TakeTwoReviews

I've made it to the end of the Airport franchise. It's not been easy. From the high bar set by the original, each film since has been steadily worse. Which doesn't bode well from the fourth instalment and clumsily titled The Conchord... Airport '79. I suppose adding Conchord was more of a pull than just Airport '79, it's the star name this time, but it's a surprise that they let the fanciest plane in the sky be tarnished by this terrible film. As we're introduced to a cast of paper thin, convoluted characters, it's already beginning to feel like hard work. There's shifty weapons tycoon Dr Harrison (Robert Wagner) and his reporter girlfriend Maggie (Susan Blakey), Olympic gymnast Isabelle (Sylvia Kristel), pilot Paul Metrand (Alain Delon) all twisted around a clunky plot about going to the Olympic Games in Moscow (I hate how Americans mispronounce Moscow). Someone's missing? Oh yeah, George Kennedy who returns as Joe, finally getting to fly the plane from Dallas via Paris, obviously they'll not make it to Moscow. We've had bombs, mid-air crashes and hijackers in previous outings. What will it be this time... missiles and fighter jets!! You see Harrison's dodgy arms dealing is about to be exposed by Maggie who's onboard, so he tries to blow them all out of the sky. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it. It is. It's also crap. Honestly it'd be better if the missiles did their job and put us all out of our misery. I can't think of one redeeming feature. Maybe the cute dog being snuck aboard by a Parisian fashionista, I love dogs. I hated this. 1 point for being the clear catalyst and inspiration for Airplane! Released just one year later.

I've just watched Airport for the first time and loved it... I'm prepared to be disappointed by Airport 1975 though. The sequels reputation preceding them. There's not really any thread from the first film. Only George Kennedy returns as the fixer, Joe, who's now moved upstairs. The other star roles are hotshot pilot Alan (Charlton Heston) and his stewardess girlfriend Nancy (Karen Black). We're straight onboard a 747 jumbo jet to LA this time, without Alan, but with Nancy, a couple of nuns, a sick child (Linda Blair) with an acoustic guitar flying to have an operation after one of those nuns has played the guitar, Gloria Swanson playing herself (no me neither) and Ben Stiller's dad playing one of a trio of annoying drunks... oh and the coach from Grease (Sid Caesar) as the lacklustre light relief. As character building goes, it falls predictably flat. When a sickly fella called Scott (Dana Andrews) tries to pilot his own small plane back home for an important meeting, he has a heart attack and flies slap bang into our 747, wiping out the cockpit and all the flight crew! That's not a spoiler, it's on the bloody poster. It's ridiculously far fetched with the plane still airborne and stable, running on autopilot (you can see why this was perfect for a parody). There appears to be just one problem, how are they to land the plane... enter Alan to the rescue. Nobody chews a scene quite like Heston do they. Guiding Nancy over the radio in his own impatient style, the heat is on to keep everyone from a deathly disaster. The first film had a solid plot, some engaging sub plots and genuinely interesting characters. This though feels paper thin in comparison and instead relies on the action. There is plenty of that. Too much in fact, with the sort of rescue stunts that would make Tom Cruise blush, but despite its many flaws and generally farcical acting, I have to admit it's still entertaining, but far from thrilling. Let's be clear though. Karen Black is the hero. Heston's just riding her coattails.

I do love a good disaster movie, the question is, is this a good one. It's the inspiration for the much more successful parody franchise, Airplane! But with three sequels itself, surely Airport is good? It's not short on stars springing into action as a snowstorm hits said airport. Mel (Burt Lancaster) is in charge, trying to keep things moving in the blizzard with the help of Joe (George Kennedy), while hothead pilot Vernon (Dean Martin) schmoozes his way through the cabin crew. These are the three big names, but this is a really well rounded story that gives plenty for the supporting cast to get their teeth into. Mel has a lot on his plate. His marriage as stormy as the weather outside, a complicated relationship with his colleague Tanya (Jean Seberg)...and a desperate bomber! (Van Heflin). This is rather well paced though. It knows when to hit the breaks with some light relief, the best coming from dear old Mrs Quonsett (Helen Hayes) a charming old lady with a comic flare for hitching a ride on airplanes for free. In fact there's lots of lovely little subplots here that really pull you in. We know the disaster element is coming, but Airport is not in a hurry. It's a large cast of characters and some are more fleshed out than others, but there's some good meat on the bones here. Enough to really enjoy the slowly building tension. The first half is no slouch, but once onboard the flight headed to Rome, this really takes off. It's all of its time, there's that 70s sheen and a liberal use of some chunky split screen, but it's got real heart and it keeps you on your toes. Honestly, it's gripping. It's far from perfect, but as a disaster classic, it's up there with the best.