As the calendar turns, New Year's celebrations are traditionally filled with hope and optimism for the future. Yet, for those seeking a different, more ironically resonant way to ring in the new year, a classic cinematic disaster offers a uniquely thrilling alternative.
A Timed New Year's Tradition
One of the most compelling reasons to revisit Irwin Allen's 1972 film "The Poseidon Adventure" this December 31st is a unique viewing trick. The movie, available for streaming on Disney+ and Hollywood Suite in Canada, features its own dramatic New Year's countdown. By hitting play at precisely 11:35:15 p.m. on New Year's Eve, your personal countdown will synchronize perfectly with the fateful moment aboard the SS Poseidon. It's an immersive way to welcome the year, though viewers are cautioned that this timing may be disrupted if their streaming service includes commercial breaks.
Why the Original Triumphs Over the Remake
The film's premise is iconic: the luxury liner SS Poseidon, on its final voyage before being scrapped, is struck by a massive tsunami and capsizes. A determined group of survivors, led by a rebellious minister, must climb up to the ship's bottom to find a potential escape. While Wolfgang Peterson's 2006 remake "Poseidon" (on Netflix) offers slicker effects, it is often criticized as forgettable. The original, in contrast, embraces a level of unapologetic melodrama and schmaltz that has cemented its status as a beloved genre classic. If you can't enjoy that particular flavour, you might want to steer clear.
Released in the landmark cinematic year of 1972, which also gave us "The Godfather" and "Cabaret," "The Poseidon Adventure" followed the successful disaster-movie formula popularized by "Airport." It combines an ensemble cast of major stars, large-scale visual effects, and a high body count.
The Power of Gene Hackman's Performance
The film's greatest asset is undoubtedly Gene Hackman, who took the lead role of Reverend Frank Scott. Fresh from winning an Oscar for "The French Connection" in 1971, Hackman reportedly viewed this role as a "money job." Yet, his commanding performance sells the film's improbable scenario with sheer force of will. Hackman, who sadly passed away in 2024, provides the emotional core and the driving sense of hope that propels the narrative forward, making the movie far more memorable than its genre trappings might suggest.
Here are five key reasons to make "The Poseidon Adventure" your New Year's watch:
1. Leslie Nielsen as Captain Harrison: Years before his deadpan comedic turn in "Airplane!" redefined his career, Nielsen played stern authority figures like the Poseidon's captain. His delivery of the line, "By the way, Happy New Year," moments before the wave hits, now carries an unintentionally humorous weight.
2. The Supporting Cast's Pathos: The film is packed with memorable performances that amplify the drama. Notably, Red Buttons plays James Martin, a lonely haberdasher, who forms a poignant connection with the nearly catatonic cruise singer Nonnie, portrayed by Carol Lynley, after her brother perishes in the disaster.
3. Shelley Winters & Jack Albertson: The film features standout turns from these veteran actors, whose characters add significant emotional depth and tragic heroism to the survivors' desperate climb.
4. A Benchmark for Practical Effects: For its time, the film's depiction of a capsized ocean liner was a monumental achievement in practical effects and set design, creating a claustrophobic and believable environment of inverted chaos.
5. Pure, Unadulterated Escapism: In an era of often-gritty cinema, "The Poseidon Adventure" offers a complete, high-stakes escape. It's a film that asks you to fully invest in its characters' plight against impossible odds, making their struggle for survival surprisingly uplifting.
This New Year's Eve, consider trading the standard party fare for this iconic tale of resilience. Streaming "The Poseidon Adventure" offers a uniquely ironic, thrilling, and surprisingly hopeful way to celebrate the promise of a new beginning, proving that sometimes, looking forward means first navigating a spectacular disaster.
