The Towering Inferno - Blasting The Watertanks

[baldbrad]

Oh they'll find some dumb son of a bitch to bring it up...

[DC322]

Steve McQueen before going up onto the roof: Oh shit!

[SirLord1262000]

At 3:22 in this clip, Steve McQueen makes history as he observes the blast that puts him on the map yet again!

[CambotSOL]

Always wondered how the fire on the roof got put out (it was above the level of the water tanks)

[AManNamedCM2]

NYFD should have done this in 9/11. They did it in Hollywood, didn't they?

[moonabell123]

Um...the guy on fire...if all that water is around....why is he burning? And he could simply jump into some water to put out the flames...

[Crazcompart]

I remember seeing this in the movies...It was probably the "king" of the wave of early-mid 70's disaster films...

[Irishfanism]

the movie won three oscar's,it should have won more!!

[MrPixarGuy]

When there's a fire steve McQueen outranks everybody in the building. When there isn't a fire, he just outranks EVERYBODY, PERIOD.

[Rockage1960]

My favorite line of this movie & that of my late father's aswell was when William holden is waiting for Steve Mcqueen to come up to the promenade room & William holden says to Steve (the mayors out there, do you want me to pull rank on you) & Steve Mcqueen replies (when there's a fire mr I outrank everyone here). - Great stuff.

[Pavletic111]

Interesting 9/11 fact. I just found that this skyscraper scene was shot on Septempber 11th, 1974, wrapping Principal Photography on that same day. Spooky...From 2:15, to the final countdown, the clicking clock, the waiting, the anticipation, and then the finale. I must say, with the John Williams music, this is a really well done scene, makes an excellent climax, and makes for this whole 1970's movie.

[ajb33460]

Building was so clean at the end!

[MrPixarGuy]

The mayor died because he was Swept out the window and will Holden's line,"BOB! Bob! BOB!!! Oh god!" is referring to him.

[Irishfanism]

A movie masterpiece and a timeless classic!

[oldsaltize]

Very dramatic this scene and Williams score adds a lot of suspense, especially when it focuses in on the ticking clock. William Holden may have been shown twice since he didn't get top billing with Newman and McQueen. Also, his character owned the building.

[grislyfind]

Love this scene. Awesome! I always felt bad that Senator Parker died during the breeches buoy panic. That jackass Simmons..a villain to the end.

[seukfuhi]

I liked watching this film as a kid and teenager. Then came 911. And for some reason, it became much less entertaining, and much more tragic than before. It now gives me the creeps, seriously.

[maxwesty]

Still the most suspenseful film of its kind...John Williams's score is phenomenally effective...I agree with Paveltich111...great countdown sequence!

[pinkdrink1]

The thing that gets me, is that at 2:33 you see the fireman getting himself ready to tie down, and the guy right next to him is tied up RIGHT next to the fire. I don't know about you, but I don't think I'd want to tie myself down just next to a rampaging fire. Chances are he'd get torched before the tanks ever blew!

[Pavletic111]

This is probably one of the best portrays of a Countdown in a Film. The true feeling of fear, uncertainty, and anticipation is caught perfectly here...My hats off to Irwin Allen. Damn good film making! :) And of course, the true Kings of Cinema, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen help it too.

[Johnny3868]

@Pavletic111 Definitely true, although why the filmakers felt they had to show William Holden twice during that sequence never made sense to me. It's probably just me...lol

[tranquilitybase]

2:54 to 3:27 ... call me crazy but I thought of this while watching the incinerator scene in Toy Story 3.

[RandyRobbo]

@tranquilitybase that's what it was based on. i didn't notice till i was told lol

[Retrofanatic10]

@tranquilitybase No I hear it too! Oh man , how weird is that. 0_o

[Irishfanism]

The greastest of all the disaster movies!

[hersofclass]

definitely one of the all-time great flicks!

[kbirdusa]

Strangely, they use this same music in the incinerator scene of Toy Story 3.

[1985browneyedgirl]

So sad the bartender died, he made those yummy looking icecream sundaes for the kids.

[BruiserKnux]

All that water and it still couldn't move William Holden's toupee.

[RTD8481]

I love the firetruck response scenes. Still gives me the chills today! :) When I was a kid I couldnt watch the scenes of R. Wagner on fire or Will Giddings being burned. They gave me nightmares. Today I love fire stunts.

[forestskog]

@RTD8481 The power of progressive desensitization :)

[Anynom]

A great thing is that unlike other major movies, this film was shot in sequence so the actors looked believably more haggard as it went on.

[thenamesbanana]

The shot of Fred closing his ears while the water sprays past is a fantastic shot.

[fivebearrugs]

So did Mayor Ramsay drown? Or fall out of the building??

[martingale1234]

@fivebearrugs

I have seen the movie literally more than 20 times. Still it remains unclear whether Mayor survived or not.

[fivebearrugs]

@martingale1234 I think it's implied that he died; otherwise he would've shown up after the water had cleared, or reuniting with his wife outside. Holden's response also indicates that he was killed.

[martingale1234]

@fivebearrugs

His wife went straight to the hospital after she was resqued from the sceening elevator. For me it is still unresolved concerning that Mayor was a minor role in the film. We do not know for example what happened to more important roles such as the firefighter who stayed in the promenade room.

[pennygunterful]

@NIGHTWHMAN My favorite quote has always bee, "Oh they'll find some dumb son of a bitch to do it"! Fabulous movie, one of my all time favs

[delideliver]

@pennygunterful my favorite quote is"there is no way a fire on 81 can reach up here not in this building"

[Irishfanism]

@delideliver Steve McQueen should have replied "Yeah and the Titanic was "unsinkable too!"

[mmmbad]

@NIGHTWHMAN I saw it with my Mom in the theater when I was 19. I still get chills every time I hear Chief O'Halloran say "It's out of control and it's comin' your way." BRRRRR!

[perungudimscravi]

I saw this movie, when I was 9 years old. I astonished and this is one of the best movies in English. My memories are going back.

[SonnyJamesJefferson]

When the statue falls over on Carlos, I found that to be one of the best stunts in the movie, yet sad because he was such a likable character.

[jrcasselman]

The thing is, with millions of gallons of water in those tanks, the building must have been really hard and heavy at the top to support them. In most cities it would not be an issue, but in San Francisco that building would be prone to an earthquake.

[threeby8887]

@jrcasselman Like it wasn't already earthquake-prone being built at 138 stories to begin with.

[UFOSPACE1999]

@threeby8887 San Francisco has a law..that a building now cannot be over 60 stories.

[Schnorbs]

@threeby8887 From memory, it all depends on the resonant frequency of the building, versus the frequency of the earthquake shaking. A tall building will have a lower resonant frequency than a shorter one - I think it was in the Kobe earthquake that most of the casualties occurred in one or two storey buildings which collapsed while the high rises survived.

[ScreamingScallop]

While John Williams' main theme is a thrilling masterpiece, it's his ten-minute-long rollercoaster for the climax, leading up to the detonation, that made me buy the soundtrack.

Poor 'ol Fred Astaire and William Holden, taking those hose-blasts like pros...

[tompennock]

THE Best Of It's Kind!!!

[mmmbad]

One of the best movies of all time! Thanks for posting!

[angolfin21]

Shure Suicide lmao