Customer Reviews

Airport 75

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I won't comment on the film or the acting; it's hard to take any Airport film seriously after Airplane! skewered the genre.

However, if you appreciate the film for what it is, fun entertainment, this is certainly one of the better in the 70's disaster film genre and the special effects have held up well over the years.

If you're interested in this film, I strongly urge you to buy this copy instead of or in addition to the Airport Terminal Pack; there is a mastering error that does not fully expand the film horizontally in that collection, with the result that objects are somewhat compressed horizontally from their true proportions. Another reviewer's references to "tire ovals" and "stick people" is a bit of an exaggeration, but you'll wonder why the plane is so short and stubby and why the airport's pickup trucks look as if they have 4' beds. :-)

In short, another mastering error on Universal's part and, frankly, a somewhat better transfer on GoodTimes' part make THIS the better transfer of Airport 1975...

AIRPORT 75 must have the least believable premise of any major Hollywood release that wasn't straight science fiction: a small private plane crashes into the cockpit of a giant 747 en route to Salt Lake City, and all the flight crew members are either killed outright or incapacitated as a result. So a stewardess (Karen Black, as bewitchingly crosseyed as ever) has to come into the remains of the damaged cockpit (which, despite the fact that it has a giant gaping hole in it, still manages to retain Black within it and does little more to her then make her chilly) and steer the plane to Salt Lake until Charlton Heston can be dropped by helicopter into the hole in the cockpit.

The premise was so outrageous even at the time that it quickly spawned two exceptionally memorable parodies: "Disaster 75" on THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW and AIRPLANE! (for which it was one of the primary sources of inspiration). But the original itself is so jawdroppingly strange it remains almsot beyond parody. The passengers are played by a series of Borscht Belt comedians like Sid Caesar and Jerry Stiller and Norman Fell, with the notable exceptions of a singing nun (Helen Reddy), a young girl with serious health problems (Linda Blair), and, most memorably, Gloria Swanson (as herself). The other stewardesses keep wandering in to the damaged cockpit to be comforted by Karen Black, whom one would think has enough problems as it is. Even if you can get beyond these thing, you find yourself fascinated by the questions the film's astonishingly bizarre details propose, such as why the airline's logo is so ugly and why its color scheme (bright red with violet and fuchsia accents!) is so hideous.

My personal favourite of all the Airport movies, Airport 1975 is a camp classic. Right from the opening credits I am whisked away to the 70's and the familiar feeling of snuggling up at the drive-in....I can almost smell the thermos coffee. Airport 1975 doesn't take itself too seriously, yet all the characters play it straight. With a cast that reads like a guest list for a post Oscars party this movie seems to be full of cliches, yet it was this movie that started the said cliches, which I suppose debunks that theory. This is the movie that Airplane (aka Flying High) stuck closest too. With the sick child (Linda Blair), singing nun (Helen Reddy) and commitmentphobe pilot (Charlton Heston) all represented in the direct spoof. The movie however belongs to Karen Black, the poor old flight attendant. The plane is rendered pilotless when a midair collision with a small plane collides with the cockpit. Ms Black then has to take control of the 747 with no experience in flying whatsoever. Entertaining and hilarious.
I was disappointed however in the DVD which was very light on features. I would have loved to see a trailer, a commentary or better yet, a feature on all four Airport movies, but alas, it was not to be. I had to settle for a filmography on the top 2 stars only and that was it.
If you want a blast from the past, or are just fond of the disaster flicks churned out in the 1970's I would heartily recommend Airport 1975.

I purchased Airport 1975 because this is an enjoyable film with a high tension rescue and excellant special effects. The sound isn't close to the usual DVD/CD quality. The picture shimmers throughout the movie which is very distracting. The DVD doesn't look sychronized and the hesitations and shimmers throughout the film spoiled the picture for me. DVDs are advertised as the best way to see and hear a picture. I would agree with that statement, but not Airport 1975. This is the second DVD I purchased through amazon.com by Good Times Home Video. I have felt cheated by both purchases and couldn't even watch the other DVD due to its poor quality and sound. I will never purchase another DVD or Video from Good Times and will be sure to check the technical information to determine which company put out the DVD and the customers who watched its comments. I would suggest that the readers of my comments do likewise.

I saw this in the theaters when it first opened and loved it. However, even as a kid I could tell there were problems. The film is very campy and everyone seems to be concentrating very hard on "acting." Watch Karen Black's eyes... there are several scenes where her eyes are actually uncrossed!

A cast of future has-beens dominates this film: Linda "Exorcist" Blair plays the "isn't she cute?" sick girl and Helen "I am Woman Hear Me Roar" Reddy plays a nun. Spot "Mr. Roper," Erik Estrada and Sharon Gless amongst the cast. Gloria Swanson makes an appearance-and yes, she too "acts."

Charlton Heston and George Kennedy spend half the film trying to outdo each other saying cheesy lines with such earnest I almost believed them. The thought of Charlton, with his turtleneck and aviator glasses, gritting his teeth and saying, "Fly, baby, fly," still gives me chills... or is it hives?

Regardless, this film is an amazing amount of fun and more repeated viewings just adds to the pleasure. You'll find yourself asking questions like, "How come when I fly, I can barely see out the window, but on this flight, people in the back of the plane can see all that is happening at the front of the plane?" or "If they are flying at 190 mph, how come there is only a light breeze coming through the gapping hole in the cockpit?"

Buy this film, you won't regret it.

Airport 1975 was the next film that came after the Movie Airport with Dean Martin.
This was the time when disaster film was being released once a year. The 1970's saw earthquakes, floods, airplane disasters and even meteorites.

I enjoyed this film better than the first `airplane disaster' flicks' because of actress Karen Black. (I also enjoyed her in Trilogy Of Terror) Although Charlton Heston is top billed it was really Karen's movie. Her dynamic performance and courage when forced to pilot a 747 were amazing.

The effects in the film were standard for this time in film history but the plane mock-ups were done very well. The supporting cast is sprinkled with celebrities and each has their own histories. People like George Kennedy, Linda Blair (a very sick child), Helen Reddy (as a singing nun), Sid Cesear, Myna Loy, Larry Storch and many more.

This movie has a lot of heart and passion and the plan sequences are very good. Basically two planes crash in mid-air. The rest is land the plane with no pilots while flying over the Rocky Mountains. Wow!

This movie is one of my all-time favorites because it is truly a camp classic. It is completely over-the-top and unbelievably melodramatic, but it still works as a great disaster flick. The script is so full of cliches and one-liners that it is very nearly a comedy. There are so many famous people in this film that watching it is like being on the red carpet at the Oscars. Best of all, the star (not Charlton Heston, as many wrongly believe), Karen Black, gives the performance of her career and a place in the pantheon of bad acting. Two DON'T MISS IT moments: Karen's look as she notices the huge mountain that they are going to hit, and when she uses her tongue to help get Charlton into the plane (maybe if she had used her tongue with the first pilot, he would have made it!). This film is second ONLY to Mommie Dearest in the Camp Hall Of Fame.

The Theme (aircrew disabled/dead, stewardess or passenger brings it in...) has been done and re-done. This one, however, stands out due to the superlative "10-star" performance by Karen Black. With little help from special effects, less from the screenwriters (mediocre story-line, at best), Black made me FEEL the terror, frustration, anger, desperation and elation as Nancy's predicament progresses. Putting aside the known improbability (I'm a former jet fighter pilot)of a non-pilot being able to quick-study command and control of a B-747, even with expert coaching, Black's emoting captivated me to the point where I BELIEVED her; she made it real for me. The plethora of other stars, including the mighty Heston, faded into supporting roles to Ms. Black in this one. She was absolutely superb. Buy this one; watch Karen Black show you acting as it should be.

When I first saw Airport 1975 on NBC's Friday Night At The Movies, I was amazed and stunned at the storyline of the movie. Not only does it stay true to avaition in general, it also stays true to the classic '70's disaster movie formula. An all-star cast, superb script that is handled properly, good special effects for its time, and an explosive soundtrack. This was the movie that made me a fan of Roy Thinnes(whose character's tragic death in the film took me by surprise)and his later works. Most of all, it made me appreciate the works of Charlton Heston, George Kennedy, and others. Although one wishes that lead actors like Harrison Ford and James Brolin were in the lead role, Charlton Heston does a remarkable job as the heroic pilot who tries to save the plane and its surviving passengers. George Kennedy also does an excellent job re-prising the role of Joseph Patroni. And the ever great Roy Thinnes did an excellent job as the ill-fated co-pilot and first officer of the plane, John Urias. Much of the stunt work in the movie was also good, and very convincing. I was on the edge of my seat nearly throughout the course of the movie. If you enjoyed films like The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno, then you will definately enjoy Airport 1975. But, you don't have to take my word for it. Watch it yourself and make your own conclusions.

You have to see Airport before this one. A huge 747 bound for Los Angeles is in trouble. A small plane pilot has a heart attack in mid-air and crashes into the side of Columbia Airlines flight 409, leaving a huge hole in the side of the cockpit and killing the crew, except for the pilot who is unconcious. Karen Black makes an excellent movie with her role as head flight attendant, who tries to steer the plane. Aside from those troubles, a young girl's life depends on the plane landing safely because she has to have an emergency kidney operation. This is a must see for anyone who loves the book or movie version of 'Airport'!