The Towering Inferno - A Movie Review

The flames are unstoppable.

The Towering Inferno is a 1974 disaster film. A dangerous fire breaks out during the opening party of a colossal skyscraper in San Fransisco. The hot flames threaten the residents as it spreads throughout the building.

One can make disaster films about any topic. My rule of thumb is that they should have an equal mixture of disaster components and characterization. The Towering Inferno is one intense film that had to take care of its own fire emergency on set. The film elongates its terror into an almost three-hour-long movie when it could have been shorter.

The Towering Inferno has several top-tier stars from the 70s playing a combination of characters. Paul Newman and Steve McQueen disputed over whose name should have top billing. William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, and Jennifer Jones are a few other names to mention.

Mike Lockinland (Phillip Allbright) and Carlene Gower (Angela Allbright) deserve more credit for their roles. They’re more than just the kid roles. They’re scared, but they help with the situation. My heart melted when Angela said, “I won’t cry if you won’t.” That’s such a brave thing for a situation like this.

Aside from the disaster at play, there’s never one thing going on. That’s what I like the most. Several stories are going on at once. Characters are facing issues in their lives, and these arcs emphasize how the danger impacts everyone. The looming hazard also helps resolve fears.

With all these subplots, the film completely omitted a character who is deaf. They’re only in the movie for five minutes. It’s hard getting out of the building, and yet this character is carried to safety with no problems! And they never come back.

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, another 70s disaster film, had a blind character whose disability was woven into the script. Why couldn’t this subplot be expanded? It demonstrates that no matter the disability, we can overcome any obstacles.

Fires are no joke. The Towering Inferno hired real firefighters, both authentically and to put out actual fires! The real star of the film is its spectacular special effects. The cinematography (which won an award) captures the struggles with harrowing accuracy, emphasizing the suffocating heat, deadly smoke, and collapsing structure.

The Towering Inferno is an on-edge film. It showcases realistic depictions of people being burned alive. I first watched this movie when I was twelve. The image of a burning woman diving out of a window and plummeting to the ground is haunting.

Even making the film was intense and stressful. To get an authentic surprise from the actors, one of the producers fired a handgun into the ceiling. If the characters look terrified in the climax, it’s because they were. The editing keeps the action tense and fast-paced.

However, what sets John Guillermin’s direction from other disaster films is its pacing. This film is almost three hours long. The film has a lot of subplots. I always advocate that if films have a variety of characters and subplots then they should all earn the right screen time. That’s what Towering Inferno does, but it slows down the pacing.

One example is when they figure out to get everyone out of the tower we have to watch every single person leave. Another scene lasts ten minutes as characters climb down a broken staircase. The purpose is to highlight the peril, but you need to keep the audience engaged.

The Towering Inferno is a masterclass of disaster essence. It’s a must-watch for anyone who’s a disaster flick fan.