User reviews

Earthquake is directed by Mark Robson and written by Mario Puzo and George Fox. It stars Charlton Heston, George Kennedy, Ava Gardner, Geneviève Bujold, Lorne Greene, Richard Roundtree & Marjoe Gortner.

A catastrophic earthquake hits Southern California and begins to level Los Angeles...

"It's not a negative to have heart in the disaster genre of film"

Take yourself to 1974, are you there? Good, now maybe you can appreciate this film a little more? Maybe? Earthquake does suffer from old age, it's a statement we see and hear a lot, but it's a fact that some film's stand the test of time whilst others do not. In this desensitised computer age, it is easy to forget that not all the tools available in film making today were available back when film's like this were being made. So as is my want, I firmly judge this as a 1974 offering, to which it delivers enough entertainment to fully satisfy my genre leanings and entertainment persuasions.

The main complaint of many is the long build up of the characters, cries of boring can be read across internet forums and critics blogs. I just don't see it that way, yes we want the quake and the mayhem destruction that will follow it, because really this is a disaster film after all, but is it so bad that the film has heart to go with the crash bang wallop? After the build up of characters, where relationships and character traits are formed, the disaster strikes and it doesn't disappoint, utter destruction as effects and noise fill the eyes and ears, where those with a good home cinema system finding it literally does rock the house. We are then treated to a series of sequences that hold and engage our attention, upsetting passages of human sadness, punctured by heroic surges as Heston and the fabulous Kennedy set about saving life, hell! saving the town even. Then it's the film's fitting finale, where there are no cop outs, the makers choosing to go out with a darker edge than the detractors give it credit for.

Some can scoff at a blood splat effect, or rant about some of the acting on show, but Earthquake achieves two important things. One is that it entertains as a visual experience, the other is that it doesn't soft soap the devastating effects of an earthquake. As the camera pulls away from a ravaged L.A. the impact is sombre, where reflection is needed and most assuredly surely gotten. 7/10

In the 1970s, Irwin Allen made a niche for himself in Hollywood by producing some big budget disaster films, such as "The Poseidon Adventure", "The Towering Inferno" and "The Swarm". In addition to folks dying and being destroyed, the films all had HUGE star-studded casts as well as a lot of soap opera-like plots. Well, you see all this in "Earthquake", though Allen was not involved in the production...but clearly they copied his formula for success, as the film has the same style AND made a mint at the box office.

The first half of the movie introduces several plots, such as the brilliant architect (Charlton Heston) who is married to an incredibly screwed up and addicted woman (Ava Gardner), the disenchanted no-nonsense cop (George Kennedy), the accident at a local dam and much more. None of these plots are especially deep and are designed to get the audience to care for some of the folks who will be tossed into this epic disaster.

Halfway through the film the Earthquake hits the Los Angeles area and the remainder of the story follows folks trying to make their way to safety. I was actually surprised that the special effects for all this were done very well for 1974...and they actually hold up well today.

So is it any good? Well, it's reasonably well made but not deep in the least...so it would make a great film to watch if you aren't in the mood for something artsy or with an involved plot. Mostly it's just folks trying not to die...and some of them doing very poorly in this department. Overall, modestly entertaining but a film that must have been MUCH better on the big screen and in Sensurround, a sound system with a heavy bass that made theaters rumble.

I really enjoyed the practical effects before CGI took over the film industry. This is the time when making disaster films was a huge challenge. This is decent film making at its best. The visual effects are incredible and is still good by today's standard. This must have been amazing at the time of release. Charlton Heston is a likable hero as usual. I enjoyed how the characters interacted with one another and how their characters developed during and after the disaster. The film did end rather abruptly, but it was an enjoyable action drama.

Earthquake almost realistically shows us the devastating effects of such "an event" on a large modern day city. Since movie studios didn't have the resources in 1974 to add expensive computerized effects, miniatures, camera trickery and a few large-scale destructions were used to simulate the quake. However even by today's standards, most (but not all) effects work pretty well. Many of the buildings we see crumbling to the ground are actual locals in Los Angeles and anyone who ever lived is this area (myself included) would still find watching this film chilling to say the least. The sets are very impressive - they made one helluva mess of Universal Studios making this film. The acting is so-so and the ending is disappointing and leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions: what ever happened to Miles and Rosa's brother anyway? And the scenes with Jody the weirdo are just plain uncomfortable. But as far as pure "end of the world" disaster entertainment goes, this film has it all.

I saw this movie on the big-screen when it was released and I actually found the Sensurround (R) to be annoying, but the film isn't as bad as critics made it out to be. I agree, the casting could have been better (the Ava Gardner/Loorne Green argument is a good one), but this is a special effects movie, and the special effects were pretty good by 1974 standards. Besides, how can a movie about the destruction of LA be so bad?

Sensurround! How I do miss it! How this movie misses it! It was the best thing it had going for it when it was released in special theaters with sound equipment designed to vibrate your fanny as it sat snugly in those theater seats. Unfortunately, without the vibrations, Earthquake just ain't as much fun.

As disaster films go, Earthquake is certainly not the worst, but is far from the best. Charlton Heston, fresh from having saved a 747 from certain disaster in Airport 1975, now does his best to save the city of Los Angeles. To be fair though, we knew he wasn't going to stop the earthquake, leaving that for Christopher Reeve in Superman some years later. But we just knew that as Construction Engineer, Stewart Graff he'd do his best to save a lot of L.A. citizens stuck in precarious situations. Why else would he be here? And just for fun, he even brought George Kennedy over from Airport 1975 with him although he's a cop named Lew Slade now instead of tinkering around with jetliners. What a treat!

It seems that Lew Slade was chasing a bad guy who had been drunk driving and run down a kid. Unfortunately the bad guy crashes his vehicle right on the property of Zsa Zsa Gabor, which is out of Slade's jurisdiction. When another officer who is in the proper jurisdiction berates Slade for messing up Miss Gabor's shrubbery, Slade let's the young officer know how much he cares about plant life by landing a right cross. This lands him a suspension, and supposedly helps us get to know his character a little better while we pat our foot waiting for the big rumble to start. Did you really think they were going to open a disaster film with the actual disaster? There's a code in the screenwriter's handbook that says that's not allowed. At least that's what I'm told.

Meanwhile somewhere else in L.A., Stuart Graff is married to Remy Royce-Graff(Ava Gardner) who was fathered by Sam Royce(Lorne Greene) when he was seven I think. Sam is also Stuart's Boss. Stuart is having an affair with Denise Marshall(Genevieve Bujold) who happens to be the widow of a former co-worker of Stuart. We are not told whether Stuart had anything to do with the death of Denise's husband so he could put the moves on her but they could have added that to the plot too. Generally in these types of films they throw everything in but the kitchen sink anyway so why not?

Then on the other side of town we have motorcycle daredevil Miles Quade(Richard Roundtree) along with partner Sal Amici(Gabriel Dell) getting ready to put on the show of his life. His sister is Rosa Amici(Victoria Principal, before Dallas)who has about the funkiest curly hairdo I think I've ever seen on film. Think Shirley Temple with coal black hair. Then there's supermarket manager, weekend warrior, Jody(Marjoe Gortner)who happens to be a fanatic about women with curly coal black naturally curly hair as you'll soon discover. Now all this might sound interesting on paper, and might make a good soap-opera. In this film it's all useless information since this is a film about an earthquake and after it hits we could care less about what happens up to that point. Think of it as the filler before the thriller.

Even without the oscillating seats, the earthquake itself is still fun to watch. We get skyscrapers crashing to the ground, buildings falling on people, shards of glass piercing the good citizen's skins, people scalded by stoves, houses explode, freeways cave in, Stuart, Remy, and Sam get trapped in a high rise, a bar comes crashing down around Lew, Miles big motorcycle stunt comes crashing down, Rosa loses her popcorn in a movie theater, Denise's son takes a dive on his bike, and good boy Jody gets to put his uniform on and show us just how psychotic and messed up he really is. This is cool stuff folks even for 1974 type special effects. Unfortunately, the Earthquake momentarily subsides and we are left to deal with some of the silly plotting the film started out with. Guess you can't have everything.

If you can overlook the usual silliness and terrible dialog which seems to go with the territory in disaster films, you might be entertained by some close calls and daring rescues after the earthquake. You'll certainly get a few laughs out of Marjoe Gortner's cracked-up soldier performance. George Kennedy is pretty darn good as the cop. Heston is better than he was in that Airport thingy, and though his romance with Bujold is an obvious mismatch, it doesn't come near to equaling the absurdity of his relationship with Karen Black on that 747. Ava Gardner plays the bitchy Remy as if she were competing for the Shrew Olympics. Lorne Greene looks as if he wishes he was back on the Ponderosa with Hoss, Adam and Little Joe. Richard Roundtree is fun as the daredevil, but we see little of him after the earthquake. Tiger Williams as Denise's son Corry spends most of the film unconscious and we are grateful for that. Usually the kids in disaster films are scripted to be overly cute and annoying. I think there's a rule in the screenwriter's disaster film handbook about that too.

If I have one suggestion to make it would be avoid the version of this film with the added TV footage at all costs. For those of you familiar with Welcome Back Kotter, if you see any footage of Rosalie 'Hotzie' Totzie(Debralee Scott)riding an airplane, change the channel, remove the tape, just do what you have to do. Why this goofy footage was ever added is beyond me.

In it's original form my grade for Mark Robson wiping out L.A.: C- Hotzie Totzie gets an F and it's back to the sweat hogs for her.

Remy (Ava Gardner) and Stuart Graff (Charlton Heston)'s marriage is falling apart. She ODs once again after another fight. During a small earthquake, she jumps up and reveals that she's faking. He's a construction engineer working for his father-in-law Sam Royce (Lorne Greene). He starts an affair with the widow of his friend and single mom Denise Marshall (Geneviève Bujold). There is a mysterious drowning at a local dam and other disturbing signs. LAPD cop Lou Slade (George Kennedy) gets suspended for punching a clueless county cop. Miles (Richard Roundtree) is a motorcycle rider perfecting a new stunt. Grad student Russell predicts the big one in 48 hours.

Walter Matthau's getup is hilarious. That bar is a weird place and that T-shirt is super fine. I like that group of characters. They're a little off-beat and slightly fun. I care a lot less about the affair and the jealousy within the Graff marriage. They could drop into the earth for all I care. The earthquake action is as much as can be expected with shaking cameras, miniatures, falling styrofoam and other stuntwork. This is good special effects for its times and satisfies the need for destruction. It's nowhere near as visually compelling as CGI but it feeds the same animal instincts. There is a good 15 minutes of continuous destruction. The aftermath is a mix of good rescue scenarios and bad melodrama.

"Sometimes, earthquakes bring out the worst in people."

Thus is a line spoken by Sgt. Lew Slade in the last reel of the film "Earthquake." The earthquake(s) in this film are not so much metaphysical, as they might appear to be, but rather in the mind of the average human being in society as we know it today. The human mind is a fragile, and intricate creation, and we as a society must do our best to bring the human living standards to punctilious means.

L.A.: A high place for society and people of all types, and a place for the danger! The story begins with a high profile roster, starting with Stuart Graff(Charlton Heston) who is a top-of-the-food-chain executive in engineering and constructing "monstrosities" in Los Angeles. He is in a desolate marriage to Remy Royce- Graff(Ava Gardner.) He is carrying a friendship-and nothing more-with beautiful actress Denise Marshall(Genevieve Bujold), who lives near Sgt. Lew Slade(George Kennedy) who is being hassled by work and former charges Miles Quade(Richard Roundtree) and Sal Amici(Gabriel Dell) and his sister, Rosa(Victoria Principal.) All people are living frivolous, and in some ways, inspiring lives, of daredevil antics and blithe lifestyles. Then, as the title so perceptively puts it, an earthquake hits L.A. causing reckless mayhem to the buildings and petrifying danger to city inhabitants. But the story doesn't stop there. There are many quakes, and plenty of danger to go around, and that is where the story takes flight. The focus of this film is not the quake itself, but how it affects the people of L.A.

The film, being extremely Hollywood driven(note: the all-star cast; menacing "sensurround" effect) might appear to be presented as a top of the league disaster film of the trend which was popular at the time, and special effects driven, and it might have been, but there are also many artistic qualities to be found here. One has to examine it first. The scariest thing about this film is that it is plausible, though not probable. The other disaster films at the time were all man made disasters(boats upside-downing; Fire spreading through out a sky- scraper) but "Earthquake" was the first disaster film to show a disaster that might actually happen, and present characters that people can relate to, in such a treacherous situation. These are real people, and most of them are affected in ways beyond psychological apprehension. But director Robson still manages to make it a fun and enjoyable film without making the situations seem too grim.

The characters could all be discussed in a psychology class, to be analyzed even, as each one has his/her own story to tell. However, one of the main characters, the "quake" itself gets credit too. As there are two jolts, the big quake, and then an unexpected aftershock to boot, there is more than enough rumble to go around. The "rumble" though, is lasting through out the characters minds, as each one goes a little crazy after the shake, be it irrational, or rational, as there are many different types of people in society. There is parallel destruction going on as well. As the city is torn apart, so are these people and the way they view life, as one character loses it and blows away some fellow roommates who have mistreated him, while others are healed, as a Sgt. who is a drunk and louse, who shapes up and becomes really responsible after the quake. These specifications may or may not be apprehensive to the average audience, and true, opinion is opinion, but "Earthquake" is a good film that demonstrates how we as a society have allowed for far too long the deterioration of our world and all that affects it. This world is not a toy, it needs to be taken care of, and when we as a society are mean to it(and each other for that matter) mother nature strikes back at us.

Be it a big Hollywood Blockbuster, or social commentary, which ever you choose, this film is a great, and overlooked gem in Hollywood history, and an interesting one to read up on(the special effects were outstanding and won a well deserved Oscar) and study in film classes. Great performances by all as well. Mario Puzo wrote the precursor to the "Superman" earthquake with this one, and Mark Robson has a guilty pleasure tone to his directing.

Great fun.

Ordinary catastrophe movie in soap opera and vintage style with all star cast dealing with a huge earthquake outbursts at a noisy city. It has a long prologue presenting Charlton Heston, his drunk wife, Ava Gardner, and his lover, Genevieve Bujold. As well as other characters as a spectacle motorcycle rider, Richard Roundtree, a drunken man, Walter Matthaw, an avenger military, Marjoe Gortner, a besieged beautiful girl, Victoria Principal, and several others. As an earthquake causing death, destruction and wreak havoc. This impressive quake has an awesome and destructive power enhanced by the sensorround sound.

Acceptable disaster movie paced in fits and starts with a great cast, though a little wasted. The impressive cast cannot save this passable film , at all. It lacks deep characterization , displaying some boring moments and a tiring script that was presumibly well paid . This was a successful catastrophe movie that belongs to disaster movie genre of the 70s and 80s such as Towering inferno, Poseidon, Beyond Poseidon, The swarm, Avalanche, The Russian rollercoaster, Avalanche express , Airport I, II, III.. and whose main representative was producer Irwin Allen. It packs primitive and traditional special effects by LB Abbott , with no computer generator effects . It contains an atmospheric and adequate cinematography by Philip H. Lahtrop. And a sensitive and enjoyable musical score by the always great and incombustible John Williams. Main cast is pretty well, giving understanding interpretations as Charlton Heston, Genevieve Bujold, Ava Gardner and Lorne Greene. Support cast is frankly excellent such as Lloyd Nolan, Victoria Principal, Barry Sullivan, Pedro Armendariz Jr, John Randolph, Scott Hylands, Donald Moffat, brothers Jesse, Alan Vint, Walter Matthaw, George Murdock and usual in catastrophe movies, George Kennedy, among others.

The motion picture financed by Jennings Lang who produced Airport series was professionally directed by Mark Robson. He was a classical director. Robson had a prolific career, delivering classic movies, as well as hits and flops. He directed some classy terror movies as Ghost ship, Bedlam, The seventh victim ,Isle of dead, all of them produced by Val Lewton. Subsequently, he directed all kinds of genres in films as Peyton Place, The harder they fall, Edge of doom, Champion, Bright victory, Trial , Bridges at Toko-Ri, Return to Paradise, The inn of the sixth happiness, Valley of dolls, Von Ryan express, Last command , The prize, From the terrace, among others. Rating 6/10. Acceptable, passable and decent disaster movie.

In 1974 I was 29 years old when I first saw this movie. At the time I didn't question the suitability of the lead stars as I had grown up with them appearing in other films. Considering all the various genre of films I had seen up to that time, I must confess that it didn't seem a bad effort at that point in time. I grew up with various westerns and others and one film in particular I remember well is the classic "King Kong".

Critics who knock this film must remember that 1974 was a transitional period where techniques were still being learned. Without the benefit of computers, I might add. When you have grown up with computer wizardry, that is, since the start of the seventies, it it far easier to find fault than to see the merit in what these people achieved.

However, with the passage of time, one realizes the major fault with this film was the poor casting. This should not detract from the efforts of the special effects people. They have led the way and shown the young people coming along what can be done with skill and imagination. 3/10 for casting, 6/10 for special effects.

Mario Puzo must have worked with his collaborator about a day to come up with the script for this film. It's that bad, EXCEPT for the humor in a few scenes, mostly those in the seedy bar where everyone gathers to hang out. George Kennedy is surprisingly amusing as a disillusioned cop. Victoria Principal runs around dressed in a fright wig looking like Katherine Cleaver. She spend most of the film watching Clint Eastwood movies and fighting off sex pervert Marjoe. Making lapsed real-life Evangelist Marjoe the only true baddie in the film must have been some kind of in-joke.

The biggest joke of all: Ava Gardner as Lorne Greene's "daughter" when she looks like his grandmother. Getting old in Hollywood when you're a woman isn't pretty.

If you're in the mood for a 1970s disaster epic, you could do a lot worse. The first hour is boring, as they tend to be in this genre. But the special effects, although primitive by today's standard, are pretty effective, on a par with those in some of the best Godzilla films. If you've never seen a disaster film, I recommend starting with The Towering Inferno, not this. Better effects, better script, better acting, with Richard Chamberlain as a nasty villian as an added bonus.

Middle of the road disaster movie attempt has all the elements, but just misses the right tone needed to assure the momentum for a two-hour shakedown. Heston (hot on the heels of "Skyjacked" and moments away from "Airport 1975") and Gardner are beyond their prime in roles perhaps better suited to younger performers, nevertheless, there is ample youth displayed in Marjoe Gortner playing an unhinged national guardsman taking his duty far too seriously, Richard Roundtree riding the "Shaft" wave as a self-styled Evel Kneivel, and beauties Genevieve Bujold and Victoria Principal in shallow, supporting roles.

The story revolves around the destruction of Los Angeles following a series of tremors, claiming the lives of many of the cast and sparing some who probably should have perished. Lorne Greene plays Ava Gardner's dad (apparently he was 4 or 5 when she was conceived), Barry Sullivan is a seismologist, and for some unknown reason Walter Matthau plays a barfly who's too sozzled to know what's happening when the big one razes the bar (so to speak). There's the usual solar system worth of stars and character actors in varying roles ranging from George Kennedy as an LAPD cop with plenty on his plate, to HB Haggerty and Lonny Chapman in an uncredited role.

Made at a time when these type of films were in vogue, you didn't need to think too hard about the back stories and soap opera melodrama, just recline and enjoy the ensuing pandemonium, here, focused mainly on the post-earthquake looting and usual stories of heroism, survival and sometimes, tragedy. Nothing heavy nor sentimental with which to contend, it's just plain old meat and drink, take it or leave it, disaster movie 101.

Bummer disaster epic with truly stupefying casting: Lorne Greene plays Ava Gardner's father (what was he, a horny seven-year-old?) while Marjoe Gortner is Victoria Principal's stalker (he's a grocery manager and part-time soldier who...oh, never mind). "Earthquake" does just what it promises--destroys Los Angeles--and it certainly has the requisite ingredients of a hammy disaster flick, yet it is relentlessly downbeat. The actors are kept angrily grinding their teeth, barking orders at each other (star-hero Charlton Heston leads with his granite jaw, only loosening up when flirting with single mom Geneviève Bujold). Shock effects galore, but the picture wears down the audience in a depressing way. Bujold is lovely, and Richard Roundtree has a fun role as a motorcycle-riding daredevil but, at this point, Heston and George Kennedy were getting a bit too ubiquitous in these type of surroundings. For the sheer spectacle of the thing: ** from ****

Although the great Earthquake predicted does not sink California into the Pacific Ocean the one in this film does a pretty good job of flattening Los Angeles and putting in peril a whole lot of movie names with varying degrees of recognition. In that respect Earthquake is your typical Seventies disaster film.

The leads are an unhappily married Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner. Heston married the boss's daughter when he was working his way through college on an athletic scholarship, but now he's a top man in his field of architecture and can leave any time he wants, a fact that his boss and Ava's father Lorne Greene appreciates. In the meantime Ava's pill popping and gin swilling has caused Heston to be carrying on with young widow Genevieve Bujold.

That's the main story line, but Earthquake also has various and sundry interesting characters such as Policeman George Kennedy, Daredevil cyclist Richard Roundtree with brother and sister assistants Gabriel Dell and Victoria Principal. And of course playing a National Guardsman with some real issues is former evangelist Marjoe Gortner.

That famous Sensurround sound which shook movie theaters back when Earthquake was in theatrical release guaranteed an Oscar in that department. The film also won another Oscar for Visual Effects. It's now a popular ride at Universal City in Orlando, Florida with Charlton Heston's canned narration still being used.

Walter Matthau in a god awful pimp's outfit has a really funny bit as a drunk in a bar totally oblivious to what is happening around him. Maybe he was the smartest of the characters in the cast.

Earthquake in terms of plot and acting is a cut above some of the great disaster films of the era. But it really has to be seen in theaters to get the right appreciation.

Lorne Green as Ava Gardner's father? Did I get that right? Worth watching too see Pam Ewing aka Victoria Principal. She showed more acting ability though then she ever did on Dallas

The effects were bad...Hey Man! I want more camera shake!

Marjoe Gortner? When did he work last?

Lots of sterotyping going on. George Kennedy is always a cop. Good period piece though to see what people were wearing.

Really though as far as disaster movies go this wasn't much of a disaster. Unless you consider cramming a movie lot with lots of styrofoam bricks and concrete.

This movie shows that not having million dollar electronic special effects can still make a disaster movie a classic. All special effects were human made meaning no use of electronic gizmos short of the famous blue screen. As a lucky observer on set of Earthquake I can attest to the fantastic special effects this movie has. And the fantastic cast of Hollywod alumni adds tops off this classic piece of work. There is no better disaster then EARTHQUAKE. Add to the movie Sensurround (don't know if you get it on the VHS or DVD. If not turn up your bass on your speaker output....you'll see). Classic all the way. Heston, Kennedy, Eva Gardner, Lloyd Nolan, Victoria Principal (a virtual unknown at the time) Lorne Greene, Marjoe Gortner, TIGER WILLIAMS, Kip Niven and many more. You will enjoy it. Its a 10.0 on this Richter Scale.

Yup, it's time to bring up my 70's disaster movie checklist again! Five simple little traits to identify whether or not a contender qualifies as cheesy, clichéd and popcorn 'so-bad-it's-good' blockbuster guff! Now remember, the film needs to comply to at least 3 out of 5 traits to be included in the 70's hall of disastrous cheese. So far the hall already features some strong competitors, like "When Time Ran Out", "Airport 1975" and "Avalanche". Let's see if there's any room for "Earthquake".

#1: without producer Irwin Allen, there wasn't a budget for special effects and thus no movie. Hmm… success and fail. Irwin Allen strangely didn't produce this (although I'm sure he regretted that himself) but there's plenty of budget for F/X, probably thanks to director Mark Robson co-producing as well. Half a point scored, let's say. #2: all disaster movies star one major star (especially Charlton Heston and Paul Newman were prime choices) and a long list of "secondary" (like Ernest Borgnine, Leslie Nielsen, George Kennedy...) stars. Oh, that's definitely a success! "Earthquake" does not only star the prime names Heston & Kennedy, but also plenty of other big names like Ava Gardner, Lorne Greene, Richard Roundtree, Genevieve Bujold and Walter Matthau. Full point scored! #3: The characters are usually split into two camps with completely opposite ideals and/or initiatives. The camp with the lead star is obviously the triumphant camp. Fail, that isn't applicable here although there are plenty of people doing stupid things. Zero points scored. #4: Regardless what type of disaster we're dealing with, variants of the exact same perilous situations are always applicable. Success! We have people trapped in elevators, victims caved in and girls in peril that need to be rescued out of the hands of a madman! Full point scored. #5: always remember that, when the situation appears to be at it worst, it can and will still get even worse! And yet another success! When the people of L.A. are still licking their wounds from the major earthquake, there's an aftershock destroying the hospital. Also, just when our heroic protagonists are about to safe approximately seventy trapped people via the sewers, the dam is going to burst! Full point scored! Final score: 3.5/5 and we have another winner!

Unfortunately, however, this goofy and sadly unofficial measuring method is usually also the irrefutable proof that the disaster movie is quite inferior and can easily be skipped. You've seen the events numerous times before, expect the type of disaster is different. Mark Robson's "Earthquake", which was oddly enough co-scripted by Mario "The Godfather" Puzo, has very few unique sub plots or extraordinary sequences to offer, except maybe of the misadventures of a psychopathic anti-looting brigade officer or a black Evil Knievel wannabe. The special effects in "Earthquake" are of a remarkably high quality level, with impressively collapsing buildings and a fairly accurate (I think) dam bursting. The main problem is that you have to struggle yourself through a whole lot of melodrama before you can enjoy observing these special effects. The earthquake itself can be seen before minute 50 and 57, but before that there's only the marital issues of Charlton Heston and the drunken encounters of copper Kennedy who has lost his faith in the force. The direction is rather tacky, although Mark Robson once made his debut directing a couple of truly terrific horror films for Val Lewton, like "Bedlam" and "The Seventh Victim". Cheesy fun, if you don't mind clichés, stereotypes, fake sentiment and melodrama.