Airport 1975 (1974) - 5/10

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.

5/10