In a retrospective, the US cinema since the 1970s has two main heritage attached to it. On the one hand, there is the US new wave AKA the new Hollywood movement, in which "Five Light Pieces", "Clute", "French link" and other films like them avoided the main studio film formula in favor of storytelling that were creatively bold and warm. On the other, there's the dawn of the blockbuster, a trend that continues to this day and whose beginning is a most often attributed to steven Spielberg's "Jaws" from 1975. But Whier "Jaws" Gets The Lion's (hard, hard, hard, Shark's) Share of the Credit for Birthing The Blockbuster, A Good Dollop of Credit Must Also Go to the Other Populist Trend in American Cinema During the Decade: Disaster movie.

The disaster film was around the 1970s in one form or another, but that is the version that was popularized during that decade, allowing the genre to continue to this day. Although the 1970s Airport is often considered a disaster watershed film, it is the 1972 "Poseidon adventure", which was the point of making the genre. Directed by Ronald NeM, film producer Irvine Allen (who will continue to be called "Master of Disaster" thanks to the success of this film and its follow-up, "The Towering Inferno") advertised "Poseidon Adventure" as an anti-new Hollywood movie; The promotional painting of the image was even titled "Returning the Movie". In essence, Allen wished to play the first nature of the film in order to draw the audience in which he wanted an escapist party.

However, Ein Hackman's casting casting as the leading film's Allen's Allen's plans to make a "Poseidon Adventure" great, silly spectacle. In his role as Reven Frank Scott, one of the few passengers struggling to survive after the luxurious liner Poseidon is capsized in the middle of the Ocean on New Year's Eve, Hakman gives all his significant power as an actor on the screen. As a result, "Poseidon's adventure" could not be easily dismissed like Larke, and Hackman's work in the film not only helped legitimize the disaster film, but can also be considered an early example of an excellent actor who elevates a blockbuster film.

To be fair, the script for "Poseidon Adventure" (as written by Stirling Silifant and Wendell Mace) is so saturated and sublime that in the wrong hands, it could have really been an unintentional exercise exercise. Although there are some who still see the film through that lens (helped, no doubt, a joke of pop culture stretching by Beth Midler On the still popular Sitkom "Friends" of the 90's), it is Hackman's commitment to the role and his performance that helps the silence of the silencing. A bold choice is to give a disaster film for survivors of a huge wave that shoot down the ship that penetrated it upside down to security safety, definitely a church hero. Even bolder is to give that character a philosophy that approaches Randian (Scott happily preaches the idea that "God helps those who help themselves"), something that combines with the almost Bible tone of film's difficulties and quarrels to end with someone who, at least, should not be much.

Fortunately, Hackman's casting as a Reven Scott helps alleviate all these potential traps. The actor's natural joy (quality that served incredibly good in almost every performance he once delivered) gives enough advantage to the character, so his selflessness and generosity seems much more original and expressed. Of course, Hackman's sense of authority (if not superiority) easily explains Scott who fills the role of the group leader trying to make an exodus from the ship instead of waiting for him. His chemistry with colleagues with hard-to-boy Ernest Borina (playing a police officer, Mike Rogo) gives her moments of conflict with extra intensity, and his tenderness to teenager Susan (Pamela Sue Martin), as well as the middle-aged Bell (Shelley Winters) gives him the image.

In another movie, with a smaller actor, the last moment of Scott's self -sacrifice will look like an inexpensive trick and may have left the audience incredibly dissatisfied with the film. Instead, Hackman helps to make an indelible moment, the culmination of all the difficult themes the film is introducing, which otherwise probably couldn't pay. It is a scene that shows the human crisis of faith that is duplicated as an indictment for humanity for allegedly well -intentioned greater power. That Hackman was able to deliver such a moment within the spectacle of special effects was a testimony to his abilities.

Ein Hackman's play in "Poseidon Adventure" proved to Hollywood how much value was in casting a dedicated Starwar in the leading role of the would be a blockbuster. With such a person, you not only got a mark, but also creative value. Although the template is already built, the success of Poseidon Adventure has provided that future disaster films will make a point to collect as a professional and eclectic ensemble as much as possible. So not only did we get Even more the Starwater team of "The Towering Inferno", But also the glossy (and game) of films such as "Independence Day" and "Armageddon" years later.

The ironic icing of the real big cake of Hackman's performance in the film is that for the actor, the gig perhaps was simply to rent a role that she accidentally knocked out. In an interview with 2020 Vanity fairBen Stiller recalled the approach to Hackman on the "Royal Tennebaum" set in order to praise his work in "Poseidon Adventure":

"The whole recording, I waited to rise to the nerve - because he was a frightening man - to tell him how much" Poseidon's adventure "meant for me. So, two days before the filming ends, finally this quiet moment. You want to be a director, to be in movies, and I have seen it many times."

As Stiller recalls, Hakman responded to this by just watching and saying, "Oh yes. Working with money, "and then went away. Although it is possible for Hackman to have a bad day at work or not interested in talking about his past films at that moment, it is likely that infamous without any popcorn *** The actor meant exactly what he said. Stiller continued:

"My world was shaken. Even if it was a job for money for Hackman, it was the most incredible performance of the money I've ever seen. "

Obviously, I am completely away with Stiller's feelings here. The fact that Hackman watched "Poseidon Adventure" and his appearance in him, because only a salary gig did not diminish his work in the film. On the contrary, it makes it even more impressive - this is the quality of the job the guy did when he no Caring. By passing HackmanWe lost one of the Titans of American Film Acting, an artist who had such an innate skill that could deliver greatness regardless of the material. It is the level of craft to strive for us and for us, that means the closest thing we can get to the guarantee of enjoyment is whenever we watch one of his films. Like Scott's victim, Hackman did everything he did for us.