The Poseidon Adventure (1972) Movie REACTION!

[@12classics39]

Gene Hackman tearfully pleading “not this woman” while holding Shelley Winters’ body gets me every time.

[@boomeister2]

Incredible scene 😢😢

[@steelers6titles]

Hackman, now 93, is retired. Bonnie and Clyde (as Buck Barrow) The French Connection (Academy Award, Best Actor; Academy Award, Best Picture; film also won three other Oscars) The French Connection II Scarecrow Hoosiers

[@THEBaldEagle1]

And FOREVER...Gene Hackman IS THE BEST "Lex Luthor"...ever I can't name ONE film he was ever "bad" in. Arguably the GREATEST actor of all time...is Gene Hackman. Even in BAD films? HE was terrific. Gene Hackman is one of my all time favorites. If not THE all time favorite, of mine

[@seanharrigan6365]

Uncommon Valor

[@haveanicedave1551]

The Quick and the Dead.

[@malcolmdrake6137]

One of my top 10 greatest pictures of all time. You might also take note of Martin working behind the scenes to keep everyone together. Every time Linda starts shouting, or Rogo and Scott start fighting, Martin jumps in and diverts them with a question. And he was always willing to be the last one to make sure everyone else was ahead.

[@nickstark8640]

Very few have reviewed this classic. It was great watching you react. What sets this Disaster film apart from others, in my opinion, is the characters. It’s not just about people being killed. We actually care about them. Watching a loving grandmother die right after saving basically everyone, was heartbreaking. Having the main character who led them to safety sacrifice himself just before their rescue was devastating. This classic film really pulls at the heartstrings.

[@dennisclouser3458]

Exactly!!! The remake sucked, I could care les but the newer CGI special effects were great.

[@patriciaalvareztostado8170]

Yeah, is the journey to survive, and every time you lost someone new you fell bad,

[@Artificialintelligentle]

If I was there, I would have tried CPR on Mrs Rosen.

[@prismaticmarcus]

@@dennisclouser3458 it sucked because it had the totally opposite message of the original, which was 'let's work together'

[@boomeister2]

@@Artificialintelligentle Unfortunately, CPR was not widely known in 1972. Rogo, being a police officer, would certainly have tried to revive Mrs Rosen if he had known CPR.

[@derrickgibson3240]

Stella Stevens recently passed away at age 84, rest in peace.

[@farmerbill6855]

She was certainly a beauty.

[@chuckcharles3113]

She was a knockout even in this movie which was considered later in her career to some extent ! What a killer body and rack on her !

[@derrickgibson3240]

@@farmerbill6855 Indeed.

[@3dbadboy1]

I loved her in the Nutty Profesor with Jerry Lewis.

[@goldenager59]

I look forward to meeting her, at last, someday. 😓

[@FrancisXLord]

Back in the day lead characters, even heroes of stories, often died and did not just come back to please the audience. That is an overused trope in modern movies. The gravity of the story is often sacrificed by miraculous survival for the sake of pleasing the audience, and sequels - let's face it. I admire films from that period for not treating the audience like children.

[@TTM9691]

Actually it's not modern, older movies were the same way. It's the 70s (and late 60s, and early 80s) that was the exception to the rule....thankfully! I was just saying how the motto must have been "Leave 'em haunted!". You knew how great a movie was by how depressed you were! lol. "Deer Hunter"? GREAT movie! lol. "Lenny"? "All That Jazz"? "Midnight Cowboy", "Cuckoo's Nest"? 🤣"Dog Day Afternoon"? "Network"? "Chinatown"? "Easy Rider"? "Carnal Knowledge"? lol LOVE that era of movies!!!!

[@gaffo7836]

@@TTM9691 nice list, there were some "depressing" 50's/60'a era movies, Patterns, Failsafe, Night and the City, Paths of Glory, A Tree Grows in Brooklynn, The Misfits, Manchuran Candidate, but ya, the 70's era was generally the best overall IMO.

[@TTM9691]

​@@gaffo7836 Absolutely. Oh there are lots of depressing movies before the late 60s. You ever see "Make Way For Tomorrow" from 1937? One of the most depressing movies you'll ever see. But the "vogue" for downbeat endings (in American movies) ramped up in the late 60s. "Paths Of Glory" was depressing but it wasn't the norm. In the 70s, it was almost mandatory!

[@gaffo7836]

@@TTM9691 Make way for Tomorrow - no, not heard of it, but I've made a mental note of it and will check it out! Thanks for Reply Sir! I make a distinction between Depressing and Nighalistic, I love the former, for I'm kinda the same mentally depressant melecoly bent by constitution - but loathe Nihalism (today's TV/movies are of the latter, not the former), they are different. One affirms the human condition/humans matter, life matters, things matter/etc - my cat matters (lol), the other is nothing matters - so lets just put a bullet to the head. Nihalism is just a rejection of life and even a rejection of a "code' - i..e honour/striving to be good/etc. Depressing is affirming "the code" and striving for it, but maybe failing - i.e. stuff outside of oneself does matter vs nothing matters even yourself. BTW 2 excellent top 10 movies of all time - both fully depressant (but not nighalistc in the least) - with each viewing will remove your lifespan by 2 weeks - but worth it IMO - worth that 4 weeks of life. both "new" movies 2008 or so - City of Life and Death (this i thiink might still be here in full on YT - it was a few years ago (i bought the Bluray of after seeing it via Netflix a decade ago) Its about ww2 and Japanese invasion of Nanking (filmed in Black and white - its a Chines movie, subtitles). the other one is Ausie (in color and no subtitles), Snowtown, about true events about the "bodies in the barrel" in the early 90's. thanks for reply Sir!

[@vincentwalker3280]

Today is Shelly Winters birthday, so I'm watching this movie.

[@Stogie2112]

Excellent choice! I saw this in the theater when it came out. Audiences were blown away by the epic drama and horror. The cast is absolutely loaded. One of Gene Hackman’s best performances.

[@datisalaee4693]

WOW! I envy you sir! This was the very first movie I saw on home video in the early 80s when I was a kid. I only Wish I could have seen it on the big screen. Needless to say the remake with Kurt Russell was a disappointment!

[@patriciaalvareztostado8170]

@@datisalaee4693 Yes it is, I like the Actor but the movie was bad,

[@andrewzaltman6934]

All around Brilliant movie 🎥 and actors !!!

[@jamesrobertson2361]

The entire cast in this movie are legends.

[@alanmackie7012]

If they weren't before, they sure as hell were after.

[@denroy3]

Bit of an overstatement...there were some very big names, Borgnine, Hackman, Winters, McDowell and Buttons. Neilson would probably get bigger afterwards because of the takeoffs of these disaster flicks, though he was fairly well known.

[@thewordkeeper]

There were two instances in the movie where the audience in the theater were hooraying like crazy. The first was when with Mrs. Rosen did that Olympic move right before she dived into the water. And when Rogo (I think you edited this part out) trapped underwater and his arms and hands came out the water and pulled himself up on the ladder.

[@paulcashshow1]

I sat in the movie theater with my parents watching this amazing movie. I was 15 years old. I am now 66, and it is still my favorite film. You made my evening, watching your expressions and your passion for the characters! So happy you enjoyed!

[@GordonPyzik]

Seen this with my parents at age 7. This remains my favorite movie

[@Joe-hh8gd]

Ernest Borgnine won the Oscar fir MARTY. Became a bigger star in the TV series MCHALE'S NAVY. He was also Cabbie in ESCAPE FROM NY.

[@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710]

He was " Dutch Engstrom " in " The Wild Bunch ", " Shep Horgan " in " Jubal ", " Ragnar " in " The Vikings ", " Trucker Cobb " in " The Flight of the Phoenix ", " Major General Sam Worden " in " The Dirty Dozen ", " Boris Vaslov " in " Ice Station Zebra ", " Fat Cat " in " The Adventurers ", " Emmett Clemens " in Hannie Caulder ", to name but a few movies.

[@curtismartin2866]

And he was Mermaid Man on SpongeBob!

[@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710]

@@curtismartin2866 Yes, sorry I missed both those.

[@farmerbill6855]

A very convincing bad guy in " Bad Day at Blackrock" opposite Spencer Tracey.

[@bradbarter8314]

​@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710 More recently (and no longer recent anymore) he was in the 2 RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) movies with Bruce Willis.

[@JWUniverse]

I forgot Leslie Nielsen used to be a Dramatic Actor before turning to Comedy. It’s so weird to take him seriously! RIP to Him, & Stella Steven’s. This is one of my Favorite Disaster Films of all time. Classic Disaster Movies are fun. You need to Checkout the Airport Disaster movies each one is Great and have great cast react to those over the Summer. There are 4 Films total! Also there’s Earthquake and The Towering Inferno Great Reaction!

[@kathyk5319]

Shelley Winters won Academy Awards for The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) and A Patch of Blue (1965), and received nominations for A Place in the Sun (1951) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972). My favorite Gene Hackman performance is in Mississippi Burning.

[@bfdidc6604]

Definitely worth checking out Mississippi Burning for Hackman alone. The Poseiden Adventure actually holds up pretty well as a disaster/survival movie.

[@TesseRact7228]

Gene Hackman --- one sees him as the good guy, the bad guy, the mediocre guy, the good guy bordering on bad, the bad guy bordering on good. Liked him in "Mississippi Burning", "The French Connection", "Narrow Margin", "Bat 21"

[@laurakali6522]

She was so mean in A Patch of Blue. Just brilliant!

[@raybernal6829]

My go to Gene Hackman will always be "Hoosiers" ....

[@skylinerunner1695]

A Patch of Blue! Nice to hear that film mentioned. I love that Winters was so open in interviews about her crush on Burt Lancaster, saying just watching him walk was a physical pleasure and that she resented that he slept with his wife. lol

[@rollmops7948]

I saw that, not long time ago, Gene Hackman noticed a crew filming in his neighborood....he went to the crew and asked if there was a little role for him, but they refused because they only saw an old man (he is 93 now) and didn't know who he was....so, he left...

[@goldenager59]

(Sigh...) _Sic transit gloria mundi._ It actually is possible to live too long. 😕

[@charlize1253]

Film history: this movie came out during a weird era in the 1970s when disaster movies were all the rage, including the Poseidon Adventure, the Towering Inferno, Earthquake, Meteor, Gray Lady Down, The China Syndrome, Avalanche, Airport and its two sequels, the Hindenburg, The Swarm. All had ensemble casts, many had a professional athlete make a cameo, and most involved a plot where some everyman saved the day. This is the genre satirized by the classic comedy "Airplane" (including an absurd cameo by professional basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and even Shelly Winters who was in this movie). "Airplane" is still funny today, but it's even funnier if you know the tropes of the source material, including this movie.

[@FlyingTigress]

Leslie Nielson in one his final serious/dramatic roles before moving into comedy.

[@lynnturman8157]

I kept waiting for him to call somebody Shirley.

[@reesebn38]

The Poseidon Adventure was the second highest grossing movie in 1972 right behind The Godfather. It was also nominated for best Picture. I was 8 and my buddies and I rode our bikes to the theatre on a Saturday afternoon to watch The Poseidon Adventure. The theatre was packed.

[@TTM9691]

That is a BEAUTIFUL memory. I can see it in my mind's eye. I was only a few years younger than you.

[@reesebn38]

@@TTM9691 Thanks. I can make it better. We are watching the movie and my one buddy is out at the snack bar. The Tidal-wave is about to hit! I thought He can't miss this! So I ran out to the Lobby! The snack bar had like 50 kids around it. I yelled "TIDAL WAVE!" And 50 kids turned and ran back into the theatre! We went back the next week to see it again.

[@TTM9691]

@@reesebn38 HA! You DID make it even better! They could put that scene in a movie! Someone call Richard Linklater! (PS: Hey, speaking of which: did you see his last movie? Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Odyssey? It's about being 10 in 1969 and it will really jog your memories! )

[@reesebn38]

@@TTM9691 I was 5 and my memory was seeing Kurt Russell in "The Computer Whore Tennis Shoes". Kurt became my life long hero at that moment. I haven't seen that movie. But I will check it out. I like his movies. I do remember being woke up early to watch the Apollo Landing.

[@TTM9691]

@@reesebn38 Oh wow, then you're REALLY going to get something out of the movie, because it all leads up to him and his family watching it on TV (and he's kinda in and out of sleep during it). Really cool about Kurt! Ha! He grew up to marry Goldie Hawn! The crush of 1969! lol.

[@StephenCole1916]

The voice of the lookout that calls the bridge about the wave was the movies producer, Irwin Allen. Allen was known as the master of disaster, having produced movies like this and the Towering Inferno.

[@phantombrakeman4983]

You could see Gene Hakman playing an interesting high school basketball up against the odds set in 1952 Indiana in "Hoosiers" Dennis Hopper also plays the town drunk & father of one of the players. Fun film.

[@daytoncharitychicken]

I also came to the comments to recommend Hoosiers. 😀👍👍🏀

[@CR41489]

Yes, a great film, highly worth watching. 🏀

[@patriciaalvareztostado8170]

I love that film, is cool to see him making a good person, a normal person, I love his Lex Luthor, but I like that on the best

[@alanmackie7012]

On paper, it looked like a run-of-the-mill sports movie but if you add Gene, Dennis and Barbara, it becomes something else.

[@MrTbk1701]

As kids during the summer we would play the Poseidon Adventure in our pool. We would put obstacles in the pool and have to hold our breath and make it 2 times around the pool back to the ladder to get to the engine room. Which was our deck. Such a great movie a classic for sure.

[@haveanicedave1551]

I would play Poseidon Adventure and Earthquake. I never been in a boat, but I've been in an earthquake in 1971. My cousins had a swimming pool and I would walk along the edge to see if I could make it around the pool without falling in. I would put all my sisters stuff animals on my bed then jump and down on my bed like an earthquake and whichever toys fell off the bed were dead.

[@glennwisniewski9536]

Hey Madison, great choice! One of the classic disaster movies of the 1970s. R.I.P. Stella Stevens (passed away February 17, 2023 at age 84). Now, you should go back two years and see the one that unofficially started the fad, Airport (1970). It has an even better A-list cast of Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jacqueline Bisset and the ill-fated Jean Seberg (of Breathless fame).

[@josephmayo3253]

The 70s were the heyday of the disaster flick. Big name casts, heavy doses of hammy acting. Amazing effects for the time. The most famous is The Towering Inferno, and i highly recommend it for the channel. Earthquake and Airport 75 might also be good if you find yourself liking that.

[@williewilliams6571]

Never much cared for Earthquake, I thought Towering Inferno was better. Loved Airport '75.

[@SueSnellLives]

She should do several of the Airports (77 is my fave) and then she can do Airplane! if she hasn't already and she'll actually all of the jokes unlike all of the other reactors LOL

[@bfdidc6604]

Yes, disaster moview were to the 70s as superhero movies have been in recent years.

[@josephmayo3253]

@@SueSnellLives Zero Hour will cover a lot of the jokes. But I must admit, it's more entertaining to watch that after Airplane. So many lines lifted directly from that movie.

[@LaBlueStateGirl]

@@josephmayo3253 I would love to see someone react to both Airplane! and Zero Hour really close together. Especially someone good editing skills that can also bring in bits from Airplane! I'd also hope that they would have watched one of the Airport movies first as well.

[@mikeduplessis8069]

Gene Hackman plays a cop in 5 Oscar winner 'The French Connection' (1971) Could not be more different from Poseidon Adventure.

[@ericjanssen394]

And, of course, in 1978’s Superman, where he plays Lex Luthor, the funny….villain. 😄

[@glennwisniewski9536]

How about his appearing in the classic Bonnie and Clyde as Clyde's brother?

[@TheNeonRabbit]

Where he sports the Pork pie hat, later worn by Walter "Heisenberg" White.

[@ryanje8147]

Loved Mrs. Rosen swimming under water but sad she died. Also, Mr. Rosen is "Grandpa Joe" in the original Willy Wonka movie.

[@PiraticalBob]

The pop song that was performed during the party "There's Got To Be A Morning After" actually became a minor Top 40 hit on AM radio.

[@haveanicedave1551]

It peaked at #1. I prefer the version in the movie.

[@cathyvickers9063]

The dining room set was built with double sided ceiling & floor. To create the upsidedown ship, the floor flips to a copy of the ceiling, & the ceiling flips to a copy of the floor. Really creative set design! The other great Irwin Allen disaster flick is The Towering Inferno. Same huge cast, same numerous subplots; same spectacular live action effects shots!

[@tomyoung9049]

An emotional movie for sure. Gene redeemed himself. Not only a hero but a self sacrificing hero.

[@7bestthings]

Poseidon Adventure is one of the best of the disaster movies, maybe the best of the genre. The religious overtones and messages (parables?) give it a depth you won't see in other disaster movies. I think you did a great job of picking up on those religious themes (like the faith of a child, the Christmas tree, and others). Thanks for a thoughtful reaction and great job Madison's mom for picking a brilliant movie!

[@TesseRact7228]

The '70's and the Disaster Movies --- The Towering Inferno, the "Airport" movies, Earthquake...

[@SueSnellLives]

Fantastic choice! Thank your mother from us, LOL! This is the greatest disaster film ever made, with such amazing writing and acting that you care about every single character and feel devastated when each one dies, and the practical effects are amazing -- look at how the actors did so many of their own stunts. In fact, Shelley Winters did all of that underwater swimming and diving herself and that's probably why she got the nomination. Great reaction!

[@MadisonKThames]

Thank you so much!! I will tell her! Glad you enjoyed the reaction😊

[@LaBlueStateGirl]

I remember being 9-years-old and watching this movie a few times at my local theater. I saw it the first time with my parents, after that, on a Saturday with just a groups a friends. "The Morning After", the theme song. filled the airways, and all the girls that sang had the sheet music for it. I believe that I sang it at least once in school choir too. This movie really made a big impact on the culture at the time - not in the way Jaws for Star Wars did, but it did hit hard.

[@jklmn101]

You would be my age, and like you I saw this in a pretty small city with only a couple of theaters. I still remember the line "it's the hot steam!" from the kid. I was technically minded even back then, so the whole thing was fascinating to me just for that. The actors were not the top A grade ones at the time for the most parts, but most people knew most of them anyway. And you're right, the girls loved that theme song and it was constantly playing. I might not have minded it much except my tone deaf sister would want to start singing it at high volume. It sounded like a poor dog moaning.

[@LaBlueStateGirl]

@@jklmn101 At the time, the only "star" I recognized was Susan Dey from The Partridge Family, no matter how many times anyone asked me about knowing another actor. lol. Sorry about your sister! You would not have liked having me for one either even though I was supposed to be a pretty good singer as a kid!

[@blkluv100]

​@LaBlueStateGirl I hate to break it to you but that was Pamela Sue Martin, from "Dynasty and " The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries".

[@haveanicedave1551]

@@LaBlueStateGirl The only star I recognized was Arthur O'Connell. He did Crest toothpaste commercials. I thought he was going to survive.

[@PE4Doers]

A Personal Benefit I received by watching this movie for the first time when I was 10-years old: When I starting swimming, then lifeguard, training I was driven to be able to hold my breath as long as I could under water. I could actually swim underwater at 11-yrs old, but not on the surface until a couple of years later. I starting Lifeguard training at 16 as a Boy Scout trying to earn my Eagle Scout rank (which I did a year later), then I went on to complete the Lifeguard training. When I was done with that training I could hold my breath for 2mins, 35secs. When I next watched this movie I timed how long it took those people to swim underwater and it was 2mins and 10secs. I won the award for longest breath hold during the final Lifeguard test. My Lifeguard instructor told me that having started so young swimming a LOT underwater, that I built up the vessel connected to my lungs which led to that accomplishment a few years later. So I accomplished a 'Life Skill' that I made sure I passed to my four children, which they all accomplished by the time they were 18. I used the Reverend Scott in me to make sure they were ready to survive 🙂 Thanks for the great reaction video.

[@RetroRobotRadio]

The Poseidon Adventure was the inspiration for the Disney sci-fi film The Black Hole. The original pitch for the Black Hole was "it's The Poseidon Adventure, but in space"! It actually has two if the same actors too, Roddy McDowall and Ernest Borgnine.

[@phila3884]

That movie needs the reactor treatment. I haven't seen it since it came out.

[@donvito2682]

I had just started the 7th grade in 1972. The Poseidon Adventure was a big hit at the time. The Morning After sung by Maureen McGovern was perfect for the ending of this movie.

[@davida.j.berner776]

Years since I saw this. Hadn't realised Leslie Nielsen was in it. His being cast in Airplane! now makes so much sense!

[@joycewinn1960]

Gene Hackman is one of my favorite actors of all time. I think he always chose multifaceted characters to portray. That's what makes him so fantastic. Definitely check out The French Connection, Mississippi Burning and Hoosiers. Another early movie to see is Bonnie and Clyde. He played Clyde Barrow's brother, Buck, in it. I've probably seen most of his movies. He is a truly talented actor.

[@goforit7595]

3:39 "...and don't call me Shirley."

[@tommarks3726]

The scebe where Manny finds Mrs. Rosen and realizes she dead. Real emotional scene and great acting. I was a kid when I saw this in the theater and it is just as impressive today as it was back thn. Great reaction Madison.

[@miker252]

Gene Hackman is such a great actor and he's been in about a hundred movies. It's hard to choose but some of my favorites are Bat 21, Unforgiven, Superman, Hoosiers and more. While appearing in an otherwise mediocre movie, Bite the Bullet, his monologue depicting the Teddy Roosevelt's charge up San Juan Hill, made me like I was there.

[@boomeister2]

IMO the most dramatic scene is when Gene Hackman leaps and hangs on to that wheel that is red hot from the steam and continues to hold on and turn it while that burning steam is blistering his hands and arms.

[@kevinthetruckdriver353]

*Comedy Notes:* The Captain of The Poseidon was portrayed by *Leslie Nelson.* He is better known from his recent roles in the comedies *Airplane!* & *The Naked Gun* series of films. *Gene Hackman* had a small comedic role in Mel Brook's very hilarious movie *Young Frankenstein.* All these movies above are very, very funny.

[@charlize1253]

The Poseidon Adventure, the Towering Inferno, Earthquake, Meteor, Gray Lady Down, The China Syndrome, Avalanche, Airport 75/77/79, The Andromeda Strain, The Hindenburg, City on Fire, The Swarm! Ensemble casts, pro athlete cameos, an everyman saving the day. "Airplane" is still funny today, but it's even funnier if you know the tropes of the source material, including that Leslie Nielsen and Shelley Winters were both in this movie.

[@MoMoMyPup10]

It's an even more 'all-star cast' than you could know. Almost all of the main characters were very famous in their day, and obviously Gene Hackman becomes a big star. Saw it in the movie theater when I was a kid and it had a big impact on me for a long time. The ending song was also a big hit on the radio. And it fit so well.

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

If you haven’t seen it already, Producer Irwin Allen, fresh off this smash hit, followed up with an even more ambitious disaster epic, “The Towering Inferno” (based on two different but similar books) that was so big, it prompted a then unprecedented collaboration between 20th Century-Fox and Warner Bros. - with even bigger stars Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, and Faye Dunaway, headlining an all-star cast.

[@annamartin3148]

I love these old disaster movies! This movie has been remade at least 2 other times. I would suggest Towering Inferno as a future disaster flick!.

[@izzonj]

Most of this reaction i was yelling, "Madison, remember to breath!" In the Madison Magazine parody, when they got to the hull, the ship flipped over again.

[@BeachcomberNZ]

This movie still gets me a bit emotional watching each character trying their best to survive, and then seeing some get so close but not close enough, even though I watched it back when it first came out. Seeing it on the big screen, with people all around you, really put you into the movie like you were on the adventure with them.

[@LuisGarcia-cr3pr]

Loved your review of one of my all time favorite movies!

[@trip189n]

They made a sequel in 1979 called Beyond the Poseidon Adventure with Michael Caine,Karl Malden, Sally Fields,Telly Savalas,Peter Boyle,Angela Cartwright,Shirley Jones,Mark Harmon,and Slim Pickends. It was not as good as the first but still watchable. Also worth checking out are 1980 Raise the Titanic and 1981 Goliath Awaits which are also about ocean liners.

[@FlyingTigress]

"Juggernaut" (with Omar Sharif and Richard Harris) was another.

[@ThistleAndSea]

Good one, Madison! What an AllStar cast in this movie. There were a slew of disaster movies in the '70's, most of them based off books, and most of them a lot of fun. Great popcorn movies. Towering Inferno and Earthquake were two more I remember enjoying in the theater. 🙂 Some theaters even installed special vibrating seats for Earthquake, LOL!

[@GloriaGraceRand]

I remember reading the book this movie was based on, and in it they were able to rescue people from the bow.

[@davidnorth9390]

Thank you for the thoughtful allegory.

[@Stogie2112]

Leslie Nielsen's first role as a lead actor was Captain John Adams in the amazing "Forbidden Planet" (1956) The film was ground-breaking in its special effects, and it starred the first ever smart robot, Robby the Robot! Co-Starring Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis and several other actors who went on to TV stardom.

[@Kevonutube303]

Very touching reaction. Saw this at a drive in 1972....we could here all the gasps thru all the open car windows all around us. Like you, many were deeply affected. Great review and reaction Madison. Thanks for sharing.

[@izzonj]

There were 5 winners of Acting Oscars in this: Gene Hackman, Shelly Winters, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons and Jack Albertson. And of course, Oscar winners John Williams and screenwriter Stirling Silliphant who had won for " In the Heat of the Night." Possibly others in the tech categories, I dont know. Ah AD Flowers, special effects.

[@gregschultz8639]

In the novel: The Poseidon was converted from an ocean liner RMS Atlantis to a combination cargo-cruise liner; capsized the day after Christmas after being directly over a subsea earthquake, and fell into the void it caused. There were actually a lot more characters (Susan and Robin's parents, Dick and Jane; Hubert Muller a playboy socialite; Mary Kinsale a bookeeper; Tony Bates a raging alcoholic and his GF Pamela Reid; Kemal an oil engineer.) *Muller was the one who fell in love with Nonnie. *James Martin had a meaningless affair with a fellow passenger who died in the capsize. *Tragically, Robin remains missing and ends up dying; while Tony and Pamela stay behind, Tony being intoxicated/passed out) While looking for her brother alone, Susan is raped by a young and terrified steward who is remorseful afterwards, realizing it was a passenger and not a fellow crew member. Susan ends up talking with him and grows to like him. He panics after realizing consequences of his actions, and runs off to his probable doom. She returns with the others but doesn't say anything. Jane (Mrs. Shelby) vents her long-withheld disgust and hatred of her husband Dick. *During the climb through the obstacles in the Engine Room, a frustrated Linda separates to find her own way, chooses an unstable route and falls to her death, impaled on a piece of sharp steel. *Reverend Scott makes a similar sacrifice after denouncing God. In Mary's remorse she admits that they were going to be married, to mixed reaction. *Martin takes charge instead of Rogo. As they get to the propellor shaft, oxygen begins to run out. This is where Belle suffers her heart attack and dies. *Once outside, Tony and Pamela are seen having survived, along with another group of people from the bow. *Susan ends the novel by dreaming of going to visit Herbert's parents, hoping that she is pregnant so that she can continue Herbert's legacy (WTF?!)

[@ManicReactions]

The 1970s was the decade of the disaster movie. The Poseidon film dieector, Irwin Allen, was nicknamed The Master of Disaster. Check out his other blockbuster, The Towering Inferno. Also, check out Airport and Airport 1975.

[@charlize1253]

The Poseidon Adventure, the Towering Inferno, Earthquake, Meteor, Gray Lady Down, The China Syndrome, Avalanche, Airport 75/77/79, The Andromeda Strain, The Hindenburg, City on Fire, The Swarm! Ensemble casts, pro athlete cameos, an everyman saving the day. "Airplane" is still funny today, but it's even funnier if you know the tropes of the source material.

[@JG-fv9bv]

Another 70's classic .... "The Towering Inferno"

[@robertjewell9727]

Phenomenal reaction. Love your closing remarks. You always analyze the film, he charscters, the technique, the storytelling in such smart detail. Thanks, Mom!

[@thomashumphrey48]

Side Note Story- I Went To California In December Of 1976 With Family and Wanted To Go To The Queen Mary But Got Outvoted and Went To The Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. Kitten Hawk Instead But I Saw The Q.M . Across The Bay 5 Miles Away with Both My Eyes & Binoculars From The Deck Of The Kitty Hawk!😮😊

[@zosometalgod]

This movie was filmed on the famous ship the Queen Mary which you can visit in long beach California

[@Nefarioso]

Well, you also saw Gene Hackman as likeable villain Buck Barrow in "Bonnie And Clyde". He also portrayed the blind hermit in "Young Frankenstein".

[@Zigmond303]

The Morning After was a big hit for Maureen McGovern, even garnering a lot of radio play.

[@itt23r]

Gene Hackman first came to prominence as Clyde Barrow's outlaw brother, Buck, in the movie BONNIE AND CLYDE. But his next big film was as supercop Popeye Doyle in THE FRENCH CONNECTION. And from then on he played mostly good guy roles. So it is odd that your only familiary with him prior to this movis is as a bad guy. For more great Hackman fare take a look at a '70s movie that puts a spotlight on the surveillance community in THE CONVERSATION and follow it up shortly after with ENEMY OF THE STATE which has a similar theme.

[@toodlescae]

Irwin Allen had a way of either making you love or hate characters and get caught up in the tension of whatever disaster movie he made. If you get into the Airport disaster movies there are several. Airport 1970, Airport '75, Airport '77 and The Concorde: Airport '79. They're all somewhat connected by one character, Joe Patroni, played by George Kennedy. My more recent favorites are Twister, Volcano, Dante's Peak, Deep Impact and Armageddon.

[@RetroRobotRadio]

There is actually a sequel to this film called Beyond the Poseidon Adventure. It picks up right where the movie ends as a tugboat crew arrive after the helicopter takes off and attempts to salvage anything of value from the ship. Adventure ensues. Sadly Beyond the Poseidon Adventure was a flop and mostly forgotten.

[@TheNeonRabbit]

"The Morning After" is the theme song of the movie; and it won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Original Song. After the movie came out it was recorded by Maureen McGovern and became a hit single for her in 1973. It was a No. 1 hit in the US for two weeks during August 1973, and became a Gold record; and her biggest hit.

[@andygossard4293]

I agree Madison GH has always been THE actor for me. you always get strong reaction to his character.

[@3dbadboy1]

If you decide to react to the movie Airport (1970), which I strongly recommend, please note that the music was composed by Alfred Newman, who was a great inspiration and influence to John Williams, not to mention was the most nominated movie music writer for Oscars until Williams came along. His nephew Randy Newman wrote the music to the movie The Natural, another excellent movie to react to, with Robert Redford.

[@duvall5jd]

I love, LOVE disaster movies. Twister, Dante’s Peak, Armageddon. But the ones from the 70’s,and there’s a lot, are freaking amazing. I do like the remake. Most don’t but I recommend it. For sure.

[@revjohnlee]

Gene Hackman was a marine. The jarheads are known for their upper body strength, lower body strength, left side body strength, right side body strength, diagonal body strength... I think you get the idea.

[@niftymagic]

A must watch is The Towering Inferno. An Irwin Allen masterpiece disaster movie. Another great tear jerker is Taking Chance with Kevin Bacon, bring tissues. It’s about escorting a dead marine back home.

[@johnv61]

Hey have you seen “Seabiscuit” 2003? It’s about a race horse, based on a true story set during the depression era. Nominated for several academy awards. A fantastic underdog feel good story, you’ll love it!

[@chuckg3818]

The Star Wars quote about the ventilation shaft was perfect.

[@3dbadboy1]

If you watch The Towering Inferno, Irwin Allen wanted an extended intro with a helicopter scene, and he asked John Williams if he could put music for the entire trip, and he said no problem.

[@fastecp1]

He usually does play the villain, a good Gene Hackman movie where he's not a bad guy is "Mississippi Burning" and also "The French Connection" they are both excellent movies. And another good movie that takes place on the water is "The Perfect Storm" "Don't worry, Mrs. Rosen, I once helped my dad pull in a 600-pound swordfish in Hawaii" Like they say "Kids Say the Darndest Things" but the lady Linda Rogo is old enough to know better, just because you're scared doesn't mean, you have to be cruel. In every situation you have that one group of people that believe drinking the Kool-Aid is the right thing to do.

[@gms1365]

Back then... All the movies had an unique great formula: 40% were for development of the characters with 60% of the story in which 30% were for special effects. And now after 2005, all the movies are 50% are for the story with full 50% for special effects.

[@cainsolo1]

Yet ANOTHER reason why John Williams BELONGS in the Smithsonian!!! Yes, the guy who composed the Jaws/Superman/Jurassic Park (and SO many others) theme, composed the score for THIS film too!

[@ericjanssen394]

The great 70’s era of Disaster Movies started with this one. The best of them all was 1974’s “The Towering Inferno” (which also got a Best Picture nomination)-One reactor tried viewing that for 70’s kitsch value, and ended up completely caught up in the thrills. Although my favorite was 1976’s “The Hindenburg”, which is overdue for a reactor discovery.

[@charlize1253]

The Poseidon Adventure, the Towering Inferno, Earthquake, Meteor, Gray Lady Down, The China Syndrome, Avalanche, Airport 75/77/79, The Andromeda Strain, The Hindenburg, City on Fire, The Swarm!

[@goldenager59]

Enthusiastic seconding for *The Hindenburg,* a well-told piece of historical fiction that, like the better _Titanic_ movies, keeps up the suspense even though you know how it basically comes out. 😎

[@sreggird60]

The only movie that my father and I went to by ourselves in 1972. The first of the great disaster moves. It's been remade a couple of times.

[@dark_sunshinedgc]

This one and the towering inferno were favorites of mine from this time for disaster movies. Oh, and earthquake but that might be 1980, don't remember.

[@damiangardiner3598]

The very first movie memories I have are of this film. Parents went to the drive-in to see it and I was only 4 and wouldn’t go to sleep in the backseat, just had to keep watching

[@PaulSchober]

Hackman's character seems like a Moses parallel - leading his flock to the Promised Land but wasn't allowed to make it there himself because he doubted God.

[@flipppy83]

Can't believe I haven't seen any of the classic 70s Disaster Movies reacted to until now. I first saw this in 1995 and just like then even now at 40 I get chocked up when Mrs. Rosen dies because she not only looked a lot like my grandmother but had many of the same mannerisms.

[@blaisebienvenue5117]

Gene Hackman, The French Connection, absolutely The French Connection. Ernest Borgnine, The Wild Bunch!

[@jamesdamiano8894]

One of several disaster movies in the 70's, including "The Towering Inferno", "Earthquake" and "the "Airport" movies. The cast were famous back in the day. Leslie Nielsen was a dramatic actor who became famous as a comedic actor because of Airplane and The Naked Gun series. Red Buttons did a lot of comedy but is in a good WW2 movie called "The Longest Day", Jack Albertson went on to be in the tv series "Chico And The Man". Ernest Borgnine has a great performance in a movie set in the 1930's called "Emperor Of The North", you would enjoy that I think. Gene Hackman of course is in a bunch of good movies including "Crimson Tide", "Enemy Of The State", "Mississippi Burning", and "Hoosiers. All of which you should watch if you haven't.

[@martynhill3479]

I liked Ernest Borgnine in "The Flight Of The Phoenix" too

[@johnclawed]

It's amazing that Gene Hackman made this the same year as The French Connection for which he won best actor, and before those two he never had a big lead role.

[@lenny536]

Classic Movie

[@davidmichels9454]

I subscribed after watching this with you. I'm 56, and every other "first time watching " channels are all , to me, newer movies. Which is fine, but you do the classics! I checked your channel, and I must say you are now my favorite!

[@dragon-ed1hz]

The actor who played Martin is Red Buttons, a veteran stage and screen actor and comedian. He won a best supporting actor Oscar for Sayonara back in the 1950's.

[@glennwisniewski9536]

A lot of Oscar winners (for other films) in this one.

[@goodowner5000]

Shelley Winters- won for The Diary of Anne Frank & A Patch of Blue Ernest Borgnine- Best Actor for Marty Jack Albertson- for The Subject Was Roses Gene Hackman winning his Best Actor award for The French Connection while in production for The Poseidon Adventure ..and am I wrong in thinking that Arthur O'Connell (Rev. Scott's older mentor friend) won a Oscar..I wanna say for Anatomy of a Murder?🤔🤷‍♂️

[@deborahcornell171]

​@@goodowner5000 Arthur O'Connell was such a great character actor. Loved him in everything but when I was a little girl I especially loved him as the kindly patriarch in 1962's "Follow That Dream" with Elvis. He seemed like he was probably a good man in real life.💙🌿

[@SciTrekMan]

He made really great guest appearance in multiple episode arc of ER.

[@GaryTulacz]

Shelley Winters was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for The Poseidon Adventure. Here's an interesting story about Winters that has been around for decades. She had an audition with the casting director of a film but was told to bring a photo and resume. She showed up and put a copy of a photo of her accepting an Oscar on the casting director's desk. "Here's my photo!" Then she pulled out the two Oscar awards she had won previously for The Diary of Anne Frank and A Patch of Blue. "And here's my resume!"

[@markwhitney555]

My sister and I went to see this when it first came out. I don't know what she was thinking, but she was shocked and surprised when the ship rolled over and she was terrorized all the way through the rest of the movie. To this day she hates Poseidon Adventure for how much it upset her.

[@RubyGB]

The late, great Shelley Winters (Mrs Rosen) deliberately put on weight (over 35 lbs) just for this role

[@karimhicks8376]

In navy boot camp, we were taught that situational awareness will aide in saving lives!!!

[@goldenager59]

Sounds intriguing. Elaborate, if you care to. 🙂

[@geraldkramer267]

They did a remake of this movie titled '"Poseidon" in 2006. The characters are pretty much the the same, but played by different actors. Kurt Russel stars along with Josh Lucas and Emmy Rossum. Worth watching just to see differences 25 years later.

[@tomloft2000]

That was 35 years later.

[@bradbarter8314]

​@@putnam-he2swThe CGI especially of the people falling etc was terrible in the remake. The characters were flat and it was just bad overall. I remember saying to my Mom as we were leaving the theater that the original was better and older people in the audience agreed. Sure the ship looked better as the wave struck but that's it.

[@DeanStrickson]

I don’t see why people see the need to bash remakes. The remake isn’t that bad and is different enough that one can appreciate both films.

[@TTM9691]

Ha! Gene Hackman usually played good guys. Not always, but often. He actually makes a hilarious bad guy in the original "Superman" from 1978, he's so good in that. DEFINITELY put "The Conversation" from 1974 on your list, that is one of his absolute greatest performances/movies. Directed by Francis Ford Coppolla.....the same year he directed Godfather Part 2. Both got nominated for Best Picture! (Godfather Part 2 won). Definitely recommend that one, I think you would do an amazing reaction to that one. And of course, the movie that brought him to fame: "Bonnie And Clyde", another must-see. (he's a supporting character in that one, it stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway). Amazingly there are no reactions to "Bonnie And Clyde" yet, and only one or two for "The Conversation". Please right this wrong!!!!

[@deheor]

This is my favourite of the disaster genre. I just loved the characters and the intense action sequences. If you want another heroic Hackman performance check out 'The french connection'. A classic example of the 70's pollice drama.

[@HemlockRidge]

Lots of old time Big Name stars in this. Did you recognize Leslie Nielsen as the Captain? Before he became comedy gold with "Airplane", and the "Police Squad" show and movies. Shelly Winters, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Stella Stevens, Jack Albertson, and Roddy McDowall. Also Susan Dey from "The Partridge Family".

[@applcinamn]

That’s not Susan Dey. It’s Pamela Sue Martin. In a few years from this film, she would star in the Nancy Drew mysteries on TV, and in the 80s would star on Dynasty as Fallon Carrington.

[@terryhughes7349]

Rare pick for a reaction. Film still holds up due to Hackman and the rest of the casts' performance. Great reaction! (Leslie Nielsen cameo as the captain). Hackman plays 'good' guy' roles in "Hoosiers', a comedic 'bad' guy in 'Superman'(1978), 'The Royal Tenenbaums' was good, too.

[@The_Dudester]

This movie came from a book of the same name. The book was a scathing indictment of the ocean liner industry, which was dying in the 1960's, and shipping companies were cutting costs and taking risks. In the case of the fictional SS Poseidon, it was on it's last cruise and some interior bulkheads had been taken out (to reduce fuel costs) making the ship unstable. When an undersea quake happened, the ship went into a giant wave trough, then capsized.

[@SueSnellLives]

You're making me want to finally read this novel. I think I will, thank you!

[@michaelstach5744]

I saw the book as a commentary on society. In the book there was more emphasis on everything being upside down. How do you cope in a Topsy-turvy world? Left is right, up is down. The book is good.

[@TommyBBQBessinger]

Now you need to watch a movie made in the same time era and with the same feels, The Towering Inferno, huge cast including Paul Newman.

[@tofersiefken]

Kudos to your Mom for suggesting this movie. I wish more reactors would discover this classic gem.