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The Towering Inferno, to me, is head and shoulders above any other Irwin Allen disaster film. I just watched the Blu-Ray last week and it still grips me. I wonder if anyone watching today can grasp how shocking some of it was: there’s an almost obscene amount of long, drawn out deaths of likable characters. Robert Wagner and Susan Flannery’s death scenes are horrific, not because of any graphic shock but because they are two very easy to like people. Wager goes out in a heroic sacrifice and Flannery is just a poor doomed victim (punished for their affair, I suppose).
Jennifer Jones also gets a pretty gut wrenching exit as she falls, screaming, from the scenic elevator a hundred stories high, her scream is sharply ended as her body smacks against the building during her tumble downward (yeah it’s a doll, but she was such a sweet character it still hits in the gut).The guy in flames walking out of the elevator, people falling from the Breeches buoy, the bartender crushed by a statue…. I’m surprised the four top stars survived the film (a rarity for Irwin and his disaster flicks).
The music is perfect and the very first film score I noticed, having seen the film as a kid in the theater. An amazing theme and some fantastic action, suspense and romantic compositions. A lot more interesting on album than Poseidon Adventure. Poseidon is a good film, but with some awful acting and dialog, the three badly shouted speeches at the end. One after the other: Borgnine (“my LINDA!”), Hackman (“we came all this way no thanks to YOOOO!”) and Buttons (“All you’ve do is BEEF and complain!”). I prefer the sequel, actually.
When Time Ran Out was the perfect title to Irwin’s theatrical disaster film career. A stinker. The Swarm is the worst of his films, but the funniest. It’s legitimately hysterical. If it was billed as a spoof, it probably would have made a lot more money (“bee bee millions of bees!”). The score by Goldsmith, though, it fantastic. It’s my second favorite of the disaster scores, second only to Inferno.
And that’s my take.
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Posted: |
Apr 16, 2014 - 7:05 AM
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By: |
mrchriswell
(Member)
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Scott, you've nailed Inferno's appeal. To me it lasts for two reasons. First, it's situation is killer. The threat grows and closes in, so there's mounting suspense. The audience is trapped up there with those characters. Other disaster films like Poseidon and Earthquake blow their wad early and keep grinding. You know you're not going to get anything as spectacular as that initial set piece. Inferno just gets bigger and the stakes higher. And yes, the movie is merciless toward people you like so it has an impact
Second, it's the most sensibly cast of them all. The big names, Newman, McQueen, Holden, ground the picture. There's nothing campy about them. No matter how wild or melodramatic things get, they feel real.
I still kind of resent that O.J. was hired over say, a real black actor who could have held his own with the others, but I'm sure Irwin thought he could fill a minor role with someone as "famous" as his big ticket stars.
I know people like to dismiss or laugh at the whole genre but Inferno earns it status as an old school blockbuster I think.
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Posted: |
Apr 16, 2014 - 7:54 AM
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By: |
Grecchus
(Member)
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Inferno has the advantage of having come after Poseidon and I always factor this in when comparing them. The main title music for each is peerless. I once saw an Open University programme (unfortunately, I can't remember which course it was) discussing PA's music and pointing out the details, including the gradual fade out rather than a clear full stop. The music more or less rolled with the visuals of the ship and carried on doing so as the lad makes his way onto the bridge. I've got the LLL Poseidon. Inferno is the only one for which I don't have a CD. I do have the original LP but can't play it anymore for lack of a turntable. No doubt, it is a very good presentation although a certain amount of controversy has surrounded the LP MT because it doesn't sound quite the same as the actual soundtrack.
The Swarm is worth a continuing discussion. If Inferno is preferred to Poseidon, it must have something to do with the increased budget and ongoing experience in production values. John Guillermin had to have taken his brolly out to protect himself from the downpour of money that rained on the production. As Poseidon came first, it has to be credited with the unveiling of the successful disaster picture formula that paved the way for the rest. Now, if this progression is anything to go by, it does strike one as odd that a production like The Swarm doesn't quite carry the same dramatic integrity of the other two blockbusters. The pattern is very much a rise and fall showpiece, isn't it? How does something like that happen, especially with that w-i-d-e-s-c-r-e-e-n cast? Why is the film a step down rather than another step up? At the time it must have, at least, looked good on paper. In any case, I have the Prometheus CD and appreciate it's score no more and no less than those of the other two features.
All in all, the three films have something to be remembered by from a public entertained many times over for having seen and heard them.
Some melodramatic fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e0LdNr9XzI
Caine's reactions at about 5:34 make you wonder if he's having some second thoughts. 
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Scott, you've nailed Inferno's appeal. To me it lasts for two reasons. First, it's situation is killer. The threat grows and closes in, so there's mounting suspense. The audience is trapped up there with those characters.
Second, it's the most sensibly cast of them all. The big names, Newman, McQueen, Holden, ground the picture. There's nothing campy about them. No matter how wild or melodramatic things get, they feel real.
Agreed. Also, it’s the one situation everyone could have seen themselves in. Earthquakes? Not every region has them. Capsized ocean liner? Volcano? Killer bees? Not a hazard to the average person. Trapped in a burning building? That’s a nightmare we can all share.
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Posted: |
Apr 16, 2014 - 8:59 AM
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By: |
Solium
(Member)
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Never cared for William's in his early 70's period. (Pre-Jaws) I do love Inferno's main theme but that's about it. Ironically I did like some of his 60's Sci Fi stuff. As far as films, Tower Inferno remains a classic for all the reasons stated above. Also think of the technical achievement of working with real fire! No CGI back then, and I don't think there was a single post production optical fire effect either.
Really? I think his early 70s scores are some of the most exciting in his entire resume -- STORIA DI UNA DONNA, JANE EYRE, THE COWBOYS, IMAGES, CINDERELLA LIBERTY, THE EIGER SANCTION, THE TOWERING INFERNO etc. --- not a bad apple in the bunch!
Not familiar with most of those. Though I think I liked Eiger Sanction when I saw the film. But in general I think Williams took off with Jaws, then Star Wars, Close Encounters, Superman, etc.
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).