Episode 226 – Earthquake (1974)

Hide the pets! Sell the children! It’s another in our “Disaster Porn” series and this one is from that groovy, swinging era that got it all started, the 70’s! Far out, man! This one is “Earthquake”, man, and it’s too cool, you turkeys! Dig it! We ain’t fakin’! Whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on! No, they did NOT use that Jerry Lee Lewis hit as the haunting love theme for “Earthquake”, which was a big mistake on their part. They missed out on that whole marrying-an-underage-cousin demographic (ooo, too soon?). This movie has it all: property destruction, nervous sheep, Ava Gardner, Lorne Green, savage high-voltage cables, George “Something’s Going to Blow Up Real Soon” Kennedy, senseless loss of bovine life, Victoria Principal (who probably needed a separate trailer for her hair), and Charlton Heston. And if you want his wife, you’ll have to pry her from his cold, dead hands . . . ew, that’s a lot worse in this movie’s context. Pull up a Richter scale and join us for this tale of everyday life on Los Angeles!

Poll question: what is your favorite cinematic hand-to-hand fight scene, with or without melee weapons? No guns allowed!

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7 thoughts on “Episode 226 – Earthquake (1974)”

  1. The effects in the movie didn’t impress me, even when I saw at release though I did like the matte paintings. And the… story? I saw it recently on TV and I was surprised I didn’t walk out the first time!

    My all time favourite hand to hand fight scene is the sward fight in “The Princess Bride” as it was choreographed by the same guy who choreographed Errol Flynn’s sword fights back in the day.

    1. You can’t go wrong with Errol Flynn! Good choice! As far as the ‘story’ goes in “Earthquake,” it’s funny; this style of disaster movie would go on…wait, it’s STILL going on! Give us snapshots of characters so we care about them when the booms come. It’s just here, everyone’s beige, ten years past their prime and dull. Thanks again, Vince!

  2. The Raid: Redemption*, or at least the scene with Mad Dog, is my favorite martial arts sequence. It’s clear, economical, and technical without being overly dramatic. The conversation wouldn’t be complete without Bruce Lee’s performance in Enter the Dragon and Jackie Chan’s in Police Story, but they’re (deservingly!) already household names.

    On another note, do you know how difficult it was to come up with a cover story for what I was listening to when I was cracking up from your intro last week? At work??? You’re lucky I’m your #4 fan or I’d have disavowed you on the spot! Watch out, Snowy, I’m coming for the #3 spot!

    *Yes, a few of the policemen have guns at the start, but they’re quickly discarded and are never the focus of the film.

    1. I’m going to have to assume you meant Max’s intro to this week’s episode, his…um… “alluring” porn opening? I couldn’t make it through either without laughing, as you well heard. Thanks, Ned!

    2. If you come by and shovel the snow from last night you are welcome to the #3 spot! Then YOU can be snowy!

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