Very well executed

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Memorable, crazy movie

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Even by the usual standards of disaster movies, "Earthquake" is a rubbish film. Most of these kinds of films have most of the budget spent on the special effects but the same can't be said for this film. It's the usual case of loads of stars having nothing to do. Charlton Heston made far better films than this. He only has to act the hero by trying to save the victims. It is so predictable, it's a wonder this film was made.

In the Golden era of Disaster movies, this film makes you care about the characters because of the excellent acting performances of the characters. Especially Charlton Heston and Genevieve Bujold.In 1974 the era of dazzling special effects were about to make their mark. This film for 1974 had some great special effects. I really connected with some of the characters in the movie. Especially the characters of Charlton Heston, Genevieve Bujold and her son, Ava Gardner,Lorne Green, George Kennedy and Richard Roundtree. One thing we see of movies from this era is the very realistic and engaging acting performances of actors and actresses of this era. You really feel the pain shock and grief at the end of Genevieve Bujold. After Heston survives all that. and then **** Contains Spoler **** When Heston decides to rather die with his wife than climb up to a new life and a new family with Genevive Bujold and his son.That ending is what makes this movie so special and moving. It showed the true tragedy of this film. The tremendous loss and what could have been. If the Earthquake didn't intervene. This movie also gives a glimpse of Los Angeles in 1974. Like at the end as the Dr said to George Kennedy if not for the damn earthquake. Los Angeles might actually be a very exciting and quite a nice place to live in. With its high standard of living,nice affluent suburbs for families (Charlton Heston and his wife were resident of in the movie) and very nice sunny California weather all swept away one day by one terrible earthquake as shown in the film.This movie also does what excellent disaster movies do. It questions is your life as stable and safe as you think it is when some disaster could strike at any moment and take it all away including your loved ones life and your life. I think the message we need to take away from Earthquake is that don't take your life however mundane for granted. Cherish every moment you have with your loved ones. We saw the meaning of that in Genevieve Bujold's face at the end. Top film with top acting performances albeit dealing with grim subject matter as is the case in the disaster movie genre. They certainly don't make movies like this anymore.

Remy (Ava Gardner) and Stuart Graff (Charlton Heston)'s marriage is falling apart. She ODs once again after another fight. During a small earthquake, she jumps up and reveals that she's faking. He's a construction engineer working for his father-in-law Sam Royce (Lorne Greene). He starts an affair with the widow of his friend and single mom Denise Marshall (Geneviève Bujold). There is a mysterious drowning at a local dam and other disturbing signs. LAPD cop Lou Slade (George Kennedy) gets suspended for punching a clueless county cop. Miles (Richard Roundtree) is a motorcycle rider perfecting a new stunt. Grad student Russell predicts the big one in 48 hours.Walter Matthau's getup is hilarious. That bar is a weird place and that T-shirt is super fine. I like that group of characters. They're a little off-beat and slightly fun. I care a lot less about the affair and the jealousy within the Graff marriage. They could drop into the earth for all I care. The earthquake action is as much as can be expected with shaking cameras, miniatures, falling styrofoam and other stuntwork. This is good special effects for its times and satisfies the need for destruction. It's nowhere near as visually compelling as CGI but it feeds the same animal instincts. There is a good 15 minutes of continuous destruction. The aftermath is a mix of good rescue scenarios and bad melodrama.

Compare this movie with San Andreas (2015). They have the same theme, even the dam event and the lost girl and child drama. Earthquake is 40 years before and it cares for PEOPLE, where San Andreas cares for special effects and, no matter the thousands of dead, cares about the few main characters. This is silly and quite immoral too. In Earthquake you see people DYING as well as we did in the dramatic and hyper emotional shots of 9/11. Main characters die and some of them survive as it may happen in real life.I was 17 when the movie arrived her in Italy and I never saw it because... I didn't like Charlton Heston (and still I don't :)I am sure that even without Sensurraund I would have been very impressed by the special effects and sound and characterization of people, even the less important. Think about the tough moments between Rosa and the nut guy who tries to rape her or the LA officer who gets suspension because he punched the county officer.Plot and acting are not perfect but compared with San Andreas they seem like Laurence Olivier playing Shakespeare!8/10