Amazon.com video review:
The disaster-movie trend of the early and mid-1970s was
starting to wear out its welcome when Earthquake was released in 1974.
It’s another one of those enjoyably mindless all-star marathons, and the
title tells you all you need to know about the plot. Charlton Heston
offers his trademark brand of macho courage as the citizens of Los
Angeles brace for the Big One--an earthquake that rattles the city to
its crumbling foundation. It's got all the sophistication of a Love
Boat episode, but the movie's momentum scores high marks (at least on
the Richter scale), and the Oscar-winning sound design and special
visual effects are still impressive, especially when you consider that
advanced computer-graphics effects were still two decades in the future.
Genevieve Bujold adds a touch of class to the all-star ensemble, and of
course, what self-respecting disaster flick would be complete without a
role for George Kennedy? In more ways than one, this cheesy movie rocks!
(If you want to re-create the movie's original sound process known as
"Sensurround," you’ll just have to crank up the bass and subwoofer on
your home theater system until plaster cracks and windows shatter!)
--Jeff Shannon
