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Earthquake
An Event...
( Action / Drama / Thriller )


Earthquake Poster

MPAA Rating:
PG

US Runtime: 123 min

Premiere Date:
Nov 15, 1974   [USA]
 
Director: Mark Robson
 
Writer: Mario Puzo
 
Cinematography: Philip H Lathrop
 
Edited by: Dorothy Spencer
 
Production Companys: The Filmakers Group
Universal Pictures
 


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Filming Locations: (Now With Clickable Links To Location On Google Maps)

 

Tech Info:

Budget:
$7,000,000 (USA)
Color Info:
Color (Technicolor)
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo / 70 mm 6-Track / Mono / Sensurround
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Cinematographic Process:
Panavision
Film Negative Format:
35 mm
Printed Film Format:
35 mm
70 mm
Shooting Dates:
Feb 1974 - Aug 1974
Production Dates:
Nov 1973 - Oct 1974

Quotes:

  • Mayor Lewis: The governor and I aren't even in the same party. If this turns out to be a false alarm, he'll make me out to be the biggest fool west of the Mississippi.
    Dr. Stockle: Second biggest. I'll top the list.
     

Trivia:

  • The first film to be presented in "Sensurround," a special low-frequency bass speaker setup consisting of four huge speakers loaned by distributors to select theatres showing the film. This system was employed only during the quake sequences of the film, and was so powerful that it actually cracked plaster at some movie theaters. "Sensurround" was employed in only three other films released by Universal: Midway, Rollercoaster, and the theatrical release of Battlestar Galactica.
     
  • Some of the scenes of panicking extras in the movie theater is footage from Torn Curtain.
     
  • Walter Matthau asked to play the drunk in the bar after seeing the scene description "A drunk sits at the end of the bar" in the shooting script. Despite the director's objections, and the fact that the character originally had no lines, he insisted that he play the part. Matthau got his way, and his performance provided much needed comedy relief.
     
  • Before stereo TV sound was commonplace, NBC aired "Earthquake" with the soundtrack simulcast on local FM radio stations so that viewers could recreate "SenSurround" at home.
     
  • The reservoir dam that breaks in the film was based on the real-life St. Francis dam disaster in 1928, near Mulholland Falls.
     

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