The Poseidon Adventure, 1972, running time 177 mins approx.
This weekend channel 5 showed the 1972 classic The Poseidon Adventure, I was so excited as it has been ages since I have seen it and I am planning on watching the latest version Poseidon opening in cinemas this week.
The Story:
It ... Read review
Hands down, this is the best movie (and was one of the first) to come out of the seemingly ... more
endless cycle of disaster movies that dominated box offices during the 1970s. It could even be argued thatTitanicowes some of its success to the precedent set by...
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Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 2005 - Action/Adventure - Director: Ridley Scott - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Marton Csokas
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2008 - Action/Adventure - Director: Christopher Nolan - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine
Advantages: Exciting Adventure, Disaster Movie. Disadvantages: Not great Special Affects Very 70's!
The Poseidon Adventure, 1972, running time 177 mins approx.
This weekend channel 5 showed the 1972 classic The Poseidon Adventure, I was so excited as it has been ages since I have seen it and I am planning on watching the latest version Poseidon opening in cinemas this week.
The Story:
It is New Years Eve and the S.S. Poseidon is heading from New York to Athens when a Sub Sea Earthquake in Crete sends ... ...it completely upside down. All the guests are in the ballroom celebrating the New Year when they are flipped upside down, the ceiling has now become the floor and floor complete with upside down table and chairs and Christmas tree is now the ceiling. A lot of lives were lost in the turn but a lot are still alive, Reverend Frank Scott has an idea for their escape. As the boat is upside down they need to climb up to get out and try and make their way ... more
The Poseidon Adventure, 1972, running time 177 mins approx.
This weekend channel 5 showed the 1972 classic The Poseidon Adventure, I was so excited as it has been ages since I have seen it and I am planning on watching the latest version Poseidon opening in cinemas this week.
The Story:
It is New Years Eve and the S.S. Poseidon is heading from New York to Athens when a Sub Sea Earthquake in Crete sends a massive tidal wave heading straight towards the ship and turns it completely upside down. All the guests are in the ballroom celebrating the New Year when they are flipped upside down, the ceiling has now become the floor and floor complete with upside down table and chairs and Christmas tree is now the ceiling. A lot of lives were lost in the turn but a lot are still alive, Reverend Frank Scott has an idea for their escape. As the boat is upside down they need to climb up to get out and try and make their way through the ships engine room and up to the propeller shaft. Unable to convince a lot of the survivors he heads of with a party of just nine, together they are faced with a race against time as water is filling the ship will they make it to the top before the water does?
Why I love this film:
This film is exciting and terrifying to watch, filmed in the 70's the special effects are not as spectacular as they could be but the sense of danger and fear is still apparent and the sitting on the edge of your seat factor is still effective to the viewer. I really like the characters and feel that you really get to know and understand their individual need to survive this awful event, you can sympathise with their high emotions of anger and sadness. You can feel a connection with them and you want them all to make it out alive, and when some don't make it you feel a deep loss for them. The acting is on a very high level and it must of taking a lot of hard work to film such effects of swimming under water, dodging fire and gas expositions, climbing up dangerous ladders. I am now very excited and can't wait to see the remake Poseidon which is out in cinemas this week, I can only imagine what they have been able to create with all the technology we have available to us in 2006.
Creators:
Director Ronald Neame: Ronald is a British film maker, he has had experience in directing all sorts of films including Comedy with 1952 film The Card, Musical with 1970 classic Scrooge and disaster with this 1972 film The Poseidon Adventure.
Writing Credits: Paul Gallicio wrote the novel The Poseidon Adventure, Wendall Mayes & Stirling Silliphant helped to turn the novel into a great classic film.
Some of the Main Characters:
Reverend Frank Scott, played by Gene Hackman, is the leader of the escape party; he sees it as his calling to help these people get out alive. Earlier that day he gave a sermon to the ship in which he said 'Do not pray to God, but to the God inside of you' he finds the God inside of him and with great determination helps the assorted mix of survivors try and get out alive. Gene Hackman's performance as the Reverend is brilliant he gives you the viewer faith in the their survival as well as the people he is trying to lead to safety. Gene is best known for his role of Lux Luthor in the Superman films
Detective Lieutenant Mike Rogo played by Ernest Borgnine and wife Linda Rogo Played Shelly Stevens, are an unlikely couple that find them selves following the reverend on a route to escape. Mike is unhappy with a lot of the Reverends ideas and is unconvinced that he will lead them to safety, he gives of a negative vibe and puts a lot of doubt in the minds of the others. Mike is married to Linda who we find out used to be a prostitute, he arrested her several times then they became married. Linda is the only person who can calm Mike down and she persuades him to follow the reverend. Although they are an odd couple their love for one another is obvious.
James Martine played by Red Buttons and Nonnie Parry played by Carol Lynley find them selves thrown together by this disaster. James is a lonely soul who is alone on the ship, Nonnie is the singer in the ships band that evening her and her brother boarded the ship for free in return for free entertainment. When the ship turned over Nonnie loses her brother and is left all alone, James takes her under his wing and with a companion at last he sees it as his duty to protect her.
Belle Rosen played by Shelley Winters and husband Manny Rosen played by Jack Albertson are on the ship heading off to see the grandson they have never met. They are so determined that they are going to see him that they join the rescue party. Even though Belle is large lady she manages to climb and Christmas tree and crawl through duct shafts all in the hope tat she will see her grandson. Her beloved husband Manny is behind her every step of they way. Shelly and Jack make a great pair on screen and are both brilliant in their portrayal of the terrified yet determined couple Belle and Manny Rosen.
Susan Shelby played by Pamela Sue Martin and younger brother Robin Shelby played by Eric Shea both give admiral performances for such youngsters. The young brother and sister are heading to meet their mother and father and alone on the ship listen to the reverend for away to escape.
Conclusion:
If you are into classic films then I suggest you watch this, also it would be good to watch it if you are planning on watching the 2006 remake Poseidon so that you can compare.
The Poseidon Adventure is available on DVD from Amazon for £10.99 or new and used from £8.75.
Advantages: Fun, cheesy and hilariously over the top Disadvantages: Stupid characters and acting, bad ending
What with the recent Wolfgang Peterson remake of The Poseidon Adventure (adventurously re-titled "Poseidon") hitting the big screens and consequently sinking just as disastrously as its titular ship, I thought it would be a good idea to plunge myself into the world of 1970s disaster movies. It would seem watery tales create mixed feelings with cinema goers (some hate this film, whilst a recent survey named it as the greatest disaster film ever), ... ...got my rubber ring at the ready and sat down to watch (duh duh duh) "The Poseidon Adventure"!
The story (as if you don't know it already) tells of a luxury cruise liner, The Poseidon, which happens to be captained by Leslie Nielson. "Oh no" I hear you cry, but don't worry, he dies when it is hit by an enormous tidal wave on New Year's Eve. After flipping right over, some of the passengers (amongst them a renegade preacher played by Gene Hackman, ...
l-m-n-o-p 12.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Poseidon Adventure (DVD)
Advantages: Great cast; DVD and video are cheap to buy Disadvantages: None!
This film is one of the more intelligent "disaster" films of the 1970s. Directed by Ronald Neame and released in 1972, it covers many themes from religion to love, as well as the human spirit to survive. It's also based on the novel of the same name by Paul Gallico.
While "the Poseidon Adventure" looks dated nowadays, it is great for the time it was made. Even now, it's hard to figure out how the made it look so realistic in the various rooms on ... ...Day, an ocean liner on the way from New York to Greece is capsized by a tidal wave. An earthquake has happened 130 miles from Crete and the ship is caught in the aftershocks. Can anyone make it out alive? The effects aren't brilliant but the true horror of the situation is still put across very well. The title song "The Morning After" at the start of the film is indicative of what is about to happen. Incidentally, The Poseidon is the God of the Sea. ...
Mel27 21.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Poseidon Adventure (DVD)
Advantages: great effects, the cast, the Xmas tree scene Disadvantages: over-the-top? slightly cheesy
...I have never had the delight of watching this before, for some reason every Christmas the family would be watching something else, but I must say it exceeded my expectations. Gene Hackman plays a rebellious priest who ends up by the force of his personality leading the survivors to safety. The 'clever bit' is that the ship is upside down so they have to get to what is actually the bottom of the ship, to get to the top of the sea!
The characters ... ...stock middle aged woman, the women in tight clothes (handy when they get wet!. The older couple were quite appealing though, in their devotion to each other. I liked the character mix overall, and none were deeply unlikeable, so you were willing them all to get through and admiring their will to survive. The setpieces were good, and the scenery. The ship looked very realistic for the most part, not bad considering it was way before CGI and Titanic! ...
aunico 11.04.2006 (28.04.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Poseidon Adventure (DVD)
Advantages: Big name cast, morbidly fascinating Disadvantages: Laughably bad
...strikes again in another of the disaster films that are almost morbidly bad. Made in that era of disaster movies that was the 70's this has all of the usual cliche's - an ok/big name cast, people in peril, and lots of little personnal stories that all come together.
Let's face it, this is never going to win an Oscar (although it's title song DID) and what we have here is pure unbridled entertainment. To hell with realism, or high quality - the creators ... ...of his own, and mkaes the perfect choice as our lead survivor, but he gets great support from Borgnine, Winters and co. (all of whom get their individual moments of screen time). The story is pure production line, and the effects are laughably bad (nowadays) but does it matter?
It's formulaic and half but a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon and somehow strangely compelling ...
TheNeil 21.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Poseidon Adventure (DVD)
Advantages: Quite engrossing. Good theme song Disadvantages: poor effects, poor dialogue.
...Towering Inferno this was probably the best of those disaster movies around in the seventies. Even though the script is banal and just daft at times you do become fairly engrossed in the struggles of a bunch of survivors on a liner after it's capsized by a huge wave. The special effects aren't very special but remember this was a good 25 years before they started really utilising digital enhancements in movies. Gene Hackman does his best with the ... ...been attracted to it for the money I suppose - they certainly have vastly more talent than this deserves. Still its entertaining enough and has a very nice theme song which won an oscar - (The Morning After). Not brilliant but at least nowhere near as bad as it's sequel Beyond the Poseidon Adventure. Beyond belief more like. ...
JSpencer 22.07.2000
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Advantages: Great special effects Disadvantages: Poor storyline, no empath for the characters
This is only a film review as the DVD is not available yet!
'The PoseidonAdventure' may have possibly been my favourite movie when I was younger. From when I was about 7 I would sit in front of the TV with my mum and sister and sing along to 'There's Got to be a Morning After' and think thank goodness for the air pockets! I'd be amazed the at the Christmas Tree scene and feel as claustrophobic as they did when they got trapped in various situations.
Well, imagine my delight when I realised that there was a remake! A remake! With all the special effects and brilliant directors there are out there now it would be fantastic. So off I trot to the cinema and, wielding my popcorn and mineral water (see, healthy me!) I relive the adventure, CGI style. The film has received mixed reviews, some claim the movie is just another Titanic but ...
lauricha 06.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Poseidon (DVD)
Irwin Allen, Stirling Silliphant, Wendell Mayes, Paul Gallico
Writer
Paul Gallico
Editor
Harold F. Kress
Languages
Main Language
English
Subtitle Language
Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish
Hearing Impaired Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Original Theatrical Trailer, Making Of Featurette, Cast Pages With Mini Biographies, Scene Access, Interactive Menus
Aspect Ratio
2.35 Wide Screen, 16:9 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Dolby Digital
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround English
DVD Description
On New Year's Eve, the luxury ocean liner Poseidon is on a magnificent voyage from New York to Athens, Greece. Unfortunately, disaster befalls passengers and crew when the cruise ship is capsized by a huge tidal wave brought on by a submarine-induced earthquake. Though the casualties are many, 10 passengers survive to make a harrowing journey up to the overturned ship's bottom where they try and escape to safety. The ensemble cast includes Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters, Roddy McDowall, and Red Buttons.
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