Airport '77

source: Airport '77

Plastic acting and stock characters detailing a hectic flight in 747 Boeing . It is an insincere , slick attempt to find box-office magic again , and , really , it achieved a hit smash . This is the third of four movies in the "Airport" series adapted from the Arthur Hailey novel . It's exciting and amusing but full clichés and stereotypes , including the unavoidable accident , with passable acting by all-star-cast . Twist to this in-flight catastrophe is that the bad time in the air happen underwater . The movie is another jetliner epic with hero Jack Lemmon as valiant pilot . Billionaire -James Stewart- fills his converted passenger commercial airline of the American Airlines 747 with priceless paintings and sets off to Palm Beach for a museum opening being piloted by Jack Lemmon , Robert Foxworth and joined by an invited band of hijackers , and being subsequently crashed into the sea . Describing the reactions of the crew and passengers as they cope with the impeding doom . At the end takes places a daring rescue attempt . The film is detailing hectic flighty piloted by Jack Lemmon and the relationship among passengers . If you've seen the original ¨Airport¨ by George Seaton based on the Arthur Hailey's novel 'the daddy of them all' , you have seen them all . This old-fashioned catastrophe picture contains thriller , suspense , drama , moderate tension and being quite entertaining though with some flaws and gaps . All clichéd and stock roles with regurgitation of all usual stereotypical situations from disaster films , including a fairly moronic screenplay . Filmed at the height of the disaster genre from the 7os , this entry in the spectacular series profits of an enjoyable acting by Jack Lemmon , bringing life to character , in fact , to prepare for his role, Jack attended both diving school and flight training school , as he wanted to know what all the knobs and dials were for . Look quickly to Robert Hooks , Monte Markham , Kathleen Quinlan , Darren McGavin ,Gil Gerard , M. Emmet Walsh , Pamela Bellwood ,Michael Pataki , James Booth and Chris Lemmon , Jack's son as Radioman . And , of course , it appears the classic character Patroni played by usual George Kennedy continuing his role appeared in all four "Airport" pictures . The motion picture was professionally directed by Jerry Jameson , habitual TV director and occasionally for movie theater . Jerry went onto direct a similar sunken-vehicle high-concept picture around three years later with Raise the Titanic (1980) ; instead of raising a sunken 747 airplane from underwater it was the ship the Titanic . However , Airport '77 (1977) was box-office hit whereas Raise the Titanic (1980) was a box-office flop . It's an inoffensive diversion but is sometimes tediously unspooled . The film will appeal to Jack Lemmon fans and disaster genre enthusiasts . This sagas belongs the following films : the first was ¨Airport¨ (1970) , unanimously deemed the best , it paved the way for many lesser flicks including its many sequels , being directed by George Seaton with Burt Lancaster , Jean Seberg , Dean Martin , Van Heflin ; ¨Airport 75¨ (1974) by Jack Smight with Charlton Heston , Karen Black and Gloria Swanson , ¨Airport 77¨ (1977) considered one of the best of the series , leading to the last of the tired ones , ¨Airport 79¨ , (1979) by David Lowell Rich with Alain Delon , Robert Wagner , Silvia Kristel . Furthermore , ¨ Skyjacked (1972) ¨ by John Guillermin with Charlton Heston , James Brolin and this film was parodied heavily in Airplane! (1980) by Jim Abrahams and David Zucker .

This is a so-so movie. Not as good as the previous two Airport movies. The movie gets off to a slow start, introducing the characters and trying to bring some character development to the film. And not doing too well in that regard. Even the late, great Jimmy Stweart doesn't add much to the film. As with the other movies, you have to suspend your disbelief at times. While not the best installment of the series, this is a somewhat entertaining disaster movie. Though only recommended if you've seen everything else in the store.

OK, so this isn't the greatest film ever made, but not all films have to be Shakespeare to be entertaining. I mean, have you seen some of the garbage big stars make today? It's not all for the Oscars, believe me. This one of those great movies you can actually enjoy for a few hours. An early popcorn flick - like all the disaster films were. In this sequel, Jack Lemmon plays the ever-present Heroic Captain who must save the day as his ship gets a) hijacked, b) crashed into the ocean and c) lost by the search planes. Sure, the plot's out there - no way would a plane not break apart under the ocean, etc, etc, but who cares? Sure, the ending's basically a commerical for the NAVY. It's all fun - and tasteful fun - not the tacky, cheap, makes-you-feel-like-you've-killed-brain-cells-by-watching feel of "The Swarm" or "Airport 75" or "79". The best bits are the action scenes - when the hijackers take over, when the plane crashes into the ocean and the thrilling rescue mission at the end. I was LITERALLY on the edge of my chair! My favorite parts were really the relationships on the plane. Sure, they were underwritten and great actors were ill-used (*ehm* Christopher Lee, Olivia De Havilad and Joseph Cotton), but there were hints of realism there. The touching love between the piano player and Kathleen Quinlan. The lovely reunion between rich folks De Havilad and Cotton (and she looked so dignified when tumbling around in the sinking craft!). The sweet 70's romance between Jack Lemmon and Brenda V. (and she was more James Stewart's secetary then Head Stewardess!). I think I liked that relationship the most because they did seem to have actual chemistry - something that was lacking in even the great "Airport". OK, so this isn't Oscar material, but it's a great popcorn flick right up there with "Towering Inferno" and "Poseidon Adventure". The actors do seem to take themselves seriously (well, except for the bitchy wife of rich chap Christopher Lee, Lee Grant) and aren't totally phoning in their performances. Lemmon gives the best performance here and he seems to relish the role of hero. Good for him to break the mold! Too bad he couldn't do it more often. BOTTOM LINE: A darn good action flick that ranks up there with "Towering Inferno" and "Poseidon Adventure". Watch this if you want to be thrilled and watch the time fly by.

A 747 plane full of mostly rich folks finds itself sunk deep in the ocean after a hijack by art thieves goes awry. Director Jerry Jameson treats the admittedly ludicrous story with admirable seriousness, keeps the inane, yet still absorbing and enjoyable story moving along at a constant pace, and generates a good deal of claustrophobic tension (the underwater rescue stuff is quite gripping and exciting). The bang-up all-star cast adds immensely to the overall fun: Jack Lemmon (surprisingly effective as the heroic pilot), Brenda Vaccaro (perky and appealing), Lee Grant (snarking it up with deliciously hammy aplomb as a super annoying and hateful drunken shrew), Christopher Lee (playing a good guy for once!), Darren McGavin (hearty and engaging as ever), Robert Foxworth (the shifty no-count co-pilot -- it's all his fault), Joseph Cotton (charming and debonair), Olivia de Havilland (elegant and wonderful), a pre-Buck Rogers Gil Grerard, James Stewart (as a folksy millionaire), and Kathleen Quinlan (sweet and lovely). The always welcome presence of such familiar character faces as M. Emmet Walsh, Michael Pataki, James Booth, and George Furth helps a lot. George Kennedy as macho take-charge guy Joe Patroni isn't given much to do, but still makes the most of his limited screen time. The robust score by John Cacavas hits the rousing spot. Philip H. Lathrop's sharp widescreen cinematography provides a pleasing polished look. An on the money satisfying thriller.

I loved this film growing up. I have even become a flight attendant because of this film and the movie Survive ( the Rene Cardeno Jr version). I could pick this movie to bits. However I will not as it is there for pure entertainment and entertain it does. I have always wondered if there was a longer version though. As a child i remember it being shown over two nights the same with earthquake. If anyone can help with this and verify if there is a longer version let us know. If you want some disaster fun this is it. A plane crashes into the sea and survivor's must fight for their lives. Some may make it and some may not. Oliva DE Havilland does look out of place in this movie I think this is because she was a great star and a disaster movie just did not seem to be a role she would do. the same with Gloria Swanson who also ended up in a disaster movie. But we all must eat. Lee Grant steals the show this could be debatable but I believe she does as a booze drinking socialite.

"Airport 77" was the third in this series and it's obvious the quality was dipping with each film. It's a notch below "Airport 1975" but far, far better than "Concorde: Airport 79." This film deals with a private jumbo jet (owned by none other than James Stewart) that is sabotaged by a couple of halfwit crooks so they can steal some priceless paintings. Then something goes wrong (of course we disaster film afficionados know something ALWAYS has to go wrong) and the plane crashes into the Bermuda Triangle. The rest of the film is the attempted rescue and the standard disaster movie characters trying to stay alive. The problem with the film is that there is no suspense. The only real peril the passengers are in is when water starts to leak into the plane at an agonizingly slow rate. And why have them crash in the Bermuda Triangle and not, say, the Pacific Ocean? Perhaps something mysterious will appear? Perhaps a ghostly presence? Sorry to say but no. There is no reason to set the crash in the Triangle save to use that in the ads to lure unsuspecting viewers in. The typical star studded cast is headed by Jack Lemmon as the pilot. Why Lemmon took this part is beyond me. Perhaps the pay was too great to refuse or he desperately wanted a hit. Either way he sold his talent out on this one. Any grade b actor could have played the part. If you are bored and having nothing else to do then I suppose this is a passable timewaster. But ONLY is there is absolutely nothing else on.

Capt. Gallagher (Lemmon) and flight attendant Eve Clayton (Vaccaro) are a supposedly hot item in this death trip; a luxury 747 airliner decked out to look like a nightclub-slash-hotel… there's even a blind piano player who falls in love. Karen Wallace (Grant) is the hysterical b!$3& who'll do anything to get attention from henpecked husband Martin (Christopher Lee) and, later, the rest of the people on board. Memorable Moments: Boeing 747 doing a belly flop in the Atlantic Ocean, Karen getting her chops busted when she goes too far, and furniture (and screaming people) who become 'ball bearings' in a sinking 'pinball machine.' The action and rescue sequences here are relatively phenomenal, but not much goes on in between. Hitchcock was supposed to have directed this sequel, but I forget the reason why not… He would've done wonders for the 1970 original, on which this sequel is partly inspired ('77 also got inspiration from `The Flight of the Phoenix'). Actors Cotten and de Havilland reunite from their days on `Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte' (apparently here they are not playing heavies, just reunited ‘Autumn Years' lovers). And isn't the actress playing Emily's companion the same one who played the hammered-to-death maid on `Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?' TV actors include the girlfriend from `Mayberry RFD' (her character's daughter wins a drawing contest, or something lame like that), `Buck Rogers' Gil Gerard and `Dynasty's' Pamela Bellwood.

AIRPORT '77 is my favourite yet of the series, a real step up from the slightly turgid antics of the first two instalments. This one ups the drama and the suspense considerably and tells a classic disaster story in which the action is always focused on the disaster itself, as it should be. A series of unfortunate events leads to a prototype passenger plane crashing and sinking to the ocean floor, where a bunch of survivors subsequently hold out for hopes of rescue as their air supply gradually runs out and the water gradually finds a way in. As usual, an ensemble cast of performers helps things immeasurably, with Jack Lemmon proving himself in a serious role for once and even Christopher Lee appearing as a good guy for a change. Lee Grant plays her most hissably evil character yet while others such as Joseph Cotten and Darren McGavin really shine too. The film sounds cheesy on paper but is surprisingly taut and realistic on screen, and there are few dodgy effects to spoil things either. Great fun!

Although the production and Jerry Jameson's direction are definite improvements, "Airport '77" isn't much better than "Airport 1975": slick, commercial rubbish submerging (this time literally) a decent cast. Jack Lemmon is the pilot of a packed airliner which gets hijacked by art thieves and crashes into the sea (all the publicity claimed it was near the Bermuda Triangle, but there's no mention of it in the film itself). When the rescue ships come to raise the airplane out of the water, we see all their cranes dropping (rather blindly) into the ocean and it's hard not to laugh (imagining the cranes plugging the plane, the passengers and the waterlogged script). NBC used to air what appeared to be the "director's cut", with at least an hour of extra footage--mostly flashbacks--injected into the proceedings with all the subtlety of a "Gilligan's Island" episode. Most exciting moment is the plane crash, and some of the players have a little fun: Lee Grant is an obnoxious drunk, Brenda Vaccaro a no-nonsense stewardess, Joseph Cotten and Olivia de Havilland are flirting oldsters. Still, the personality conflicts and the excruciating military detail eventually tear at one's patience. ** from ****