Earthquake (1974)

Director:

Mark Robson

Writers:

George Fox (written by)
Mario Puzo (written by)

Release Date:

15 November 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

An Event...

Plot:

Various stories of various people as an earthquake of un-imagineable magnitude hits Los Angeles.

Plot Keywords:

Earthquake | Daredevil | Police | Widow | Policeman

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Charlton Heston	...	Stewart Graff
Ava Gardner	...	Remy Royce-Graff
George Kennedy	...	Sgt. Lew Slade
Lorne Greene	...	Sam Royce
Geneviève Bujold	...	Denise Marshall (as Genevieve Bujold)
Richard Roundtree	...	Miles Quade
Marjoe Gortner	...	Jody
Barry Sullivan	...	Dr. Willis Stockle
Lloyd Nolan	...	Dr. James Vance
Victoria Principal	...	Rosa Amici
Walter Matthau	...	Drunk (as Walter Matuschanskayasky)
Monica Lewis	...	Barbara
Gabriel Dell	...	Sal Amici
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Officer Emilio Chavez (as Pedro Armendariz Jr.)
Lloyd Gough	...	Bill Cameron
John Randolph	...	Mayor Lewis
Kip Niven	...	Walter Russell
Scott Hylands	...	Max - Assistant Dam Caretaker
Tiger Williams	...	Corry Marshall
Donald Moffat	...	Dr. Harvey Johnson
Jesse Vint	...	Buck - Jody's Roomate
Alan Vint	...	Hank - Jody's Roomate
Michael Richardson	...	Ralph - Jody's Roomate
John Elerick	...	Carl Leeds
John S. Ragin	...	Chief Inspector - L.A. Dept. of Water & Power
George Murdock	...	Army Corps of Engineers Colonel
Don Mantooth	...	Sid - National Guardsman (as Donald Mantooth)
Lionel Johnston	...	Sandy - National Guardsman
Alex Brown	...	Pool Player
Bob Cunningham	...	Dr. Frank Adams
Johnny Dennis	...	Army Corps of Engineers Foreman
Gene Dynarski	...	Fred - Dam Caretaker
Bob Gravage	...	Farmer Griggs
H.B. Haggerty	...	Bald Pool Player
Tim Herbert	...	Las Vegas Booking Agent
Dave Morick	...	Emergency Services Technician
Ines Pedroza	...	Laura - Royce's Office Secretary (as Inez Pedroza)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Josh Albee	...	Boy with Radio (uncredited)
Joan Blair	...	Pawnbroker's Wife (TV version) (uncredited)
Hal Bokar	...	Dam Workman #1 (uncredited)
Vivian Brown	...	Woman #1 (uncredited)
Ian Bruce	...	Officer Scott - Wilson Plaza (uncredited)
William H. Burton	...	Stranger (uncredited)
Ric Carrott	...	National Guardsman (uncredited)
David S. Cass Sr.	...	Sherriff Merle - Slade's Nemesis (uncredited)
Lonny Chapman	...	L.A.P.D. Captain (uncredited)
Sam Chew Jr.	...	Tony - Kathie's Husband (uncredited)
Shannon Christie	...	Dr. Vance's Nurse (uncredited)
Patty Elder	...	Blonde Secretary in Royce Building (uncredited)
Kenny Endoso	...	Bar Cook (uncredited)
Robert C. Ferro Jr.	...	Sports Car Thief (uncredited)
Bruce M. Fischer	...	Man #1 (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	...	Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
Ernest Harada	...	Seismologist (uncredited)
Jerry Hardin	...	Man #2 (uncredited)
Diana Herbert	...	Woman #2 (uncredited)
Bert Kramer	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Karl Lukas	...	Man #3 (uncredited)
Jimmy Nickerson	...	Seismology Graduate Student (uncredited)
Stuart Nisbet	...	Loudspeaker Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Frances Osborne	...	Housewife (uncredited)
Grant Owens	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Charlie Picerni	...	Pool Player (uncredited)
George Sawaya	...	Deputy Sherriff (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	...	Jay the Bartender (uncredited)
Debralee Scott	...	Kathie (TV version) (uncredited)
Dean Smith	...	Pool Player (uncredited)
John Tuell	...	Prop Tractor Driver (uncredited)
Kitty Vallacher	...	Grocery Store Clerk (uncredited)
Keith Walker	...	Radio Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Sandy Ward	...	Studio Guard (uncredited)
Dick Warlock	...	Diver at Hollywood Reservoir (uncredited)
William Whitaker	...	Ambulance Driver (uncredited)
Don Wilbanks	...	Dam Workman with Blowtorch (uncredited)
Forrest Wood	...	Man #4 (uncredited)
Clint Young	...	Dam Workman #2 (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Robson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
George Fox		written by
Mario Puzo		written by

Produced by
Bernard Donnenfeld	....	producer
Jennings Lang	....	executive producer
Mark Robson	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop		(as Philip Lathrop)

Film Editing by
Dorothy Spencer

Production Design by
Alexander Golitzen

Art Direction by
E. Preston Ames

Set Decoration by
Frank R. McKelvy

Costume Design by
Burton Miller

Production Management
Wallace Worsley Jr.	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Murray Schwartz	....	second assistant director
Fred R. Simpson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Fred Tuch	....	assistant art director
A. Leslie Thomas	....	sketch artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Melvin M. Metcalfe Sr.	....	sound
Ronald Pierce	....	sound

Special Effects by
Frank Brendel	....	special effects
Mike Reedy	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Glen Robinson	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Roswell A. Hoffmann	....	matte photography (as Ross Hoffmann)
Glen Robinson	....	miniatures
Clifford Stine	....	special photography
Albert Whitlock	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
John Daheim	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lorraine Bendix	....	stunts (uncredited)
May Boss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buff Brady	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Bralver	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Brookfield	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Polly Burson	....	stunts (uncredited)
William H. Burton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hank Calia	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	....	stunt double: Charlton Heston (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Caruso	....	stunts (uncredited)
David S. Cass Sr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dottie Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eugene Collier	....	stunts (uncredited)
Erik Cord	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paula Crist	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Evelyne Cuffee	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Daheim	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carol Daniels	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paula Dell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Dial	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Downey	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Duran	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Ekins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Patty Elder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Pamela Estrom	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lila Finn	....	stunt woman (uncredited)
Donna Garrett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ralph Garrett	....	stunts (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts (uncredited)
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Hice	....	stunts (uncredited)
Freddie Hice	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Holt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (uncredited)
Vic Hunsberger	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Julie Ann Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Louise Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kevin N. Johnston	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peaches Jones	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Juaregui	....	stunts (uncredited)
Debbie Kahana	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kim Kahana	....	stunts (uncredited)
Henry Kingi	....	stunts (uncredited)
William T. Lane	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Julius LeFlore	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Leonard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Lerner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alison Logsden	....	stunts (uncredited)
Maurice Marks	....	stunts (uncredited)
Denver Mattson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Troy Melton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Johnny Miller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Minor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harry Monty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Mulder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stevie Myers	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Nuckles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regina Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regis Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Barbara Perlman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)
Don Pike	....	stunts (uncredited)
Byron Quisenberry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ronald C. Ross	....	stunts (uncredited)
Audrey Saunders	....	stunts (uncredited)
Russell Saunders	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Sawaya	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Felix Silla	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dean Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Evelyn Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marilyn Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Terhune	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Verbois	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rock A. Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Walls	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marvin Walters	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Washington	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Wilson	....	stunts (uncredited)
James Winburn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Yerkes	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Anderson	....	electrician (uncredited)

Other crew
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Tom Greene	....	production associate (uncredited)
Booker McClay	....	publicist (uncredited)
Gene Palmer	....	director: additional scenes (television version) (uncredited)

Production Companies

• The Filmakers Group
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1975) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Runtime:

123 min | USA:160 min (TV version) | Canada:121 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | Sensurround (70 mm and 35 mm magnetic prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1976) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG (Certificate #24032)

Filming Locations:

1329 Carroll Avenue, Central Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

The Filmakers Group

Trivia:

Many scenes shot for the movie were left on the cutting room floor (over 30 minutes' worth). Notable scenes include: additional footage of Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner and Lloyd Nolan (specifically, a sub plot involving a previous abortion by Gardner's character); George Kennedy (after his character, Lew Slade, is suspended by the police captain); Barry Sullivan and Kip Niven (whose seismologist characters survive the quake, and discuss the magnitude); and Geneviève Bujold (her character, Denise Marshall, shows up to a movie studio for her "bit part" in a movie, only to be turned away due to quake damage on the set). Additional stunt sequences during the earthquake were also deleted.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The exterior of the parking garage falling apart with the aftershock is a combination of miniature on the top and live action at the bottom. The debris falling off the miniature disappear behind the live action on the bottom.

Quotes:

Remy Royce-Graff: [shouting] God damn it!
Stewart Graff: Your last words to me last night; your first words this morning. Ever thought about expanding your vocabulary?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Empire of Dreams: The Story of the 'Star Wars' Trilogy (2004) (TV)

Airplane! - the PREQUEL...

Ludicrous disaster epic about the razing of LA, with Chuck a top brass engineer who's marriage to bibulously bloated bosses' daughter Gardner drives him to make expressively "angry" love to starlet Bujold, until Earth's Final Fury steps in to sort out his conjugal priorities. Chuck's got his shades though, so he's ready for anything. Elsewhere, put-upon cop Kennedy is having a bad day because he's mown down Zsa Zsa Gabor's hedge, and a pre-Dallas Principal has the unfortunate crosses to bear of a 2-storey afro (the only structure undisturbed by the quake) and the unwanted attentions of crackpot SAS commander Gortner.

Par for the genre's course, death-defying rescues amidst the sawdust and tinsel is very much the order of the day, but here connected by much bizarrely incongruous throwaway padding involving everyone castwise from Kennedy downwards. There are faint intimations that this could be self-reflexive parody, but given that facetious rock bottom is hit with an unintelligible Walter Matthau's "cameo" as an inebriated barfly (who's decision to go incommunicado under his real Panavision-necessitating surname must surely have come about after seeing the finished product), I very much doubt it.

Save for Kennedy's derisory aside "Earthquakes bring out the worst in people", the film has absolutely nothing to say about the psychology of societal collapse; or why, post 9/11, we continue to enjoy watching tall things falling down with people still in them. But any movie in which a pantomime Gardner's first line is "Goddammit!" can't be a total lost cause. And after her and Chuck's opening domestic tussle, which would come pretty close to John Waters, had he yet gained mainstream acceptance and managed to persuade Liz Taylor to star for him - "Of course i'll induce vomiting, I know the rules by now!" - the film finally delivers 2 hours of not-so-solid (like it's "40-storey monstrosities") entertainment value. Even if after all is said and done with the laugh-a-minute dialogue, the Incredible Upside Down Cows, the cartoon blood in the liftshaft, Gardner playing Lorne Greene's DAUGHTER which meant he would have had her at 7 years old etc etc etc, the movie ends up nothing but its own 'Airplane!'.

Sole aesthetic virtue is its naturalistic sound editing (which understandably won that year's Oscar) and subterranean bass pitch which, combined with the short-lived cinematic 'wonder' of Sensurround - ie earthquake-simulating theaters - meant that certain moviegoers got to join in the vicarious fun of mass panic and devastation.

If like me, you like this film for precisely the wrong reasons, you will want to seek out its Japanese rival 'Jishin Retto' (1980) for no doubt 'hours' of endlessly fascinating film-studyish comparison...