San Francisco: The City That Waits To Die

First: apologies for the muting of the opening soundtrack and the premature cut off of the last two minutes of this programme. This was due to a RUclips automated edit removing copyright marked music.Nevertheless I hope you enjoy this ground breaking and controversial documentary made by the BBC in 1970 about San Francisco. It pointed out that city planners were ignoring warnings from scientists and erecting key public buildings on the Bay Area's numerous faults. The programme was even banned from broadcast for a time in the Bay Area. However, the programme makers delivered a remarkable public service by warning of the dangers, and it did lead to action. Apologies for the poor quality of the video. However, this was transferred from a Betamax recording when the programme was re-broadcast in 1990, to VHS and then subsequently to DVD. It is worth watching as an example of a documentary of its time, for its photography, and for its great incidental music throughout the programme (mercifully not dubbed out!)

[@llamatronic]

I wish the audio was better at the start, but never mind. We watched this in one of my Earth Sciences classes back in university, and I never forgot the opening sequence. Also, just generally a good documentary. Thanks for posting it!

[@Glyndwr65]

Thanks for your feedback llamatronic. Glad you enjoyed it (even if the opening audio was dubbed out!)

[@clarenceyee3529]

Me too. Geology 100 around 1982 or 1983. Who the hell can remember that far back lol.

[@manofmanyinterests]

The promo for this special is also on on youtube.

[@privateworld2685]

prescient... portentious... powerful... this still resonates- it speaks to the current message about FRACKING at 42:22 citing the fluid pumped into a well miles deep directly correlating to seismic activity.
Thank You for making this available.

[@ventusky308]

Got it Glyn ! Bkmkd for later watch !

[@martinfeldwick9799]

What is the opening music please?

[@Ratdaddy78]

"California Earthquake", name of the group : The Mamas and The Papas.

[@Mister_Listener]

This was a Cass Elliot solo recording. Not Mamas and Papas, but the song is on one of their compilation albums.

[@Earth098]

Not anymore. San Francisco is rebuilt to withstand the worst earthquakes.

[@Glyndwr65]

Not the Chinatown district, which has many old buildings made of un-reinforced masonry. Also much of the Bay Area's communities still sit on landfill and mud and will not be able to withstand a major earthquake.

[@josephalfonsoamantia7028]

They thought that in Japan too and most of their buildings were destroyed.

[@BillboardPenguin]

Now they just have to worry about their leadership.