The Towering Inferno

Name: The Towering Inferno
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Released: December 17, 1974
Duration: 165 min
Rating: 69
Cast: Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Jennifer Jones, O.J. Simpson, Paul Newman

1974

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Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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The Towering Inferno

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Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox | Release Date: December 17, 1974 | PG

Starring: Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Jennifer Jones, O.J. Simpson, Paul Newman, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Vaughn, Steve McQueen, Susan Blakely, William Holden

Summary: At the opening party of a colossal, but poorly constructed, office building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it.

Director: John Guillermin

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller

Rating: PG

Runtime: 165 min

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Critic Reviews

Staff (Not Credited)

The Towering Inferno is one of the greatest disaster pictures made, a personal and professional triumph for producer Irwin Allen. Read full review

Noel Murray

The fun of watching The Towering Inferno is in figuring out which old star Allen is going to indiscriminately kill off, as well as watching ultramodern décor go up in flames while a bunch of stubborn egotists refuse to listen to reasonable men. Read full review

Empire Andrew Collins

Much more than a way to pass a rainy bank holiday afternoon, this is rocking good superleague disaster adventure. Read full review

David Fear

The story is stock, but thanks to the behind-the-scene fire wranglers, you can practically feel the heat. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Everything a disaster movie should be, a combination of soap opera and the spectacle of destruction. Read full review

Vincent Canby

Movies like The Towering Inferno appear to have been less directed than physically constructed. This one is overwrought and silly in its personal drama, but the visual spectacle is first rate. You may not come out of the theater with any important ideas about American architecture or enterprise, but you will have had a vivid, completely safe nightmare. Read full review

Pauline Kael

The movie doesn’t stick together in one’s head; this thing is like some junky fairground show—a chamber of horrors with skeletons that jump up. Read full review

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User Reviews

Squirrel73

Mar 31, 2020

The Towering Inferno is is BEST Disaster movie ever made. Excellent Special effects, Great Performances, and one the of greatest casts of all time. It’s just a great movie.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Stephenj2010

May 23, 2020

The Towering Inferno is a sweet and the greatest disaster movie, and it's not too bad!

8.9/10 The Towering Inferno is a 1974 disaster movie about a 138 feet skyscraper at the night, got in a huge trouble and causes a night of blazing suspense, and it very fun! Very, very, VERY fun to seeThe Towering Inferno is a sweet and the greatest disaster movie, and it's not too bad!

8.9/10 The Towering Inferno is a 1974 disaster movie about a 138 feet skyscraper at the night, got in a huge trouble and causes a night of blazing suspense, and it very fun! Very, very, VERY fun to see this movie, and it's an exciting disaster movie that everyone would see this, and it's full of scary, fun, and suspenseful scenes throughout the movie! Steve McQueen and Paul Newman were amazing cast in the blazing movie of all time! :)

Not only that, but the movie has lots of amazing effects for the fire, and making the effects looks scary as it really is, the sets looking terrific, and it has likable characters, including Steve McQueen and Paul Newman as well!

The soundtrack that was performed by John Williams is amazing, and he did amazing job with this movie.

The skyscraper named The Glass Tower, the tallest building than the original World Trade Center in the movie, is well done designed, almost looked as realistic as a fictional skyscraper was.

This is the several times that Irwin Allen has shown to have good skills as a producer, and his concept of the movie since he produces ''The Poseidon Adventure'' in 1972.

The greatest disaster movie to date in 1974 to this day! :)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Aug 28, 2018

adequacy outweighs potential..

The Towering Inferno The Towering Inferno is a character driven feature about unity and fascism brewing at a point of annihilation. Huge set pieces and detailed production design welcomes the audience in, in its luxuriously behemoth paragon that falls likeadequacy outweighs potential..

The Towering Inferno

The Towering Inferno is a character driven feature about unity and fascism brewing at a point of annihilation. Huge set pieces and detailed production design welcomes the audience in, in its luxuriously behemoth paragon that falls like domino. It's such metaphorical tone, that is layered enough to push the audience to see past its typical genre, but unfortunately the makers fails to pull it off as anticipated. The visual effects are impressive and convincing with sharp sound effects that offers the apt experience as was anticipated. And although is short on background score, the editing is on mark with an amazing cinematography. Few scenes are shot beautifully but with the help of art designing and visual effects, some graphic scenes might make you cringe. But it's this boldness (whether then it be McQueen's stunts or a character's slick move or suggestions to survive the nature) that helps makers in keeping the viewers tangled on its world or apparently a building in here. Even though the narration is elaborative and not overstretched, the runtime of around 175 minutes, may allow the audience to wander off the feature. The makers have an amazing window where it can depict the nature of each character without any sweetening or filtering, since its critical crisis can and does aviate its raw material right on to the face of the viewers; what a delight. Newman's smart and precise portrayal with McQueen's bravado and Holden's leadership quality, the performance objective is more than safe. Guillermin's execution may not be extraordinary but is sufficient enough to offer a palpable surrounding to the script. Impactful screenplay and jaw dropping visuals are the only high points of the feature. The Towering Inferno's priority for adequacy outweighs potential on terms of its journey and not the destination.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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