TV REVIEW : ‘Quake’ Aims to Shake Us Up
“Quake of ‘89--the Final Warning,” one of a slew of programs on KCET Channel 28 tonightdevoted to our ever-present reminders of Mother Nature’s dominance, is a sobering look at the damage done by a “moderate earthquake” 60 miles away from “America’s most beautiful city.”
This BBC production, airing at 8 p.m., examines the Oct. 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake, a 7.1 temblor that rocked the Bay Area from Santa Cruz to San Francisco, killing 63 people, injuring more than 3,700, and doing $7 billion in damage--all in just 15 seconds.
“Quake” is bleak material; nevertheless, much of it is riveting. Writer-producer Michael Barnes skillfully mixes dynamic footage--ranging from home videos to TV news--to graphically bang home the enormity of the event. He successfully captures the chaos and the terror of the quake’s aftermath: the collapsed freeways and bridges, the huge Marina District fire, the roads ripped asunder.
More important, he shifts gears and builds a solid case that the lessons of the past were ignored in 1989--and that the lessons of ’89 are being ignored today. There are a slew of experts testifying that engineering and scientific reports are simply filed away and forgotten; retrofitting existing structures to meet safety standards goes by the wayside. The two big reasons: lack of money and the human tendency to emulate ostriches and bury our heads in the sand.
In this case, what we don’t know will hurt us; what we ignore may kill us. “Quake of ‘89--the Final Warning” should be required viewing for all Californians.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.