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By
NICK ZEGARAC
So colossal in its scope and
scale that it proved to be the first joint venture
between two major Hollywood Studios (Fox and
Warner Bros.), upon its initial release one critic
described The Towering Inferno (1974) as "grand
hotel in flames." A fitting tag, since nearly
every major talent (and a few minor ones) of their
day were jam packed into the Promenade Room atop
the world's tallest skyscraper that just happens
to catch fire during its inaugural dinner
celebration. Headlining the cast are Paul Newman,
as architect Doug Roberts and Steve McQueen as
Fire Chief Michael O'Hallorhan. Tired of the
hectic fast pace life in San Francisco, Roberts is
on the verge of retirement. He is persuaded to
stick around for the inaugural by contractor and
friend, James Duncan (William Holden) and by his
sultry love interest, Susan Franklin (Faye
Dunaway) who does not share Doug's desire to rough
it away from the city.
In the meantime, promotions expert Dan Bigolow
(Robert Wagner) is planning a minor inner office
tryst with his personal secretary, Lorrie (Susan
Flannery). Unfortunately their passion proves not
quite as hot as the raging firestorm rapidly
advancing from the floors below. In the ballroom
high atop this grand stick of glass and mortar
stick of kindling is a veritable who's who of
celebrities, including Fred Astaire as the very
engaging and sympathetic as Harlee Claiborne.
Harlee is a con artist out to seduce the wealthy
Mrs. Muir (Jennifer Jones), but his heart just
isn't in the rouse. Roger Simmons (Richard
Chamberlain) is also in attendance with wife Patty
(Susan Blakely), though his unrequited
dishonorable intentions and eyes have roved over
to Susan. The cast is rounded out by Robert Vaughn
(as a Senator), character actors Norman Burton and
Jack Collins and even, O.J. Simpson as a security
guard who rescues a cat.
Of course the real star of this film is the blaze
– credibly ignited and made palpably frightening
by very engaging special effects that even under
today's scrutiny hold up. What emerges is a
harrowing saga of lives hanging in the balance and
the very real possibility that not everyone
(regardless of their famous standing) will
survive.
Initially, Fox and Warner Bros. had acquired two
rival novels; Richard Martin Stern's The Tower and
Thomas N. Scortia's The Glass Inferno with similar
themes of a building going up in flames. However,
when the cost of mounting such a production proved
exorbitantly high (and with returns split by the
prospect of having two like-themed films hitting
the box office at the same time) the powers that
be ultimately decided to pool their resources and
talents together and come up with one super
production. On all levels, The Towering Inferno
lives up to that moniker. John Guillermin and
Irwin Allen split the directorial responsibilities
with Allen encouraging screenwriter Stirling
Silliphant to come down hard on both the building
code and moral ethics involved in cutting corners
on the construction of skyscrapers that ultimately
are unsafe for their inhabitants. The film is also
noteworthy for one of composer John Williams'
early scores and the Oscar winning ‘We May Never
Love Like This Again' sung by Maureen McGovern;
both the song and score perfectly encapsulates the
immediacy, excitement and danger of the film.
Fox Home Video has at last done a fitting job of
bringing one of the greatest disaster epics in
recent history to DVD. Originally released as a
bare bones non-anamorphic transfer, the quality of
that first outing was marred by excessive edge
enhancement and considerable pixelization. In
comparison to that debacle, this newly enhanced
widescreen transfer is feast for the eyes and
ears. The rich sumptuous color palette has been
finely rendered with fine details present
throughout. The image is so crisp and clean that
it belies the fact that the film was made over
thirty years ago. Age related artifacts are
practically nonexistent and digital artifacts
simply do not exist.
Extras include an amazingly comprehensive audio
commentary that fills up all of the films 170 min.
running time by F.X. Feeney and Special Effects
Director Mike Venzina and Stunt Coordinator,
Branko Racki. Disc Two includes several all too
brief featurettes that cumulatively would have
made for one very nice documentary. These include
a retrospective look at the film, a brief bio on
Irwin Allen, and shorts on the stunts and special
effects. There's also the AMC original
documentary: Backstory – The Towering Inferno,
plus a litany of extended scenes, outtakes and
alternatives that present the film as it might
have been. The original theatrical trailer is also
included.
Bottom line: The Towering Inferno is exceptional
entertainment – a colossal achievement that
continues to excite, frighten and above all else
entertain. Word of caution: don't expect to get a
night's sleep after you've seen it – particularly
if you live in a high rise. |
