Fire! Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Fire! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 12, 2023

1977’s “Fire” is a second made-for-television movie from producer Irwin Allen during his most fertile creative period. Looking to bring big screen mayhem to the small screen, Allen goes from the water threat of 1976’s “Flood” to a forest inferno, following his formula by mixing scenes of survival with the emotional and physical concerns of a collection of characters. Director Earl Bellamy (returning to duty after “Flood”) and writers Norman Katkov and Arthur Weiss aren’t trying to make high art with “Fire,” simply assembling a functional disaster film for a wide audience, showing more aggressive interest in the central threat than previous endeavors, making for a more active viewing experience.

In the small town of Silverton, a new day is just beginning, with mill owner Sam (Ernest Borgnine) trying to win over his object of desire, Martha (Vera Miles). Harriett (Donna Mills) is leading an elementary school field trip into the forest, allowing the kids to learn more about the great outdoors. Helicopter pilot Bill (James W. Gavin) is patrolling the skies, learning about a promotion. Divorcing doctors Peggy (Patty Duke) and Alex (Alex Cord) are planning for their final separation. And the Pinetree Prison Camp is cleaning up the forest, with Frank (Erik Estrada) dreaming of escape. His fellow inmate Larry (Neville Brand) has more chaos in mind, tossing a lit cigarette into the forest, starting a fire. What begins as a small burn develops into total destruction over the course of the day, with Sam leading a charge to protect the town and save Martha, who’s waiting for help at her lodge.

Helicopter action returns in “Fire,” which offers more eye-in-the-sky activity that started in “Flood,” with Bill a pilot touring the area with the fire department, on the hunt for signs of trouble. Allen certainly loves his flying vehicles, with plenty of time devoted to shots of the helicopter in flight, watching Bill swoop around and even shimmy when he learns of a brighter employment future. Thankfully, there’s more to the feature than footage of a man flying around a forest, with the writing staying true to Allen’s particular way of storytelling, launching various subplots involving troubled characters trying to make sense of life and love. This includes Sam, who’s a determined suitor, unwilling to take a hint as he tries to talk Martha into marriage, with the widow making it clear she’s not ready for another cohabitational experience. He’s a stand-up guy, but unable to tempt the Wagner Lodge owner, missing his chance to win her heart long ago.

“Fire” also spends time with Frank, who’s trying to escape from the prison camp, waiting for the right moment to flee, while Larry doesn’t care much about anything, intentionally trying to start a fire in the forest, which begins the central blaze of the movie. Perhaps most important to the writers is the divide between Peggy and Alex, finding the two doctors at odds about their future, preparing to divorce to solve their relocation problems. “Fire” remains on this subplot for long stretches of the film, trying to sell the turmoil building inside the pair as they remain in love, but have lost the ability to carefully communicate their hopes and fears. The saga of Harriett is also examined, with the teacher expecting a normal day with her students, only to run into a blazing inferno.

The fire elements of the feature are active, finding Bellamy in charge of creating a credible threat to all life in the area. This includes animals, who are mostly represented in file footage, save for one bunny a rescuer takes time to transfer out of the hot zone. “Flood” looked somewhat controlled as a production, but “Fire” doesn’t share that same moviemaking peace, watching fires rage all around the characters, who are called into action fairly quick in the picture, avoiding the two-act build-up of personality and stakes that usually supports this kind of entertainment. A grander sense of disaster is missing from the endeavor, with file footage returned to once again, this time for wider shots of mass destruction, which is clearly taken from the 1950s. The production doesn’t even try to hide it.

“Fire” follows the containment plan, as Sam shows off his heroic ways, soon making a move to rescue Martha from her lodge, which is in the middle of the inferno. The picture plays the usual beats of child endangerment (a boy is trapped in a burning room, one of Harriet’s kids gets lost in the woods and passes out) and panic, but some of the action here is compellingly chaotic, and there’s a nice balance of character actions, finding Frank pulled between his freedom and his inner drive to help others. Peggy and Alex also start to see the value of staying in Silverton, urged to do so by Dr. Bennett (Lloyd Nolan), who suffers an injury that requires the use of an “air splint,” which is sold here as the future of medicine. Rescue efforts add some urgency to “Fire,” as Sam refuses to give up on Martha, organizing the use of trucks to power through the blaze, and Bill takes to the sky with a large bucket, trying to be of use before he encounters his own problems.

Fire! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers strong detail on facial surfaces, with television close-ups exposing differences in age and style. Costuming is fibrous with period outfits. "Fire" mostly takes place outside, with forest locations deep and woodsy buildings textured. Interiors retain a good look at decorative additions. Colors are bright, with vivid greenery throughout the viewing experience, along with the orange glow of the fires. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is nicely resolved. Source is in good condition.

Fire! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA does carry some age, with some slightly muddier moments of conversation. Overall, dialogue exchanges are acceptable, with decent distinction between performances, and softer emotive moments are preserved. Scoring supports with reasonable instrumentation and balance. Sound effects are acceptable, with the crackling of the fire carrying throughout the listening event.

Fire! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Trailer (1:07, HD) is included.

Fire! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Fire" is more direct than "Flood," getting right to the goods, threading character business into scenes of disaster, making for a more compelling sit, even with less interesting personalities in the mix. It's far from a radical reworking of the Allen Formula, but it does a few things differently, and there's a wild creative decision made to end the picture on a downbeat note of regret, sending viewers off with an uncomfortable reminder of life's capacity for unimaginable cruelty when perhaps all they really want to see is more things burn to the ground. "Fire" is supported by lively performances, making the human side of things compelling, with Borgnine treating the acting assignment with complete concentration, happy to sell the danger of it all as Sam tries to make sense of the fire's spread. It gives the effort some dramatic heft, making for a slightly more engaging offering of catastrophe within the budgetary confines of network television entertainment.