slide. Following on the heels
of this was "Tora, Tora, Tora,"
also made in 1970. In this film,
audiences thrilled to the sight of
the Japanese Air Force throwing
the U.S. Navy into a four wheel
slide. The true father of the
disaster film, however, was "The
Poseidon Adventure," released in
1972. The film received qn
paralleled publicity and ranks 12th
on the list of all time money
making films.
Hollywood has always been
quick to catch the scent of money
in the air and, consequently,
rushed into production a sequel to
the original 70's spectacle "Airport
1975." In this, Charlton Heston,
perenqial spectacular star, is
dropped into -the cockpit of a
partially destroyed 747 by a
helicopter. The latest wave of
spectacular can be placed in a
historical perspective by noting
that the 1970's has also been a
period of economic uncertainty.
Now playing downtown are what
will be two of the all time box office
hits, "Towering Inferno," and
"Earthquake." Unfortunately,
neither film is really worth the
time and effort to see it. In
"Earthquake," George Kennedy
says that "Earthquakes bring out
the worst in people." The
producers of the film included not
only people in this, but dialogue,
acting, and special effects. The
much heralded 'Sensurround is
nothing more than giant bass
speakers that create subsonics
which vibrate the fluid in the inner
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ear; nothing actually moves. The
special effects in the film are very
basic and, occasionally,
amateurishly done with obvious.
models and paintings spliced in
with actual earthquake footage.
The writers desperately try to
juggle 10 different stories without
creating an actual star but the
constant cross cutting and editing
destroys any dramatic suspense by
the ludicrous coincidences which
bring all the characters together.
The high point of the film is
provided by Walter Matthau in a
cameo role as a drunk wondering
why be cannot get any bar service
during the earthquake. George
Kennedy is the only acceptable
actor in the production. He is cast
as a hard boiled cop determined to
survive. By and large; "Ear
thquake" is not worth the two
hours spent in the theatre. The
first usage of Sensurround is in
teresting, but it becomes boring
with each successive use.
The "Towering Inferno" is two
hours and 45 minutes long, or,
about one hour too long. It is to the
film's credit, however, in that this
is its only fault, although a serious
one. The special effects in the film
are incredible, perhaps the most
impressive ever put on film. The
acting is, on the whole very good,
with Steve McQueen standing
above the rest. The story is very
suspenseful in the beginning and at
the end. However, during the
middle, one wonders just how
many different ways of being in
cinerated were going to be shown.
Never before has such an im
pressive array of talent been
compiled. Every major technician
in Hollywood has made some
major contribution to the story, the
acting, or the effects. The film has
been called by Variety "a brilliant
example of Hollywood filmaking."
This is undoubtedly true, but it is
still too long.
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