 |
| English: San Francisco Mission District burning in the aftermath of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The films that I'll be listing in my April postings will not necessarily be films that I'd call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I'll be naming. The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.
The earthquake has been a special effects staple since the silent film era. The effect can be as unrealistic and silly looking as a shaking camera and stumbling actors or the effects can be quite dramatic and powerful with the earth cracking open and buildings crashing to the ground.
Living in an earthquake prone zone like Los Angeles, you'd think I might not be too keen on seeing earthquakes. Don't get me wrong--I'm in no way itching for the big one to come our way, but I'll have to admit the earthquakes I have experienced, while frightening, can also be quite exhilarating. The ground moving is one heck of a powerful force.
Many films depict earthquakes and many have focused on the phenomena. Here are a few that I have found entertaining:
Earthquake (1974) -- One of those star-studded Hollywood spectacles that were so prevalent in the 1970's, this film offers some decent effects amid some powerfully bad acting and script. But it's all good fun and we get to watch Los Angeles get destroyed. It doesn't get much better than that.
Volcano (1997) -- Of course adding a volcano preceded by earthquakes makes for an even better destruction of L.A. This film outdoes Dante's Peak by bringing the earthquakes and volcano into an urban area. Lots of cool destruction of buildings and hot lava flowing through the streets of Los Angeles. What's not to like with this film even if it is ridiculous?
San Francisco (1936) -- Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy meet the grandaddy of all American earthquakes. The Great Quake of 1906 has been incorporated into many films. This old film doesn't do half bad recreating the quake and its aftermath. Seems like a bit of a depression era message of hope and optimism at the end--a real Hollywood ending.
Old San Francisco (1927) -- Next we step back to the silent film era for this Great Quake epic with a side story of human trafficking. The effects are not to bad considering the era. The most memorable part for me was that in the version I saw on TV they used a piece of music that has haunted me since childhood and I've wondered what it is. I'm still wondering since I didn't see any music credits. Boo!
I know I've missed some earthquake movies, which ones do you recommend? Have you seen these? What kinds of real life earthquake experiences have you been through?
Hi there Lee,
ReplyDeleteI've noted the names down and I hope I will get to watch these. As for real life earthquakes, thankfully never had to be in one :)
Bhavya from the AtoZ Challenge blogging at Just Another Blog
I've seen Volcano, but Earthquake is the one that stands out for me. I was a child in the 70's and the 70's loved its disaster flicks : ) Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThere are movies with earthquakes, but I can't think of any others where it is the main focus. And yes, I've felt several small earthquakes in my life.
ReplyDeleteI personally am not into those sort of films but musicals as you can imagine. As for feeling small earthquakes, I feel them when I see Daniel O Donnell....lol
ReplyDeleteHave a good day.
Yvonne.
Some great stuff here glad the challenge is still going strong.
ReplyDeleteI have only felt a few small quakes in my life. Don't most disaster movies all start out with some sort of earthquake before it caves in on itself?
ReplyDeleteDani @ Entertaining Interests
#warriorminion
First, I have never seen the movies that you listed. Don't think I have seen an earthquake movie. Great E topic however!
ReplyDeleteHeck, I grew up in CA. Can't begin to tell you about how earthquakes I "enjoyed." Even went through one here in Seattle a decade back.
I've only seen the newer movies but they were enjoyable for what they were. Dante's Peak was pretty good. I like Linda Hamilton and Pierce Brosnan and the special effects were wicked cool :)
ReplyDeleteI've only seen Volcano out of those but it was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteHI Lee,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I have to tell you how much I love this challenge. E for Earthquakes. Great idea. I experienced my first earthquake in August 2011 sitting out on my porch writing. I had no idea what it was at first. Maryland doesn't have earthquakes, but this 5.8 kind the scare the heck out of me. I've been waiting for the next on ever since.
cannot think of any, i even looked to cheat up a few titles... fail.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw San Francisco (1936) for the first time as a child (AND not in 1936 - much later on television) it scared the poop out of me. I have a hard time finding that type of uncontrollable force entertaining. Having lived just outside of Yellowstone, I have experienced several minor earthshakes, but hope to never see, feel or hear the real big deal.
ReplyDeleteVolcano scared the hell out of me....yikes! I have lived 26 miles away from a volcano-okay it was in the ocean off Adak Island. Sixteen earth tremors a day...not fun!
ReplyDeleteYes, that island rocked! lol
Of course I think of Earthquake with George Kennedy and the Sensurround that shok the movie theatre.
ReplyDeleteARLEE BOID McBUDDY ~
ReplyDeleteIt was bound to happen eventually, I suppose: This is your first A To Z post in which I have not seen a single movie you mentioned.
Off the top of my mind, this early in the morning, I can't recall even one earthquake movie I've ever seen.
Having been born and raised in Los Angeles, however, I have experienced the real deal more times than I could count. I recall one earthquake, when I was very young - like 5th or 6th grade - when the shaking literally tossed me out of my bed and onto the floor. That one was pretty memorable, seeing as how I still remember it and I am now A LONG WAY DOWN THE ROAD from 5th or 6th grade.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I must have missed all earthquake movies, except Dante's peak, that isn't really an earthquake movie (and yes, quite ridiculous). I'll have to see some of these!
ReplyDeleteI picked Earthquakes for my E word. Great minds think alike I guess. :-)
ReplyDeletehttp://mymorningcupofcoffee.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-z-big-one.html
Lee, thank you for hosting the A to Z. It's fun and challenging!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in college, I wrote a paper on the earthquake and fire of 1906. Most of the earthquakes we've experienced were during visits to California!
Mary Montague Sikes
Hi Lee,
ReplyDeleteNice to see things are progressing well with your alphabet challenge.
Your earthquake movie choices are the ones I would of thought of. I quite liked Dante's Peak.
I experienced an earthquake in Vancouver in 1976. It felt like a truck was driving underneath the basement.
Happy alphabeting, kind sir.
Gary
I never saw Earthquake, but I remember all the hype about it when it first came out. I can't believe the first week of the challenge is almost over. It's better than ever!
ReplyDeleteJulie
I'm not up on my earthquake movies - but there's a bigass tremor at the end of Arachnophobia...
ReplyDeleteHang-on... what about Tremors??
Hi, Lee - thank you for starting the Challenge! I'm a first-timer A to Z participant and a newbie blogger, and I'm having a great time.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen too many of the movies but am making a list.
Barbara
E is for Evidence Found in A to Z
The Daille-y News
Tremors is a good one. I liked that movie. Earthquakes are often such a movie cliche, but I guess they work well for dramatic effect as well as symbolism. I don't think any of us want to be in the "Big One", but for entertainment's sake an earthquake can provide a fright or at least a cinematic thrill.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments so far. Keep 'em coming.
Lee
There's one that came out recently with Ewan McGregor in it about the tsunami from Indonesia. That's "technically" an earthquake movie.
ReplyDeleteThe 1936 San Francisco is one of my all time favorite classics. Glad you included it.
ReplyDeleteLee, please stop by my blog when you get a change. I left something for you there.
Blech. I hate typos. That should have been "get a chance."
ReplyDeleteLoved Dante's Peak. Ridiculous, yes? Entertaining, yes? Other than that I haven't seen many disaster movies.
ReplyDeleteHmm...wouldn't an earthquake movie also be a disaster movie?
ReplyDeleteOh, what the heck? There are no rules for A to Z!
LC
What a great idea! Movie genres! I love it! Gives me some ideas on movies I should see and some that maybe I should see again! Great posts! Looking forward to more!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of these films, but enjoyed reading about them, none the less.
ReplyDeleteI ran off to see if i could possibly find that music for you, but alas, no dice. I have a scene from a film from my childhood which is bereft of the film that owns it, and I have been searching for that film for many years, so I understand what it's like to have a part that's missing.
Susan from SiouxsiesMusings visiting from the A to Z Blog Challenge.
I'd never really thought of the idea of an earthquake movie although I guess it fits into the disaster movie genre well. Great post though Lee.
ReplyDeleteExperiencing an Earthquake, must be as you say scary and exhilarating at the same time. I guess the closest I've been is watch you guys in California in the afterquake or on someone's video capture shown on CNN. That's close enough for me. Also have seen a couple of the movies.
ReplyDeleteSue~CollectInTexasGal
AtoZ LoneStar Quilting Bee
I've only seen Volcano, which I liked. I'll have to check the others out. I don't know that I've seen any other films involving earthquakes.
ReplyDeleteLyre at Lyre's Musings
The Earthquake scene from Superman is a belter, I mean, the man of steel goes into the mantel and pushes the crust back up! :D
ReplyDeleteLoved "Dante's Peak". I have seen all the earthquake movies listed and watched many disaster documentaries.
ReplyDeleteThe San Francisco earthquake in the early 1990s still resonates with me. I don't think I will ever forget the footage and stories from that horrific event.
I honestly can't think of any other Earthquake movies. Slightly sad. I will have to watch Earthquake since apparently its a big hit.
ReplyDeleteElliot
We Are Adventure
I can't say I've watched any of these! Though I believe I've seen excerpts from one of the San Francisco movies . . .
ReplyDeleteI haven't had many real-life earthquake experiences. Maybe two or three, that I can remember; the most recent was the one that shook the eastern part of the USA (last year? The year before that?).
Thanks Lee,
ReplyDeleteFor another great A-Z year.
I was in California sitting in a restaurant when the chandeliers began to swing and the chatter of the crowd became a silent hush. It made for quite a vacation story. Glad it wasn't the big one. Enjoyed your E post.
Margot at A Devotional Mosaic and Spark My Creativity
i think i may have seen the 70's one--i can watch a disaster movie if it isn't based on a true story
ReplyDeleteYes, earthquake movies are disaster movies, but the category is so big I thought earthquakes deserved their own listing. Besides I needed an "e" genre.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the additional comments. I'm lovin' 'em.
Lee
I liked the one in the TV series of Shogun. It seemed realistic to me.
ReplyDeleteJO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE
Thought I'd pop by and ask how you feel about putting us all through this, and what do I find? You've blogged the same E-word as me! Not content with invading the time I had put aside for my re-write, you have to go and steal my word as well. Damn cheek I call it!
ReplyDeleteSaw the 1997 movie. Enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI lived in San Diego several years back and did not experience a major quake. What we experienced was an aftershock or something. Weird feeling the office sort of roll from the ground beneath my feet.
Can't think of any films at the top of my head but I remember at 6 or 7 yrs old being in SoCal's 6.0 earthquake.
ReplyDeleteChontali Kirk
chontalikirk.blogspot.com
I might have seen one of those. I had no idea so many movies about earthquakes had been made.
ReplyDeleteI live in earthquake country, so I don't really need to see a movie about them. :) Unique pick though!
ReplyDeleteThe A to Z blog said in the latest post to add a link to your own A to Z blog in the comments, so here's mine: kristenhead.blogspot.com
You gotta love a good earthquake... but only in the movies.
ReplyDeleteMind you, in light of some shaking going on up north of me I've got my earthquake kit all ready!
Great E post!
Jenny @ PEARSON REPORT
We have earthquakes here in Indiana but they have less destructive effect due to our being landlocked so they say. The force of the quake is distributed over a larger area so we feel very little in the way of devastation, just a little ground shaking every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteI love Volcano!!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting take for "E"
ReplyDeleteA few little earthquakes nothing notable
I'm sure there have been a few other movies but can't remember them off hand
... and thanks for doing this for all of us to enjoy!!!
Lizy you are so silly!
ReplyDeleteThanks to all of you for stopping and adding to the list or just dropping in to let me know you were here. Love the comments!
Lee
The 1974 Earthquake reminded me of one of those Irwin Allen disaster movies! :)
ReplyDeleteThe only one from this list that I've missed is 'Old San Francisco'. I'll have to look for that. I've been to California 6 times, and there were 6 earthquakes - 1 each time I was there. The largest one was enough to wobble the Denny's I was having breakfast in on my way to the airport. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post very interesting. I am following from blogging A to Z. I just added you on GFC.
ReplyDeleteA MOM'S POINT OF VIEW
http://www.AMomsPointOfView.com
DL -- It was certainly of the same era.
ReplyDeleteDarcNina -- Earthquakes are something I never really get used to. You never know whether it's the prelude to the big one. I hate it when earthquakes happen at night and then I can't go back to sleep.
Kimmy -- Thank you for stopping in.
Lee
Hi Arlee,
ReplyDeleteGood to be here again!
Hey, you missed my B Day greetings post at my page LOL
E for Earthquake we at Confidentlivingmagarticles posted the same subject hey but not on movies LOL
Good list to check out
Thanks for sharing
Good Wishes Again
Keep in touch
I am
Phil @ Philipscom
An ambassador to A to Z Challenge @ Tina's Life is Good
And My Bio-blog
Volcano is really one of my favorites. Very power special effects!
ReplyDeleteHave seen and enjoyed all of those except the really old ones. I've been in an earthquake, which is extremely rare in CO. It was back in my collage days, and very mild, yet it was an interesting experience.
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
My husband's uncle--a born and bred San Franciscan and author (The Golden Gate and other historical books), walked us around SF to show us places effected by the big quake and fire. Living in quake territory, movies about it don't appeal to me much.
ReplyDelete