Rent The Towering Inferno (1974)

3.6 of 5 from 154 ratings
2h 39min
Rent The Towering Inferno Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
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  • Available formats
Synopsis:
The world's tallest building is skyscraping testimony to ingenuity and innovation. In the hands of "Master of Disaster", film producer Irwin Allen, it's also the world's tallest matchstick. An all-star cast gathers for this tall story of lofty dimensions: eight Academy Award nominations and three Oscars. On the night of the building's dedication, fire erupts, trapping people on the upper floors...and igniting multiple tales of heroism and loss involving a firefighter, an architect and others caught in the steel-and-glass inferno. With starpower, pyrotechnics and suspense in abundance, The Towering Inferno sizzled at box offices worldwide.
Actors:
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Directors:
Writers:
Richard Martin Stern, Thomas N. Scortia
Others:
Harold F. Kress, Al Kasha, Fred Koenekamp, Joseph Biroc, Carl Kress, Joel Hirschhorn, William Creber, Theodore Soderberg, Ward Preston, Raphael Bretton, Herman Lewis, John Williams
Studio:
Warner
Genres:
Action & Adventure, Classics
Collections:
A Brief History of Films About American Football, A Brief History of Films About Nuns, Films & TV by topic, Films by Year, Films From: 1974, Fred and Ginger: Duets and Solos, Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: Olivia de Havilland, Instant Expert's Guide to John Huston, Introducing the Thesping Olympians, A Brief History of Film..., The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide to: Mel Brooks, The Instant Expert's Guide to: Robert Aldrich, The Instant Expert's Guide: to Tim Burton
Awards:

1976 BAFTA Best Music

1976 BAFTA Best Supporting Actor

1975 Oscar Best Cinematography

1975 Oscar Best Editing

1975 Oscar Best Music Original Song

BBFC:
Release Date:
21/08/2000
Run Time:
159 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles:
Arabic, Bulgarian, English, English Hard of Hearing, Romanian
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.35:1
Colour:
Colour
Bonus:
  • Trailer
  • Interactive Menu
  • Scene Access
BBFC:
Release Date:
16/11/2009
Run Time:
165 minutes
Languages:
Castilian Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0, English Dolby Digital 2.0, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, French Dolby Digital 2.0, German Dolby Digital 2.0, Italian Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles:
Castillian, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.40:1
Colour:
Colour
Bonus:
  • Commentary by film historian F.X. Feeney
  • Vintage promotional material: NATO presentation reel, Original 1974 featurette #1, Original 1974 featurette #2, Irwin Allen 1977 interview
  • Featurettes: Inside the tower – We remember, Innovating the tower – The SPFX of an inferno, The art of towering, Irwin Allen – The great producer, Directing the inferno, Putting out fire, Running on fire, Still the world's tallest building, The writer – Stirling silliphant, Storyboard comparisons
  • Deleted and extended scenes
  • Trailers: The towering inferno teaser, The towering inferno trailer

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Reviews (1) of The Towering Inferno

The Quintessential Disaster Film - The Towering Inferno review by GI

Spoiler Alert
10/04/2021

After the box office success of The Poseidon Adventure (1972) disaster stories became very popular and so began a short cycle of such films and The Towering Inferno was probably the biggest and best. With an all star cast headed by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen it also boasted great special effects, action scenes and some grisly deaths. It's also skilfully written ensuring that the main protagonists are involved in various dangerous episodes throughout the story culminating in the climactic ending. Newman is architect Doug Roberts who returns to San Francisco for the opening night of a huge skyscraper called the Glass Tower, which he designed and was built by millionaire Jim Duncan (William Holden). There's to be a big party in the luxurious promenade near to the top of the building attended by politicians and local celebrities. But a small fire breaks out in a storeroom on a mid level floor and soon spreads caused by poor wiring and shoddy materials having been used by Duncan. The Fire Department led by ace fireman O'Halloran (McQueen) battles to save the hundreds trapped at the top of the building. For a long film this doesn't hang about and the action begins quickly and with a good script it manages to introduce the multitude of characters and their respective stories at the same time making for a great enthralling film. The cast of characters includes Faye Dunaway as Newman's lover, Richard Chamberlain as the cowardly son in law of Duncan, and Fred Astaire as a conman turned hero. Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, Jennifer Jones all make appearances mostly in order to be killed in nasty ways. This is a really tremendous and exciting big budget film and as the pinnacle of the disaster films it's definitely one I highly recommend if you've never seen it.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

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