The Poseidon Adventure

Rating:
Summary: A world turned upside down...
Review: One of the best, and one the most well-known disaster films ever, the Poseidon Adventure is the story of a small group of survivors trapped in a capsized luxury ship. The film follows their struggle to survive, and persevere in an unusual and extremely dangerous situation. The story, based on Paul Gallico's novel, features a wonderful all-star cast, headed by Gene Hackman, and Ernest Borgnine, with Shelley Winters, Roddy McDowall, Red Buttons, Stella Stevens, Jack Albertson, Carol Lynley, Pamela Sue Martin, Eric Shea and Leslie Nielsen.

It is New Years day, just after midnight, when a huge wave strikes the USS Poseidon, twisting the huge cruise ship, and leaving it upside down in the water. Inside, the passengers and crew, who had been joyously celebrating the New Year, are suddenly facing a deadly situation. Emerging from the crowd trapped in the ship's dining room, is Reverend Scott (Gene Hackman), who spearheads the effort to climb "up", towards the bottom of the ship. A small group of survivors join the Reverend in the journey. The movie focuses on their adventures, as they slowly make their way through the bowels of the ship, searching for a safe route to the "top", staying just ahead of the rising water. As we follow along, we learn much about the survivors as people. The characters become defined, and we come to have strong feelings about many of them.

Reverend Scott, is constantly challenged by Rogo (Borgnine), a police officer with his own ideas of what they should be doing. The tension between the two men, keeps the atmosphere edgy. The group endures much, and overcomes even more, in their perilous journey. They struggle on, through hell and hardship, because as Scott says, "...life always matters very much". Although not everyone will make it to the end, the survivors never give up. As long as there is life, there is hope. This is the theme of the memorable Oscar winning song, "The Morning After". John Williams' powerful score, earned him an Academy Award nomination too.

Shelly Winters was nominated for an Academy Award as well, and the film has many other fine performances. Hackman, and Borgnine are marvelous, their clash of wills, creates sparks on the screen. Roddy McDowell is very good, in an understated but brief role as a steward. Jack Albertson was never better, and Pamela Sue Martin, TV's Nancy Drew, makes her film debut. If you have not seen this before, you have missed a real classic.

As to the DVD itself, the widescreen presentation is without any extras, except for a trailer and skimpy cast bios. Most regrettable, in light of the recent "Backstory" feature on A&E about this movie, which detailed Irwin Allen's efforts to bring this story to the screen. Catch this feature too, for some interesting background information. There is so much more, that could have been done, to honor this film, and the wonderful cast that worked on it so hard. Good or bad, the success of this film, and films like Airport (1970), helped launch the 70's wave of disaster films. Irwin Allen, would follow up himself with The Towering Inferno (1974). A few years later, there would be an inferior Poseidon sequel, "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure".

Rating:
Summary: the mother of all disaster movies
Review: Irwin Allen's THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE is regarded as being the forerunner of the myriad of disaster movies that reigned supreme at the box-office through the 70's and into the 80's.

In this enjoyable and quite campy film, we see the "stock characters" that would become a fixture in the disaster movie genre; the Jewish couple (Jack Albertson and Shelley Winters), the swashbuckling ah...priest? (Gene Hackman), the rowdy policeman and his ex-hooker wife (Ernest Borgnine and Stella Stevens), the nervous little singer (Carol Lynley), the bachelor (Red Buttons), the leggy teen (Pamela Sue Martin) and the know-it-all little brat (Eric Shea).

Mind you, the ship was bound to sink with Leslie Nielsen (AKA Frank Drebin) at the helm...

When the SS Poseidon capsizes in a tidal wave on New Year's Eve, this motley bunch of survivors try to climb to the thinnest part of the hull to escape. Climbing up a huge Christmas tree to begin the adventure, the Priest first makes some convienient "alterations" to the women's outfits. First he orders Stella Stevens to take off her evening gown and put on a short pink shirt; then he orders Pamela Sue Martin to take off her red mini-skirt, which she does, only to reveal a matching pair of red hotpants beneath!!

Then sit back and watch as our vaccuous and totally unbelievable band of dim-wits try to thwart the crumbling wreckage that is continually exploding around them. I mean really, what is Stella Stevens thinking that she can climb through vents and up ladders in silver stilettos?!!

Featuring the theme song "The Morning After" (mimed convincingly by Carol Lynley) and some marvellous miniature effects techniques.

Rating:
Summary: UNBELIEVABLE UNDERWATER DISASTER EPIC!!!!
Review: SPECTACULAR SPECIAL EFFECTS HIGHLIGHTS THIS DYMAMIC DRAMA OF A MASSIVE TIDAL WAVE-TURNED OVER LUXURY OCEAN LINER WITH ONLY A HANDFUL OF WILLING SURVIVORS TO MAKE A DANGERIOUS TREK TO THE HULL OF THE SHIP FOR RESCUE!!!! WHILE THE REST OF THE OTHER MINDLESS SURVIVORS LISTEN TO THE HOPELESS IDIODIC PERSER WHO BELIEVES STAYING PUT WILL BRING RESCUE FASTER!!!! LITTLE DO THEY REALIZE THAT THE SHIP NOW UNDERWATER IS HEAVIER THAN THE BOTTOM, WHICH NOW FLOATING ABOVE THE SURFACE, CAN CLEARLY BE SEEN BY ANY PASSING RESCUE SHIP OR AIRCRAFT MAKING RESCUE EASIER!!!! THEIR COMPARTMENT NOW WITH DEAD BODIES IS BUILDING UP WITH SEA WATER WHICH LEADS TO TRAGEDY!!!! THE TREK TO RESCUE KEEPS YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT!!!! FILLED WITH POWERFUL MUSIC SCORE BY THE GREAT JOHN WILLIAMS AND AFLOAT WITH A STELLAR CAST LEAD BY GENE HACKMAN (THE UNORTHODOX MINISTER WHO DOESN'T RELY ON GOD), ERNEST BORGNINE (THE POLICE OFFICIAL), STELLA STEVENS (HIS ONCE "PROSTITUTE" WIFE), SHELLEY WINTERS (THE GRANDMOTHER), JACK ALBERTSON (THE GRANDFATHER), RED BUTTONS (THE SMALL STORE CLERK), CAROL LYNLEY (THE YOUNG BAND SINGER), RODDY MCDOWELL (THE YOUNG STEWARD), LESLIE NIELSON (IN HIS MOST DRAMATIC ROLE, AS THE CAPTAIN), AND OTHERS PAVE THE WAY TOWARD SUSPENSE, DANGER, AND ADVENTURE WITH EVERY BREATH!!!! THIS IS TRULY A CLASSIC!!!!

Rating:
Summary: 4.5 stars -- more enjoyable than "Titanic."
Review: "The Poseidon Adventure" is the quintessential disaster movie -- the very best of the disaster film genre that reigned through the 70's and early 80's.

This particular disaster flick involves a ocean liner capsized by a tidal wave (on New Year's Eve of all times!)and the ten survivors who struggle to make it up to the hull (which is actually the bottom of the ship) to possibly find a way out through the stern. Being that everything is upside down presents major obstacles to the cast.

The pic features a stellar cast, including a young Gene Hackman and a fit Ernest Borgnine, who are constantly at each others throats because, as the Hackman character points out, they're two of a kind and Borgnine simply doesn't like what he sees in the mirror. The female cast includes Pamela Sue Martin (Nancy Drew), Carol Lynley and Stella Stevens, all well-cast as scantily-clad babes in distress. Also, Shelley Winters does a nice job as an overweight heroine. Red Buttons, Roddy McDowall and Leslie Nielson (in a serious role as The Captain) are also on hand.

The sets of the sinking, upside down ship are absolutely outstanding. The scene wherein the ship tips over showing the party-goers fall/slide to the ceiling is superb.

The characters are great and you really start to care for them. Okay, there is admittedly some silly dialogue, but I KNOW people who talk like this in real life, so it's not as campy and unrealistic as some criticize.

Hackman as the fiery-passionate rebel preacher is excellent. His real struggle is ultimately with his Creator, who he "has it out" with at the end. Unspiritual people will no doubt tend to laugh at this scene, but it powerfully portrays humanity's grappling with the universal question "Why does a righteous God allow evil and hardship to exist?"

The "Preacher" is nicely balanced out by the Pamela Sue Martin character who loves him and the Borgnine character who despises him; but observe Borgnine's nice change-of-heart at the very end.

It's interesting to note that, even though some say this flick has campy aspects, everyone highly rates it. "The Poseidon Adventure" is just a very entertaining and moving motion picture. It's got "cult movie" written all over it.

I find it of interest that many reviewers state how they like "The Poseidon Adventure" better than "Titanic." "Titanic" is hailed as one of the greatest, most popular pics of all time, yet all these folks say they prefer to see the former. I'd have to agree. "Titanic" is a good flick, there's no doubt; but given the choice I'd much rather see "The Poseidon Adventure."

Rating:
Summary: The Party's Over...
Review: I remember watching this in the theatre. It was the first in a long line of disaster movies (I know "Airport" came out earlier, but it's not much of a disaster film). Irwin Allen took a cruise-ship full of happy new year's passengers, hit them with a monster tidal wave, turned the ship upside down, and let the waterlogged action fly! Gene Hackman is the disgruntled / doubting priest. He finds himself having to lead a group of misfits up to the bottom of the Poseiden to alleged safety. Among the survivors are the old married couple (Shelly Winters and Jack Albertson), the cute, mousey lounge singer (Carol Lynley), The cranky cop and his gorgeous, ex-prostitute wife (Ernest Borgnine and Stella Stevens), the waiter (Roddy Macdowell), the brainiac kid, his sister (Pamela Sue Martin), and the kindly widower (Red Buttons). What a cast! Together, they must endure the hidden dangers of this topsy-turvy adventure. I remember Mad magazine's parody: "The Poopside-down Adventure". It was hilariously on target! Irwin Allen ushered in a ridiculous era of burning skyscrapers, killer bees, earthquakes, etc. This is the first REAL disaster epic, and it's the best...

Rating:
Summary: Negligence, Mother Nature and 1000+ people in one movie
Review: Honestly, this movie is the best thing amongst other disasters of the '70s, like the Hindenburg and the Airport series. It starts off as Steve Martin playes the captain of a private ocean liner, the S.S. Poseidon (named after the Greek god of the sea and natural disaters, duh!), traveling on a final cruise in the Mediterranean. Its SOB owner is losing thousands of dollars due to the fact they are two days late for the ship's decommissioning,and wants full power, but the captain won't have it, as the ship is unbalanced and almost rolled over in a storm. Still, he puts on full steam, calling the owner an "irresponsible bastard", and during a New Year's banquet, an earthquake occurs (7.8 on the Richter scale, which is very powerful), creating a 90-foot tidal wave, rolling the ship over. A band of ten people, with an exiled priest (Gene Hackman), a cop (Ernest Borginine) and his ex-hooker wife (Shelley Winters), a bachelor (Red Buttons), a chauffeur (Roddy McDowall), a singer on board the ship, an old man (Jack Alberton), and his once-athlete, now-obese wife, are now traveling toward the engines where the hull is the thinnest, with smokestacks exploding, one person dying every 30 minutes,and deck after deck filling up. Like once said in the posters, it's "hell, upside down."

Rating:
Summary: Great film, but disappointing DVD
Review: My fave film of all time and a shockingly disappointing DVD. Sure the picture quality is great and the "Menu" hints at a sense of humor from the folks behind the re-packaging....but that just makes the lack of content all the more disappointing for fans of this landmark film. No commentary or special features... They really need to go back and start from scratch with putting the tributes together for this one!!!

Rating:
Summary: One of My All Time Fav's
Review: Hackman, Borgnine, McDowall, Winters, Buttons, need I say more? Quite a few of the worlds great actors are in this movie and it shows.

If you've read as far as this review, you know the plot by now.
Sure the dialogue is cheezy and the special effects are a bit dated, but hey this film is over 30 years old! It's still one of the two best disaster films (Towering Inferno being the other) ever made.

I've loved it since I first saw it as a 10 year old kid at the drive-in w/my family. I agree with others who wish there was more to the DVD pack (maybe a documentary on making it?) and even some stereo sound but it's still a fun film to watch and a great trip down memory lane for me.

Rating:
Summary: What, no Special Edition!?!
Review: To this day The Poseidon Adventure remains the undisputed high water mark (no pun intended) for the Disaster Movie craze. While Airport started it, it was really this Irwin Allen production, with its still potent mix of star power and grand spectacle, that got the genre off and running. Given the scale of the movie the over-the-top theatrics of the cast actually fit well and, no matter how many times I watch it, I still move to the edge of my seat, hoping that they make it to the bottom of the boat in time. For the price this DVD is a decent (and required) addition to the movie fans library, but it really deserves the Special Edition treatment (i.e. behind the scenes documentaries, commentaries, surviving cast interviews, etc.) and a remastered and (for those with 16 x 9 TV sets) anamorphic transfer. If you are fan of special effects movies in general or Disaster Movies in particular then you already know you need this in your collection. Highest recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: I Hope They Remaster and Improve The Widescreen DVD!
Review: As a child in the 70's I saw several disaster movies and though this is not one of the movies I saw back than, I actually watched it for the first time on TCM this is definitely my favorite of all of the disaster movies I've watched and I thought it was a very thrilling movie that really kept me interested and even though the dialogue can be a bit corny I actually thought the dialogue in The Poseidon Adventure was the best of all of the disaster movies and this movie had an excellent cast, Gene Hackman (Superman the Movie), Ernest Borgnine (Marty), (Jack Albertson (Chico and the Man), Shelley Winters (Pete's Dragon), Pamela Sue Martin (Nancy Drew), and many others. I would really like to own this movie on a widescreen DVD but I see it got bad marks from Widescreen Reviews and hopefully a new remastered DVD will come out that will be truly outstanding! But the price of this DVD is so low that it just may be worth buying and owning until a better DVD comes out and you can trade or sell the old one.