Earthquake (1974)

VHS CASE/SIDE

Length of film:  121 Minutes (Extended TV Version: 152 Minutes)

Rated: PG

Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller

Director: Mark Robson

Starring: Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, George Kennedy, Geneviève Bujold, Richard Roundtree, Marjoe Gortner, Barry Sullivan. Llyod Nolan, Victoria Principal, Walter Matthau

IMDB Rank: 5.9/10

***Theatrically released without an official intermission, some screenings had an interactive element that left the cinema smokey (Hannemann, 2006), causing a break in film. The theatrical break in the film has been determined to happen following the events of the earthquake.

***The extended TV version was split into two separate parts, which included credits at the end of part one followed by the opening titles and a quick review at the start of part two.

Part 1 Time:  60 Minutes (Extended TV Version: 75 Minutes)

Part 2 Time:  61 Minutes (Extended TV Version: 77 Minutes)

Where does the first part end? 

Theatrical: The earthquake has caused much destruction to Los Angeles. The final scene shows what is left of the Los Angeles cityscape.

Extended TV Version: An airplane attempts to land during the earthquake.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: 

Theatrical: A man runs into his house and shouts, “Turn off the gas.”

Extended TV Version: The scene freezes with a woman covering her face with her hands, “Next Sunday night on the big event, NBC will present part two of Earthquake,” says a narrator.

First line of dialogue on the second part: 

Theatrical: “Oh my god, stay here,” Stuart Graff (Charlton Heston) speaks to his wife Remy (Ava Gardner) as he looks up at a heavily damaged skyscraper.

Extended TV Version: Part two begins with a scene recap, Graff phones to get help for his wife Remy who seems to have overdosed, “Jim, Stuart Graff, done it again.”

How jarring is it when the first part ends? When watching either version of the film, the break is jarring. The major difference between the two versions is the break. The theatrical version’s break happens following the earthquake, whereas the extended TV version breaks in the middle of the earthquake.

Which part is better? Depending on the version you watch the better half may differ slightly. The special effects used to create the earthquake event were quite good given the time in which it was made. The events following the aftermath of the earthquake are quite interesting, as it shows both the humanitarian as well as the unlawful side of disasters. As a result, part two is the better half.

Academy Awards:1975- Best Sound, Best Cinematography (Nominated), Best Film Editing (Nominated), Best Art Direction- Set Decoration (Nominated), Special Achievement Award For Visual Effects/