Tonight's Movie: Airport '77 (1977) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

AIRPORT '77 (1977) may be the goofiest of the quartet of AIRPORT movies, but it's also almost surprisingly compelling.

I really enjoyed returning to it for the first time in years thanks to the new Blu-ray release by Kino Lorber.

AIRPORT '77 was the third in the series, following the previously reviewed AIRPORT (1970) and AIRPORT 1975 (1974). It would be followed by one more film, THE CONCORDE...AIRPORT '79 (1979), which I'll be reviewing soon.

As when I first saw the movie in 2012, I found AIRPORT '77 "a bit hokey and improbable," but also "quite entertaining." Whatever else this 114-minute movie may be, it's definitely not boring!

That enjoyment is thanks to both a wild scenario, scripted by Michael Scheff and David Spector (based on a story by Charles Kuenstle and H.A.L. Craig), and a terrific cast including pros such as Jack Lemmon, James Stewart, Joseph Cotten, and Olivia de Havilland.

Lemmon plays pilot Captain Don Gallagher, piloting a jet owned by wealthy Philip Stevens (Stewart) on its inaugural flight. The plane is carrying a load of VIPs and artwork to the opening of Stevens' new art museum.

The artwork is the impetus for things going wrong, as the copilot, Chambers (Robert Foxworth), and his henchmen knock out Gallagher and the flight engineer and gas the passengers so that they're unconscious.

The thieves' plan is to fly the jet at a low altitude, in order to escape radar detection, and then land at an abandoned air strip to offload the art and escape. There's just one problem: The low-flying Chambers hits an oil rig and the plane goes down in shallow waters...in the Bermuda Triangle!

Gallagher regains consciousness and realizes how dire the situation is, especially the fact that rescuers won't even know where to look for them, given that the jet was off radar for some time before crashing.

Lemmon is completely committed to his role, making Gallagher both a likeable and heroic man who not only figures out a way to alert rescuers to their location but then plays a key role in the navy helping to raise the plane before it sinks further or explodes due to water pressure.

I also love Darren McGavin as Stan, whose deep knowledge of the plan enables him to aid Gallagher in making the best of a very bad situation.

The previously mentioned veteran actors all play gallant characters who have substantial screen time, not simply cameos. They add a great deal to the viewing pleasure.

Producer Jennings Lang's wife Monica Lewis, who often appeared in his films, shows up here in a nice part as a stewardess. She has a delightful exchange with a doctor (M. Emmet Walsh) on board who's very helpful, if not quite all he seems to be.

Other passengers include Brenda Vaccaro, Pamela Bellwood (DYNASTY), Kathleen Quinlan, Christopher Lee, Monte Markham, Robert Hooks, and Lee Grant. Grant is sadly poorly used as Lee's alcoholic wife.

Of course, it wouldn't be an AIRPORT movie without miracle man Joe Patroni (George Kennedy). He only has a few scenes but provides his usual reassuring presence, aiding rescuers with his knowledge of the plane.

AIRPORT '77 was directed by Jerry Jameson and filmed in Panavision by Philip H. Lathrop.

Kino Lorber's print is from a new HD master from a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative. It also features 5.1 Surround sound.

Kino Lorber's Special Edition comes with a cardboard slipcase. Disc extras consist of the trailer; a gallery of five additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber; and a commentary track by Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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