The Towering Inferno

The Towering Inferno is a 1974 American disaster film by Irwin Allen and John Guillermin and starring Steve McQueen, Paul Newman and William Holden.

The film is about a violent fire in a skyscraper that is considered by the builders incombustible. The movie played in on the severe anxiety that many people had at the time about the safety of skyscrapers. The scenario of the film was based on the novels "The Tower" (1973) by Richard Martin Stern and "The Glass Inferno by Thomas n. Scortia" (1974) and Frank m. Robinson.

The Towering Inferno was a huge success and budget of 14 million was almost 10 times recouped. This was The Towering inferno one of the most successful films ever made, the film The Poseidon Adventure formed together with the highlight from a whole series of disaster movies that were made in the 1970s.



Content
[hide] *1 Story  ==Story[ Edit] == Read warning: text below contains details about the content and/or the end of the story.The Glass Tower in San Francisco, with its 138 floors and a height of almost 500 metres the tallest building on Earth. The building is opened and to celebrate the opening is on the top floor a big party given.
 * 2 Cast
 * 2.1 starring roles
 * 2.2 supporting cast
 * 3 history
 * Scenario 4
 * 5 Actors
 * 5.1 Doug Roberts and Michael O'Halloran
 * 5.2 other roles
 * 6 Production
 * 6.1 Recordings
 * 6.2 Sets and decors
 * 6.3 Locations
 * 7 Music
 * 7.1 Background
 * 7.2 L.P.
 * 7.3 Expanded Version CD
 * 8 awards and nominations
 * 8.1 Oscars
 * 8.2 BAFTA Awards
 * 8.3 Golden Globe
 * 9 Sources
 * 10 external link

What almost no one knows, is that the project developer and onroerendgoedmagnaat James Duncan (William Holden) has significantly cut back on safety measures. Together with his son-in-law Robertson (Richard Chamberlain), he came to the conclusion that the building can never burn. Therefore, they have no fire resistant shutters placed in the ventilation shafts, nor fire detection systems and squirrel-cage insensitive wiring.

After a power failure in the meter cupboard spread by a spark hits the carpeted floor on fire. The fire is spreading through the ventilation shafts, which do not have fire resistant shutters, and turn so slowly all floors on fire. By a lack of fire alarms is the fire until much too late discovered. The lifts are than all failed and the stairwell is on fire. It is now for the revelers impossible to escape.

Architect Roberts (Paul Newman) and fire chief Rispoli (Steve McQueen) think of put together a plan to save the people on the highest floor anyway. The first attempt is to have the people with a helicopter rescue. This attempt failed because the helicopter by an explosion at the apartment block crashes. A second attempt is to a winch to another nearby apartment block efforts. This attempt is successful in part: All women know so to get away, but if the men in turn are there panic breaks out and Robertson who violently under the influence of alcohol, grasp the winch and causes the winch revamp. Robertson collapses along with other men including the senator down.

The last attempt to be successful, though: the rooftop has a water storage tank. Which is actually meant to keep pressure on the water in the building, especially on the higher floors. Blasting operations are in the water tank detonated causing millions of gallons of water flows through the building and the entire Tower will extinguish fire at once. James Duncan and survive it, but the Mayor Rispoli and not the bartender. ==Division Of Roles[ Edit] == ===Leading Roles<span class="mw-editsection" len="338" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ===Supporting Roles<span class="mw-editsection" len="336" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ==For History<span class="mw-editsection" len="343" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the early seventies of the last century was The Poseidon Adventure a great success in cinemas. Suddenly the potential disaster films were money makers and studios in Hollywood went looking for disasters material to film. Warner Brothers bought the film rights for $ 390,000 of the novel "The Tower" (1973) by Richard Martin Stern. The book was about a skyscraper that is affected by a fire. The same theme was reflected in "The Glass Inferno" (1974) by Thomas n. Scortia and Frank m. Robinson. Irwin Allen by 20th Century Fox had the rights to buy, but also fished just behind the net. Eight weeks later, he was able to buy the rights for $ 400,000 of a novel with the same theme, "The Glass Inferno" (1974) by Thomas n. Scortia and Frank m. Robinson. The saw to it that both Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox a disaster film went back on a fire in a skyscraper. But both sides started negotiations and for the first time in the history of Hollywood studios two United their forces. Warner and Fox each paid half the cost of production, after which Fox would get the proceeds in the US and Warner the rest of the world. ==Scenario<span class="mw-editsection" len="335" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Read warning: text below contains details about the content and/or the end of the story.<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Screenwriter Stirling Silliphant was given command on the basis of the novels "The Tower" and "The Glass Inferno" to write a scenario. He combined the book titles to the title of the film (The Towering Inferno) and to the name of the building that plays the leading role (The Glass Tower). Silliphant took seven main characters from each novel and processed that in the screenplay. From "The Tower" he took over the rescue operation via the line between two buildings and the exploding water tank from "The Glass Inferno". To get a good picture of the work of the fire service and other emergency services did extensive research and Stirling Silliphant he interviewed several firemen. This had its influence on him, even years after his job for The Towering Inferno went the screenwriter always under the sprinkler system sit if he visited a tall building. ==Actors<span class="mw-editsection" len="334" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===Doug Roberts and Michael O'Halloran<span class="mw-editsection" len="361" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Producer Irwin Allen really wanted Steve McQueen for the role of architect Doug Roberts, while Ernest Borgnine was invited to the role of fire chief to play Michael Rispoli. (The character was called then "Mario Infantino"). But McQueen wanted to prefer the role of Rispoli. It was a hero's role with lots of action, something the actor appreciated. The role, however, was smaller than that of Doug Roberts and with much less text.Irwin left screenwriter Stirling Silliphant Rispoli's role had become more of a stretch, after which starring Ernest Borgnine, this allowed leave. He was now too old for a lead role and Paul Newman was asked to play the role of Doug Roberts. Newman and McQueen were already competitors since the fifties of the last century and McQueen saw to it that he had the exact same length to text as Newman. Newman would later confess that he regretted his decision to have a role to play in The Towering Inferno . Although he got $ 1 million and 10% of the profits, but the rivalry between him and McQueen (who got the same salary and 10%) was so great that his game fun was ruined as a result. Because McQueen only after 43 minutes into the movie, Newman's character had already seen nearly half of its text said. As a result, the movie much more certainly dominates McQueen because he plays the hero, the man who solves everything. Newman felt hustled and hammered for that reason also on a first place of its name on the end credits. But McQueen wanted this too and so chose the studio to both names to place side by side diagonally. From left to right is first to see the name of McQueen, but Newman's name is slightly higher. ===Other roles<span class="mw-editsection" len="340" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Lisolette Mueller's role was initially intended for Hollywood legend Olivia de Havilland but that had no effect. The role went to Jennifer Jones. It would be her last feature film. Another great star that was asked, was the former swimming champion/actress Esther Williams. Williams who had previously had a role in "The Poseidon Adventure" refused, also left this honor to pass by. Natalie Wood who also did the screenplay but mediocre was made. Another former Hollywood greatness William Holden went just as Newman for the money by the knees. He got $ 750,000 for his role as James Duncan, the contractor who has built Glass Tower. Holden hated his role, the movie, the screenplay and are against players, especially Faye Dunaway that always came too late. But the money jusitified much. It was the best payment for his services in years. James Franciscusand John Forsythe were candidate for the role of Senator Gary Parker. But both actors seemed too much on politicians like Senator John Tunney and the then Governor of California Ronald Reagan, so Robert Vaughnwas chosen, an actor who did not appear on an existing politician of that time. ==Production<span class="mw-editsection" len="337" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Read warning: text below contains details about the content and/or the end of the story.===Recordings<span class="mw-editsection" len="335" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">With a budget of $ 14 million was on 9 May 1974 started the shots. Two directors had to do the job. Irwin Allen would concern itself with the action scenes while John Guilermin the direction of the actors would do.Guilermin and all used four camera crews to all action scenes, special effects, the footage of the helicopters, and to include the acteurscènes. The producers were very concerned for safety the actors and stunt people.Stunt Coordinator Paul Stader had reported that the stunts were so dangerous that a small mistake a stuntman could come to life, or at least seriously injured would hit. Nevertheless, Paul Newman and Steve McQueen Both did their own stunts. One of the most dangerous stunts that McQueen had to carry out was undergoing a shower of 27,000 gallons of water in the final scene. To ensure safety were thirty employees of the Fire Department provided. Every actor and actress on the set got a fireman assigned if there are dangerous effects were used. The normal recordings of the actors were less dangerous, only had Director Irwin sometimes struggling to make certain comments to untie. Especially because the actors don't really were threatened by fire, but had to imagine everything. So, it took him to a surprised reaction to trouble getting his actors for the scene in which it becomes clear that a fire has broken out. So he fired off a gun suddenly, after which he got startled and surprised a sincere response. Did the actors studio there for less. In the film is actually the main character and the glass Tower for two veterans of the silver screen, Jennifer Jones and Fred Astaire, it was completely a bitter pill that they by the studio were actually treated as a random extras. They had both their role pleased, but were initially denied access to their surprise that the acteurtrailers on the movie site, but were referred to locker room off site where lesser important actors had to dress up. Both Jones as Astaire continued to behave professionally and not complained. Finally saw the error in the studio and got Jones and Astaire access the trailers. All recordings were made on 11 september 1974 ===Sets and decors<span class="mw-editsection" len="342" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There were 57 sets built for the shots of the tower and the fire. Because a large part of the tower was destroyed, was also an important part of the scenery and sets destroyed. The field eventually played eight sets over.There were different thumbnails of the tower built, some up to 21 metres high and was also manufactured some matte paintings. Matte paintings are images painted on glass for the camera to be held to cover a part of the scene. Parts of the tower were on normal scale built into the studio for the recordings with the actors and stunt people. For recordings of the exterior of the tower was used by the San Francis co's Hyatt Regency Hotel, to which via matte paintings about fifty floors were added. On the parking lot of the 20th Century Fox Studio was recreated a façade of the hotel, complete with curtains and a hole of the explosion at the elevator.The promenade deck that was recreated was surrounded by a circle formation diorama of 100 meters in diameter that the environment of the tower had to imagine. It cost $ 300,000 to build and was destroyed by 27,000 gallons of water in the final scenes. For the construction of the computer that controls everything in the tower was made use of leftover parts of a luchtmachtcomputer, the AN/FSQ-7, which in the 1960s the US protected against an attack by Soviet bombers. The AN/FSQ-7 took the whole floor of a concrete bunker. For the film used the control panels and switchboards maintenance. ===Locations<span class="mw-editsection" len="336" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Except decors were also real locations used. For the entrance of the tower and lobby was the Bank of America building in San Francisco used. Scenes in the lobby were included in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Francisco. As a background for the turn-out was the San Francisco Fire Department Fire Station knew 38 used. Additional recordings were made in the Grace Cathedral Episcopal Church in San Francisco. Studio recordings were made in the 20th Century Fox Studios in Century City, Los Angeles. ==Music<span class="mw-editsection" len="334" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===Background<span class="mw-editsection" len="339" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The film music composer John Williams was with Herbert w. Spencer and orchestrations of All Woodbury. The music was by technician Ted Keep included in the 20th Century Fox scoring stage on 31 October, 4, 7 and 11 november 1974. Apart from film music also contains compositions by Williams instrumental versions of "Again" (Lionel Newman/Dorcas Cochran), "You Make Me Feel So Young" (Josef Myrow/Mack Gordon) and "The More I See You" by Harry Warren/Mack Gordon. It also contains film music a part of the song "Maggie Shoots Pool" that Williams wrote for the film Cinderella Liberty. Some could not because of lack of space music on the music album come true and became thereby a much sought after verzamelaarobject. An example is the lounge music that is played like the fire alarm is given. It has the title "The Promenade Room" and was designed by Williams. Singer Maureen McGovern sang the song "We May Never Love Like This Again" by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschorn. Its got a Oscar for best song. ===L.P.<span class="mw-editsection" len="332" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1975 Warner Brothers brought parts of the movie music on lp under catalogue number BS-2840. The following titles are on the LP:
 * Steve McQueen as fire chief Michael Rispoli
 * Paul Newman as Doug Roberts
 * William Holden as James Duncan
 * Faye Dunaway as Susan Franklin
 * Fred Astaire as Harlee Claiborne
 * Susan Blakely as Patty Simmons
 * Richard Chamberlain as Roger Simmons
 * Jennifer Jones as Lisolette Mueller
 * O.J. Simpson as Harry Jernigan
 * Robert Vaughn as Sen. Gary Parker
 * Robert Wagner as Dan Bigelow
 * Susan Flannery as Lorrie
 * Scott Newman (son of Paul Newman) as the young fireman with Vertigo.
 * Sheila Matthews as Paula Ramsey
 * Jack Collins as Mayor Robert Ramsey
 * Gregory Sierra as Carlos the bartender
 * Don Gordon as Prasad
 * Norman Grabowski as frozen blocks Flaker
 * Dabney Coleman as the replacement fire chief # 1
 * Mike Lookinland as Phillip Albright
 * Norman Burton as Will Giddings
 * Felton Perry as Fireman Scott

===Expanded Version CD<span class="mw-editsection" len="347" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On 1 april 2001, on the Film Score Monthly label (FSM) an "expanded version" released. Producer Lukas Kendall and Nick Redman. It was a remix album for which the old masters of the LP from 1975 had been used, in addition to the soundtrack of the movie. The version was expanded and placed in the correct chronological order. It became a best seller and all three thousand copies were sold. It's become a collector's item. The following titles are on this version:
 * "Main Title" (5: 00)
 * "An architect's Dream" (3: 28)
 * "Lisolette And Harlee" (2: 34)
 * "Something For Susan" (2: 42)
 * "Trapped Lovers" (4: 28)
 * "We May Never Love Like This Again" (2: 11)
 * "Susan And Doug" (2: 30)
 * "The Helicopter Explosion" (2: 50)
 * "Planting The Charges – And Finale" (10: 17)

==Awards and nominations<span class="mw-editsection" len="349" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===Oscars<span class="mw-editsection" len="334" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ===BAFTA Awards<span class="mw-editsection" len="340" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ===Golden Globe<span class="mw-editsection" len="340" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ===
 * "Main Title" (5: 01)
 * "Something For Susan" (2: 42)
 * "Lisolette and Harlee" (2: 35)
 * "The Flame Ignites" (1: 01)
 * "More For Susan" (1: 55)
 * "Harlee Dressing" (1: 37)
 * "Let There Be Light" (0: 37)
 * "Alone At Last" (0: 51)
 * "We May Never Love Like This Again (movie version) (2: 04)
 * "The First Victims" (3: 24)
 * "Not A Cigarette" (1: 18)
 * "Trapped Lovers" (4: 44)
 * "Doug's Fall/Piggy Back Ride" (2: 18)
 * "Lisolette's Descent" (3: 07)
 * "Down The Pipes/The Door Opens" (2: 59)
 * "Couples" (3: 38)
 * "Short Goodbyes" (2: 26)
 * "Helicopter Rescue" (3: 07)
 * "Passing The Word" (1: 12)
 * "Planting The Charges" (9: 04)
 * "Finale" (3: 57)
 * "An architect's Dream" (3: 28)
 * "We May Never Love Like This Again (Album version) (2: 13)
 * "The Morning After (Instrumental)" (2: 07)
 * "Susan And Doug (Album version)" (2: 33)
 * "Departmental Pride and The Cat" (2: 34)
 * "Helicopter Explosion" (2: 34)
 * "Waking Up" (2: 39)
 * Best Cinematography (Fred J. Koene Camp & Joseph F. Biroc)
 * Best Editing (Carl Kress & Harold F. Kress)
 * Best Song (Al Kasha & Joel Hirschhorn) for "We May Never Love Like This Again"
 * Nomination for Best Film
 * Nomination for best supporting actor (Fred Astaire)
 * Nomination for best set design (William j. Creber, Ward Preston, Raphael Bretton)
 * Nomination for best music (John Williams)
 * Nomination for best sound (Theodore Soderberg, Herman Lewis)
 * Best supporting actor (Fred Astaire)
 * Best Music (John Williams
 * Best supporting actor (Fred Astaire)
 * Prize for the most promising newcomer (Susan Flannery)
 * Nomination for best supporting actress (Jennifer Jones)
 * Nomination for best Song (Al Kasha & Joel Hirschhorn) for "We May Never Love Like This Again"