Hurricane

When I first saw this film, I was about 8 years old and didn't realize how destructive hurricanes can really be. Despite its tendency to be like other disaster epics that came out around the same time, this was a pretty decent film. One thing I do like about it is that a lot of this film takes its plot from several actual hurricanes, especially hurricane Camille. The party vignette reminded a lot of people about what happened during that event when so many people lost their lives while partying during Camille. Also, it is rather sad because this was one of the last pieces of work that Frank Sutton did as he died shortly after this film was completed. At least he had one good dramatic performance after "Gomer Pyle".

I like some of the 70's disaster films so I rented this disaster film to see how it was. I could barely finish the movie. It was so boring that even an all star cast could not save this soggy disaster film. Check out the other popular disaster films such as "Airport" or "The Towering Inferno" instead.

Hurricane is about a large hurricane in the gulf of Mexico and several groups of people that get stuck in it. This movie is all about people and not about hurricanes so don't look for a lot of special effects. There were many TV actors from the 60s and 70s in this film and it was nice to see them in early roles. Some were partial casts from very well known TV shoes like Dallas and The Waltons. I'm not really sure why this film is part of the Classic Disaster Movies DVD because it didn't really say much about the disaster. I didn't view this as a disaster film, much less a classic disaster film. Pretty good technically for the era it was made, but again, it was more about people than disasters.

Tacky TV-made disaster flick is loaded with familiar faces as well as laughable stock footage of varying quality (some of which is repeated at least once). A depression in the Southern Gulf of Mexico intensifies into a tropical storm before becoming a full-fledged hurricane with 175 mph winds; the National Guard attempts to evacuate residents of the Central Gulf states while Naval forces and Air Force flyboys work together to patrol the seas. The cajoling dialogue has a little snap, but the characters are mostly stock figures. Frank Sutton, as a drunken psychotic whose apartment lies directly in Hurricane Hilda's path, hardly elicits sympathy, but Will Geer and Michael Learned (reunited from TV's "The Waltons") have a nice rapport as sniping weather experts. Special effects are strictly fifth-rate, but star-watchers might be drawn in by the cast.

HURRICANE is a made-for-TV disaster movie, made during the sub-genre's heyday, when almost every type of catastrophic event was fair game.

While the big storm barrels toward the unsuspecting, two intrepid meteorologists (Will Geer and Michael Learned) try to predict its path. Much blustery / rainy stock footage is shown.

Alas, as with many such movies, this one is rather drawn out. It's also lacking in the thrills department! In spite of this, as always, it's fun to watch for our favorite once and future stars!

WATCH FOR: Barry Sullivan as a fleeing resident; Martin Milner as a storm-chasing pilot; Larry Hagman and Jessica Walter as a boating couple, caught in the eye of the storm; Frank Sutton as an oblivious party host; and Patrick Duffey as a nervous party guest!

Not a bad way to waste an evening, as long as you don't expect anything overly exciting...