The Poseidon Adventure 50th Anniversary and beyond (1 Viewer)

[darkrock17]

Today, December 12 is 50 years that the S.S. Poseidon made it's ill fated final voyage and launched the Disaster genre of the 70's.

Since today is the golden anniversary of this classic and we're without a new anniversary edition(s), Do you think we'll ever see another edition in our lifetimes or is what was released back in 2012 on blu as good as it's going to get?

 

[jayembee]

Since today is the golden anniversary of this classic and we're without a new anniversary edition(s), Do you think we'll ever see another edition in our lifetimes or is what was released back in 2012 on blu as good as it's going to get?

Well, there may be a UHD streaming edition coming down the road -- if there isn't one already. Whether it'll be better than the Blu-ray is another question. Other than that, unless Disney changes its corporate mind, the answer is likely no. Or unless someone like Spielberg or Cameron suddenly wants to do a remake.

Quite frankly, I enjoyed the The Poseidon Adventure well enough back in the day, and have the Blu-ray, but it doesn't get my blood pumping these days. The extant Blu-ray is pretty damn good as it is, so if that's all there ends up being, I'm OK with that.

 

[Edwin-S]

Or unless someone like Spielberg or Cameron suddenly wants to do a remake.

There has already been a remake of this, albeit a terrible one. It is hard to believe that it was the same director that made "Das Boot": Wolfgang Petersen.

 

[MartinP.]

I read The Poseidon Adventure by Paul Gallico, the original novel, a few years ago. There's some R-rated stuff in there they left out! He also wrote the original novel of Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, which seems incongruous somehow!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Some posts have been removed because certain posters need to stay on topic and stop derailing threads towards other titles or subject matter.

 

[jayembee]

I read The Poseidon Adventure by Paul Gallico, the original novel, a few years ago. There's some R-rated stuff in there they left out! He also wrote the original novel of Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, which seems incongruous somehow!

Gallico's primary "beat" was writing Children's fantasies. The two best-known being The Snow Goose and [The Three Lives of] Thomasina.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Put me down for a UHD. Really like this film.

 

[Tino]

First movie I ever saw in a theater. It will always hold a special place in my heart. Love it!

 

[Alan Tully]

It's about time I looked at this again, it's been a few years (the same with The Towering Inferno), as I remember, the Blu-ray looks very good, happily not one of Fox's blue/teal jobs.

 

[Thomas T]

View attachment 166592 Today, December 12 is 50 years that the S.S. Poseidon made it's ill fated final voyage and launched the Disaster genre of the 70's.

Actually, that would be Airport (1970).

The current blu ray of The Poseidon Adventure looks just fine to me so I'm happy with it. It has one of my very favorite commentary tracks with Stella Stevens, Carol Lynley and Pamela Sue Martin in the same room and interacting with each other and dishing about making the movie. I feel like a fly on the wall listening to old friends reunited.

 

[Thomas T]

It's about time I looked at this again, it's been a few years (the same with The Towering Inferno), as I remember, the Blu-ray looks very good, happily not one of Fox's blue/teal jobs.

Why would it be? The Poseidon Adventure came out December 1972. Fox's blue period was the mid 1950s to the early 1960s.

 

[darkrock17]

Actually, that would be Airport (1970).

Airport set the ground work for what was the come, but Poseidon was the first of the 70's Disaster films.

 

[Thomas T]

Airport set the ground work for what was the come, but Poseidon was the first of the 70's Disaster films.

I won't argue the point but I stand by my original statement. Either Airport is a disaster film or it's not.

 

[darkrock17]

I won't argue the point but I stand by my original statement. Either Airport is a disaster film or it's not.

That's opened for interpretation.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Those of us that were around in 1970 and 1972, and were part of the targeted audience for these type of disaster movies know that the "disaster" premise was the main focus of the marketing campaign for "Airport" and "The Poseidon Adventure".

 

[Jack P]

I read The Poseidon Adventure by Paul Gallico, the original novel, a few years ago. There's some R-rated stuff in there they left out! He also wrote the original novel of Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, which seems incongruous somehow!

I have read the novel and I also have a copy of the first draft of the script which was written by Wendell Mayes and largely followed the novel. It is to say the least, dreadful and had Allen filmed that script, the results would have been on par with his later duds, "The Swarm" and "When Time Ran Out." Not only did Mayes retain so many of the dislikable elements of the novel (including the disturbing rape scene only this time the perpetrator is James Martin instead of a frightened steward, there is also an unintentionally hilarious finale where having reached the shaft the remaining survivors having nothing to bang with to get the attention of those outside start singing "Roll Out The Barrel" at the top of their lungs!

Allen thankfully tossed out all of Mayes' script (the only element that made it to the final film was the expansion of the Acres role from the novel) and had Stirling Silliphant start from scratch (with Mayes only getting screen credit for presumably contractual reasons). Silliphant wisely recognized the strength of the characters in their general outlines and took out all the bad elements from the novel (he also eliminated an annoying character from the book and first draft, the prim Miss Kinsale who becomes fixated with Reverend Scott and restored the Nonnie character who had been eliminated in Mayes' draft). The end result, combined with solid direction by Ronald Neame helped make the film a success.

 

[Edwin-S]

Actually, that would be Airport (1970).

I agree that AIRPORT kicked off the explosion of 70s disaster movies. The success of AIRPORT made filmsm like the THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE possible. Without AIRPORT, TPA would most likely have never been made.

The main difference between the two is that in AIRPORT the disaster is averted while in TPA the disaster occurs and the story revolves around a few people trying to survive it.

 

[Jack P]

Gallico's primary "beat" was writing Children's fantasies. The two best-known being The Snow Goose and [The Three Lives of] Thomasina.

Before that, he was one of the top sportswriters in America in the 1920s and early 1930s writing legendary accounts of covering Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig ("Pride of The Yankees" is largely based on his accounts), Jack Dempsey etc. Then he dramatically broke with sports in the late 30s to take up writing novels and stories and never looked back.

 

[KPmusmag]

I read The Poseidon Adventure by Paul Gallico, the original novel, a few years ago. There's some R-rated stuff in there they left out! He also wrote the original novel of Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, which seems incongruous somehow!

The original novel of JAWS had some absolutely X-rated segments.

Like some others have said, I am satisfied with the blu of Poseidon Adventure. I recall seeing it when I was 9 years old. I could not sleep for 3 days; every time I closed my eyes I felt like I was on a ship, I actually felt the swaying motion. My mother, whom I had to beg to see the film, said, "I told you so." LOL

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I actually prefer THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE to THE TOWERING INFERNO. It's a great film. I believe this was my first discovery of Gene Hackman.

Of course, right now the answer is pretty obvious Disney isn't putting catalog titles on disc. I am not optimistic their attitude will change. Even if it does, they are so backlogged on what needs to be put out that something like this, despite the gem that it is, could be lost in the shuffle.