Sky Riders

source: Sky Riders

A rich businessman lives a life of ease and contentment in the company of his loving family. One day, however, his wife and children get abducted by determined kidnappers who demand a king's ransom in military equipment. Alarmed by the news, the wife's ex-husband rushes to the scene in order to offer his help... "Sky riders" is a thriller/action movie set in Greece. It's a very watchable movie that includes magnificent stunt work, especially with regard to paragliding. Many of the paragliding scenes take on an almost dream-like beauty. Politically speaking, this is not the deepest movie around. The kidnappers are depicted as extreme-left terrorists determined to do some serious fighting, but that's about as far as the explanation goes. In many ways they're just generic baddies to be outwitted and defeated, like the mustachioed Mexican bandits showing up in Westerns. One gets the impression that the various makers of the movie were wary of getting dragged into a realistic depiction of the domestic problems and politics of Greece, which would have resulted in a far more bitter and tragic work. Watching and enjoying "Sky riders" does require solid suspension of disbelief, especially during the second half, when the brave rescue attempt goes underway. Is it really credible that a group of well-trained terrorists, armed to the teeth, could be foiled that easily ? In real life, the gallant rescuers would probably have ended up as mincemeat. And it would probably have been "requiem aeternam" for the hostages too...

A team of amateur mercenaries on hang-gliders travel to a remote abandoned monastery in a Greek mountain range to rescue a wealthy industrialist's family, who are being held for ransom by a band of radical political activists.

American industrialist in Greece has to raise $5,000,000 in 48 hours to save his wife and children from the hands of a merciless anti-imperialist terrorist organization known as the World Activist's Revolutionary Army; when the police prove to be inept, the kidnapped woman's ex-husband organizes a hang-gliding team to infiltrate the terrorists' mountaintop lair. Old-fashioned adventure saga of the kind that hadn't been in vogue for several years (outside of the Bond films). Certainly not a bad movie, just a little late in arriving. Teaming of Robert Culp and James Coburn certainly pays off, and the aerial photography is very good. ** from ****

Some fine performances from James Coburn and some of the rest of the cast, plus picturesque Greek locations, can't provide the thermal that would lift this out of the abyss of the gimmick movie. At heart, it's a routine film of a millionaire's family being kidnapped and then rescued by Coburn and half a dozen hang glider pilots from a circus troupe. We get to know the millionaire, Robert Culp, and the kidnapped wife, Susannah York, because they are familiar figures. We also get to know the local chief of police, Charles Aznevour, a Greek with a French accent. Except for John Beck, who heads the circus troupe and teaches Coburn how to fly and whose chin seems to be a granite massif, the other flyers are faceless and nameless, although they too are risking their lives in a daring assault on the ex monastery where York and her two kids are being held. The opening scene has the villains bursting into Culp's Greek mansion and shooting down all the servants before making off with York and the kids. The ransom is five million dollars. Culp, a nice cooperative guy, is willing to pay but hasn't got five million bucks. No matter because the whole ransom business is dropped from the plot anyway, eclipsed by a long and chaotic shoot out at the monastery. The editing really is execrable. So is the screenplay. Coburn seems to learn how to fly a hang glider in five minutes under Beck's tutelage. York doesn't get any lessons at all but can still take the controls during the escape when her companion is wounded. Oddly enough, the movie is built around the use of the hang gliders, which were a novelty at the time. (Earlier novelties included wet suits and Scuba diving; viz., "The Wreck of the Mary Deare," "Thunderball." Later, there were sky divers.) Yet the shots of the hang gliders aren't thrilling, as they should be. Much of it is at night. And the images of mountainous landscapes are jumbled and rolled about carelessly. After the escape is effected and the monastery is under assault from a horde of Greek astynomia, led by Aznavour, who has even given Robert Culp a rifle and dragged him along, some of the hang gliders circle back to the monastery, when they could easily head straight away from the area of danger. The gliders are unarmed but they keep flying around and providing convenient targets for the villains' machine guns. However, for all its flaws, it's a thought-provoking film. The thought it provokes is that no power on earth could ever get me to leave the ground in one of those flimsy contraptions.

This film definitely needs to be added to the list of the most absolutely stunningly photographed films, a story that is as familiar as any movie plot is. Robert Culp's wife, Susannah York, and son, are kidnapped, and held hostage high above the ground in a mountainous monastery, and Culp joins forces with her ex-husband, James Coburn, to rescue her. With the aide of hand gliding equipment, the two men go into action, resulting in some of the most stunning effects and vistas I've ever seen on film. This results in a truly amazing action packed second film, and the results may have the audience dropping their jaw. There is absolutely no wasted footage in this movie. Every scene is plot related, and as everything is developed, it just gets more and more exciting. Filmed on real Greek landscapes in Meteora, this definitely had me wanting to take a trip to see the grand real sights, and yet, for just the cost of a dvd, I was able to travel there through the comfort of my own home. The film is not about the acting, even though everybody does a professional job, but the special effects and musical score are sumptuous enough to garner top praise. This is one of those films that you wonder why it was not a box office smash when it came out because it's certainly is cinematic in every way. The monastery, high atop a very thin slice of granite (surrounded by other high thin slices of granite), is truly a Greek Shangri-la, although it's obviously not a peaceful place for a wife and mother to be held captive against her will. York of course is stunningly beautiful, and Culp and Coburn have a shared interest which is all the more touching because both men, in different ways, are in love with York, yet it's clear as to what the goal of the mission is, with absolutely no rivalry between them. Charles Aznavour has a scene stealing flamboyant cameo, and legendary character actor Harry Andrews is excellent as well. Definitely a top notch action film in my book!

¨Assault on the forbidden fortress¨ or ¨Sky riders¨ is an entertaining film with interesting plot , glorious Greek exteriors and with no depth characterization . Nice and agreeable thriller with a great cast , noisy action , sensational stunts , thrills and suspense abound in this fun movie . Concerning about an industrialist's (Robert Culp) wife (Susannah York ) and kiddies are abducted by a terrorist organization called ¨World Activists Revolutionary Army¨ commanded by two nasty cutthroats (Werner Pochath , Zou Zou) who even pack bazookas , machine guns and dynamite in their mountain retreat somewhere in Greece . How to get at them ? , the surprising solution results to be the following : a nearby group of hang-gliding freaks (led by John Beck) in Greece , as the woman's ex-husband called Jim McCabe (James Coburn) comes to the rescue with a plan involving hang gliders . As the valiant Jim McCabe , supported by Inspector Nikolidis (Charles Aznavour) , recruits a team of volunteers who attempt to outwit the kidnapping rioters . As the brave hang-gilders using their spectacular ¨Delta wings¨ risk it all to take on a bunch of political abducting people . They'll try anything once ... especially if it's impossible! Good and typical action movie with an amazing as well as startling finale , including a particular novelty : some impressive scenes about sky riding . Expert stunts , moving script by Jack DeWitt and Stanley Mann and acceptable acting make it a fun movie in any era . Breathtaking hang-gliding footage , emotion , thrills and gorgeous locations make up for garden-variety screenplay . And the last thirty minutes is sheer violence , mindless , mayhem and destruction . Fine acting from James Coburn in his usual laconic style as an intelligent he-man who rescues ex-wife from clutches of nasty kidnappers . This tough action well made by Douglas Hickock contains a stirring and rousing score by Lalo Schifrin , adding Greek sounds . Colorful cinematography by Ousama Rawi and Jim Freeman , shot on location in the Varlaam monastery in Meteora, Greece . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Douglas Hickox in his ordinary cold-blood style . Hickock was an expert at blazing action scenes and realizing acceptable films until his early death at 59 , being his film debut : ¨It's All Over Town¨ and his final ¨Dirty Dozen: The Series¨, TV series . Being father of directors Anthony Hickox and James D.R. Hickox . Douglas began as an assistant director and second unit director in the 1950's . Before working on feature films , he also directed hundreds of commercials . As part of a bequest , the Douglas Hickox Award is given to a British director on their debut feature . Douglas made all kinds of genres and playing them known actors , such as Drama : ¨Sins¨ (85) with Joan Collins , ¨Mistral's daughter¨ (84) with Stacy Keach ; Black comedy : ¨Entertaining Mr Sloane¨ (70) with Harry Andrews ; Monster movie : ¨Behemoth , the sea monster¨ co-directed by Eugene Lorie with Gene Evans ; Thriller : ¨Blackout¨ (85) with Richard Widmark , ¨Sitting Target¨ with Oliver Reed ; Warlike : ¨Zulu dawn¨ (79) with Peter O'Toole ; a Sherlock movie : ¨The Hound of Baskervilles¨ with Ian Richardson , Action : ¨Brannigan¨ with John Wayne , and his best film was ¨Theatre of blood¨ an ironical terror/comedy with Vincent Price .

A group of vicious, nefarious terrorist scum kidnap the stalwart, protective wife (a plucky, spirited Susannah York) and kids of wealthy industrialist Jonas Bracken (finely played by Robert Culp). So Jonas, assisted by York's macho, take-charge mercenary ex-husband Jim McCabe (an excellently wry and laconic performance by the always cool and unflappable James Coburn), diligent police chief Charles Aznavour, and a bunch of hang-gliding enthusiasts led by the handsome, dashing John Beck, decide to raid the terrorist's remote mountainside fortress in Greece in order to get 'em back. Directed with tight, brisk, straight-down-the-line concise and unpretentious razor efficiency by Douglas Hickox, from a similarly taut, smart and sharply honed script by Jack DeWitt, Stanley Mann and Garry Michael White, further enhanced by one of Lalo Schifrin's customary lush, stirring and majestic full orchestra scores, a pleasingly prompt, unflagging pace, top-rate aerial photography, frequent outbursts of excitingly fast'n'furious violence, solid acting, glossy production values, a properly no-nonsense let's get down to brass tacks attitude, and a wild bullets and bodies a flyin' everywhere mondo destructo shoot 'em up finale, this nifty little number overall sizes up as a satisfyingly terse and to the point action/suspense thriller.

Pros: Music 9/10 (Lalo Schifrin's music gives more tense especially at the action scenes) Scenery 10/10 (Meteora are really breathtaking... we should see more often this place in movies) James Coburn 8/10 (Cool as always... Classic Coburn) Cons: Scenario: 4/10 (Plain scenario, no surprises... ok it's a 70's scenario but still they could have work it more... I mean James Coburn fighting Leftist terrorists on Meteora?..) Direction 5/10 (Hickox isn't Hitchcock, that's for sure... aerial shootings though where actually good) Conclusion: It's a classic 70's action movie. If you decide to spend your time to watch it you won't regret it. But the next morning you'll not remember a lot. Maybe only the stunning scenery of Meteora. It's 7/10 by me.

Whenever actors are interviewed, they always seem to want to talk about the characters they have played in whatever movie they happen to be promoting at the time. It would have been very interesting indeed to see what the actors would have said about their roles in Sky Riders, for here we have some of the most shallow characterisation ever seen in a mainstream film. Quite why talented stars like James Coburn, Susannah York, Robert Culp, Charles Aznavour and Kenneth Griffith were needed for these roles is beyond explanation. It is a movie built solely around a novel action gimmick (hang-gliding rescue mission) – in terms of plot and characterisation, it doesn't even make it to first base. American industrialist Jonas Bracken (Robert Culp) lives with his wife and kids in a Greek villa. While he's out on business, a group of masked terrorists raid the villa, ruthlessly executing the staff and abducting Bracken's nearest and dearest. Later, the terrorists establish contact and demand a huge sum of money and various arms for their vague militant cause in return for the safe return of their prisoners. Bracken's wife, Ellen (Susannah York), used to be married to adventure-loving mercenary Jim McCabe (James Coburn). When he learns that she has been taken hostage by the terrorists, he quickly steps in to offer his services. When it becomes apparent that Ellen and her two kids are imprisoned in a mountain-top monastery which cannot be approached unseen from below, McCabe comes up with the audacious idea of flying in by hang-glider and attempting a near-impossible rescue against formidable odds. Sky Riders is the penultimate film of director Douglas Hickox (Zulu Dawn would be his last). He handles the dizzying aerial action quite well, especially in the film's final quarter. However, the film overall is a dispirited and utterly routine non-event… it's brief running time is either the result of a heck of a lot of post-production cutting, or else the script (which, unbelievably, is the product of four brains) simply misses out on a whole host of potentially interesting developments. The performers really don't stand much of a chance when they're asked to work with such threadbare material - Coburn smiles a lot and gets to perfect his cool macho posturing; York is totally wasted as the woman with two men in her life that genuinely love her; Culp spends almost the entire film wearing an anxious grimace. Harry Andrews and Kenneth Griffith turn up in a couple of one-scene cameos that could've easily been played by any half-competent bit player. Lalo Schifrin's score is at least suitably flavoursome and the Greek locations look gorgeous, but you'd be right to expect a lot more from Sky Riders. Sadly, all it leaves you with are a few morsels of decent action; besides that there's virtually nothing else.