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Run For Your Lives! Disasters come to DVD

WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE! Turmoil in the Middle East. Out-of-control gas prices. Terrorist attacks. Serial killers. Rogue nations promising our doom. The threat of nuclear annihilation.

I honestly didn't think I would survive the Seventies.

What? You thought I was referring to the problems of today?

Sure there are similar problems now as then, but the main difference is back in the 1970's when Americans looked to Hollywood to calm their fears, Hollywood responded with men of substance and grit. Men like Paul Newman and George Kennedy, not some couch-jumping lunatic. Did Hollywood take us in its bosom and say, "there, there, it will be ok"? Of course not! They reassured us that these man-made fears were nothing to worry about because we were all going to die by the primal forces of water, fire, even the very earth.

And thus the disaster flicks of the 70's were born. They followed an easy formula: take an ensemble cast of B-level actors, round it out with a few A-listers, and put them through absolute hell. Mix with falling foam concrete rubble, desperate masses struggling to survive, raging fires, and a few actors falling, screaming, to their deaths (bonus points if they are on fire!). Somehow, perhaps, it made us all think everything else would be ok. If Ernest Borgnine could hold it together in the face of adversity, so could we all.

A trio of the disaster movies were re-released on DVD this week, piggybacking on any publicity the remake of the Poseidon Adventure might generate.

Perhaps these old movies can help us through today's troubling times. Let's take a look at the details:

Poseidon Adventure: 2-Disc Special Edition:
Disc 1:


  • Commentary by director Ronald Neame
  • Commentary by actors Pamela Sue Martin, Stella Stevens and Carol Lynley
  • Interactive Featurette: Follow The Escape - this allows you to access an on-screen map of the Poseidon whenever the icon pops up.

Disc 2:
9 All-New Featurettes:

  • The Cast Looks Back - cast members, both alive and dead, recall their experiences on the set.
  • Falling Up with Ernie - a look at one of the most memorable fall stunts.
  • The Heart of Disaster: Stirling Silliphant - a featurette on the screenwriter.
  • The Heroes of The Poseidon - discusses the religious underpinnings of the movie.
  • The Morning After Story - short about the Oscar-winning theme song.
  • The R.M.S. Queen Mary - the inspiration of the story.
  • Sinking Corridor - short interview with director Ronald Neame.
  • Generations of Fans - short interview with director Ronald Neame.
  • Turning Over the Ship - short interview with director Ronald Neame.

Other features:

  • AMC Backstory: The Poseidon Adventure -featurette that originally aired on AMC in 2000.
  • Film-to-Storyboard Comparisons: Ship Capsized, Up The Vertical Shaft, and Saving Reverend Scott
  • Vintage Promotional Materials: Original 1972 Featurette, The Poseidon Adventure Teaser, The Poseidon Adventure Trailer, and The Towering Inferno Trailer
  • Interactive Article from "American Cinematographer"
  • Still Galleries: Marketing, Publicity, and Behind-the-Scenes shots.

The Towering Inferno: 2-Disc Special Edition:
Disc 1:


  • Commentary by film historian F.X. Feeney
  • Scene-specific commentary by Special Effects Director Mike Venzina and Stunt Coordinator Branko Racki

Disc 2:
9 All-New Featurettes:

  • Inside the Tower: We Remember - a retrospective of the film.
  • Innovating Tower: The SPFX of An Inferno - a look at all the special effects.
  • The Art of Towering - Focuses on the detailed pre-production storyboards the director relied on.
  • Irwin Allen: The Great Producer - Featurette on the "Master of Disaster"
  • Directing the Inferno - A look at the directing involved.
  • Putting Out Fire - Focuses on the difficulties of filming with real fire.
  • Running On Fire - A look at all the stunts.
  • Still The Worlds Tallest Building - A comparison of the world's tallest buildings with "The Glass Tower" of the movie.
  • The Heart of Disaster: Stirling Silliphant - the same featurette about the screenwriter that is included on The Poseidon Adventure.

Other features:

  • "AMC Backstory: The Towering Inferno" -featurette that originally aired on AMC in 2001
  • Over 30 Extended & Deleted Scenes - many of which appeared on TV broadcasts
  • Storyboard-to-Film comparisons: Fallen Stairwell, Helicopter Crash, Elevator Shaft, Scenic Elevator, Buoy Chair, and Water Tank Explosion
  • NATO presentation reel - a look at some planned disaster movies that were never made
  • 3 interactive articles from "American Cinematographer"
  • Original archival "Making of" featurettes
  • 1977 Irwin Allen interview
  • Still galleries: Shot Compositions, Publicity, Behind-the-Scenes, Conceptual Sketches, Costumes
  • Original teaser and trailer

That is a ton of special features for two movies that are over 20 years old!

Jumping on the disaster bandwagon, Universal Studios is re-releasing one of their own, 1974's Earthquake. The cast includes Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and George Kennedy all struggling to survive when an earthquake levels Los Angeles. Let's just say Earthquake isn't exactly on par with the above two movies, but it is enjoyable for its kitch value. Look for Walter Mathau offering some comic releif (?) as a drunk (IMDB lists his credit as "Walter Matuschanskayasky") trying to survive without leaving his barstool. His hair and outfit are simply mesmerizing. The DVD special features:


  • Just the movie

That's right, there are no special features. It looks like the same DVD as the one released in five years ago. They couldn't possibly be hoping we would just grab this right along with the more spiffy releases from Fox, could they? Sneaky bastards. --Matt Callahan



Photo: © 20th Century Fox (Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno), Universal Studios (Earthquake)

Posted by on May 11, 2006 2:29 PM
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