Everything Action Theater: Earthquake (1974)

Twisters is the latest disaster movie from Univeral, but the genre has a long history at the studio, including 1974’s Earthquake.  Charlton Heston led an all-star cast as Stewart Graff, a former college football star who is one of the many people trying to survive after a 9.9 earthquake rocks Los Angeles.  Ava Gardner, George Kennedy, Lorne Greene, Geneviève Bujold, Richard Roundtree, Marjoe Gortner, Barry Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan, Victoria Principal, and Walter Matthau co-starred.  The movie used “Sensurround,” which used sound to make audience members feel like they were experiencing a quake.  The movie was a smash hit, was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won Best Sound.  Universal used footage from Earthquake in several other productions, including Damnation Alley and episodes of Quantum Leap and V: The Final Battle.  The movie also had multiple attractions at Universal Studios, with a section of the tram tour in Hollywood used to simulate a scene from Earthquake and Earthquake: The Big One operating in Universal Studios Florida.  Twister would get a similar treatment with Twister: Ride it Out after it debuted.  You can watch Earthquake below, thanks to YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8HXQlcXyfo