SMOKESCREEN | The Towering Inferno (1974)

The 1970s was an era when Hollywood embraced the disaster flick. There were films about boats turning over, earthquakes, nuclear melt downs and many more. And towering over all these film is the The Towering Inferno a genre defining blockbuster. It is a masterpiece of stunt coordination, special effects and cinematography in the era before CGI turned everything into a cartoonlike effect. The film is assisted by the star power of its ensemble cast, who had to contend with elaborate sets, stunts and actual fire. While some elements of the film today seem dated, it remains one of the best disaster films of the era, and one of the few to win several academy awards.

Director: John Guillermin

Starring: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Susan Blakely,

Richard Chamberlain, Jennifer Jones, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner

Run Time: 165mins

Rating: PG