I have to confess something right up front. I’m a disaster film junkie.
When I was a little boy back in the 1970′s during what I consider the golden age of the disaster film I became enthralled with the “Poseidon Adventure”. It was the first movie I became excited about and actively wanted to see in a theater. I spent hours with friends reenacting it’s scenes with a cassette recording I made of the film’s audio after it’s Television broadcast. The 70′s offered up lots of disaster for me: earthquakes, airplane crashes, tidal waves, and skyscraper fires. They were all fodder for all-star casts to camp it up and watch the world crumble around their feet. There were actual Oscar nominations earned by these films outside of the special effects categories. They ruled my childhood.
I also really enjoy all of Roland Emerich’s previous films with the exception of his lukewarm remake of “Godzilla”. “Independence Day” is a film I never set out to see multiple times, but found myself glued to if I happened to run across it on TV. Without realizing it I had seen it half a dozen times before I finally just gave in, admitted that I loved it and bought it on DVD. By the time “The Day After Tomorrow” came out I was able embrace it from opening weekend. Those films helped me face and admit that even as an adult I love to watch the world fall apart. It appeals to something inside of me. I think it’s the most butch thing about me when it comes to film.
Emerich’s latest “2012″, as anyone who has seen the previews is an absolute orgy of every aspect of every kind of disaster from all the previous movies in the genre. Earthquake…check, building collapsing…check, volcano exploding…check, plane crashing…check, ocean liner hit by tidal wave…check, famous landmark collapsing…check. It’s premise it completely preposterous but I loved every minute of it.
Now I admit that I turned off the part of my film audience brain that puts “The Godfather” in high esteem when I watched this film, and I don’t want to suggest that this is a great film. As filmmaking it is not going to win or even be nominated for any non-technical category of award outside of the MTV Movie Awards. But as a thrill ride of mass entertainment I really enjoyed it. I let myself go and allowed myself to get into the white knuckle tension of the action and the adventure. I ignored the rather dull script and just got into John Cusak’s improbable struggle to lead his famliy to the only route for survival.
There are many things that are wrong with this movie and you can get bogged down with the “Oh Please” and “Oh come on!” moments, and if you do you will not enjoy it. I say let yourself go. Grab onto the back of John Cusak’s car/motorhome/plane/ship as it rediculously and improbably escapes the disasters and have fun! I’m already looking forward to watching this one 20 times on Blu-ray when it comes out. A- (yes I’m going to a letter grade, I think it will be easier to understand).
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5 Comments
Comments
I nearly overdosed during 2012. I am a certified disaster film junkie too! When I saw Towering Inferno it was still legal to smoke in theaters and I kept smelling smoke all through the film. I saw Earthquake at the old Plitt Theater downtown SLC and they had the seats wired so they would vibrate when ever the earth quake shook.
Having said that I am a bit tired of the cliche of a divorced dad becoming the hero to his emotionally distant kids and superman to his ex-wife girlfriend what ever.
Deep Impact was a great disaster movie and I think under rated. It and 2012 both had Black Presidents hmmmmm any theories on why Hollywood seems to put a black preident at the Helm when disaster hits?
Earth also had a black president in the film “The Fifth Element.”
true, I wouldn’t consider “The Fifth Element” a disaster movie though. Yes the earth is in jeopardy, but it’s Sci-Fi as opposed to purely a disaster film. For the record I love “The Fifth Element”, it’s a gorgeous campy delight.
We just saw Frank M. Robinson, the author of Towering Inferno get inducted into the Chicago GAY Hall of Fame.
Yes the film has many problems. I agree that the VERY trite distanced divorced dad being getting or seeking redemption is a cliche of these films since the 90′s. But I think even back in the day there was often a hero seeking redemption. Charleton Heston is seeking redemption through his heorics in “Earthquake”. Gene Hackman is a little bit more of a Christ/savior figure (a liberal one at that – oh the 70′s..good times).
I think you have to let the fun just wash over you with 2012.
I almost laughed out loud when Danny Glover came on as the President, even though it really isn’t that frequent it did feel like a cliche. I remember it being so pie-in-the-sky when Morgan Freeman was the pres in Deep Impact, like an impossible future and a utopian dream. Funny how things work out.
Actually, Robinson co-wrote a book called “The Tower” with Thomas N. Scortia. A similar book, “The Glass Inferno,” was written by Richard Martin Stern. Warner Bros. bought film rights for one book, and 20th Century Fox bought the other. And thus, “The Towering Inferno” became the first major film ever produced by two separate film companies (a practice that is very commonplace today).
Congrats to Robinson for his honor.
And to Curtis: I did the SAME EXACT THING when I was little – taping “The Poseidon Adventure” and then reenacting the scenes with my friends.
Thanks for the info and yes- reenacting Poseidon was always fun. The highlight of course was trying to recreate the ship capsizing without ruining our mother’s furniture.
I was usually Pamela Sue Martin (TV’s original Nancy Drew and the first Fallon on Dynasty) or Stella Stevens when we would play. I would wrap my mothers red and white afghan around me like an evening gown and then have to daintily remove it to climb up the Christmas Tree to escape.
One way we would simulate the capsizing was to set up all my sisters play dishes on a coffee table and slowly tilt the table until it all started sliding and then rapidly crashed to floor. We would then stand up on the arms of the sofa and fall into the cushions. Another favorite scene to reenact was climbing up the upside down stairs with the aid of the fire hose. We use blankets and wrapped them around each other or just grabbed on and got hauled up. Oh the hours of fun we had with that film.
Curtis,
Jim and I saw the movie Monday. We loved it. My favorite part was when the Russian daughter gave her father the bird as the Arc took off and he wan not in it. After all he didn’t buy her a ticket.
I love that my Aunt Midge logged on and commented! She’s the best.
cool! I’m going to grab my brother, some popcorn and go along for the ride!
I can see your point of view. I did not enjoy the overall movie. The special effects were great and thought that was the best part of the movie. I did enjoy the comedic relief of Woody Harrelson’s character.
However, it was not enough to “free” myself into just enjoying the disaster orgy on screen. I am one that loves these kinds of movies so I was surprised that 2012 did not impress me much.
JP
Curtis, reading your reviews makes me feel like you’re still alive and in the room next to me! I’m sorry the vampires got you.. not really.
You’ll have to pardon my friend Tom, he’s a little bit, shall we say ..touched. He’s clearly wandered out of the home again. We’ll have him in the straight jacket again soon.
no really! it’s like you’re sitting right next to me!!!!
Whaaah??? Curtis is a vampire? What was he sucking?