Lois Larson
Airport 1975, also known as Airport '75, is a 1974 American air disaster film and the first sequel to the 1970 film Airport. The plot of the film revolves around the dramatic events that unfold when a small aircraft collides with a Boeing 747, resulting in the deaths of the First Officer and Flight Engineer and leaving the Captain blinded. With no one qualified to fly the plane, a stewardess, Nancy Pryor (Karen Black), must take over the controls with guidance from her boyfriend, a retired test pilot, Captain Alan Murdock (Charlton Heston). Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film was a commercial success and became the seventh-highest-grossing film of 1974 in the US and Canada. But is this thrilling story based on real-life events?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Airport 1975 a true story? | No |
| Year of release | 1974 |
| Genre | Air disaster film, Action, Drama, Thriller |
| Director | Jack Smight |
| Producer | William Frye |
| Executive Producer | Jennings Lang |
| Writer | Don Ingalls |
| Main cast | Charlton Heston, Karen Black, George Kennedy, Gloria Swanson, Jerry Stiller, Linda Blair, Sid Caesar, Myrna Loy, Nancy Olson, Beverly Garland, Guy Stockwell, Kip Niven, Austin Stoker, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. |
| Plot | An in-flight collision incapacitates the pilots of a plane bound for Los Angeles. A stewardess, Nancy Pryor (Karen Black), is forced to take over the controls. Her boyfriend, Alan Murdock (Charlton Heston), a retired test pilot, tries to talk her through piloting and landing the 747 aircraft. |
| Critical reception | Generally unfavorable, described as "silly," "corny escapism," "implausible and dull," and "mechanical and predictable." However, some critics acknowledged its suspense and fun factor, and it was a commercial success, grossing $103 million worldwide. |
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What You'll Learn
Airport 1975 is a work of fiction
The film was directed by Jack Smight, produced by William Frye, and executive-produced by Jennings Lang. It starred Charlton Heston, Karen Black, George Kennedy, and Gloria Swanson, among others. Despite unfavorable critical reception, Airport 1975 was a commercial success, grossing $103 million worldwide and becoming the seventh-highest-grossing film of 1974 in the United States and Canada.
The film's plot and characters are purely fictional, and it is not based on any specific real-life events or incidents. However, it is worth noting that the original 1970 Airport film drew inspiration from a tragic real-life incident involving Continental Airlines Flight 11 in 1962. On May 22, 1962, a Boeing 707 Flight 11 exploded due to a suicide bombing as part of an insurance fraud scheme, resulting in the deaths of everyone on board.
While Airport 1975 did not directly portray a true story, it is a product of the popularity of disaster films in the 1970s. Its plot devices, characterizations, and suspenseful elements contributed to its commercial success, making it a notable entry in the disaster-movie canon of that decade.
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The film features a mid-air collision
Freeman suffers a heart attack mid-flight, causing him to unknowingly descend into the path of Columbia 409. The Beechcraft slams into the Boeing 747 just above the co-pilot's seat, blowing First Officer Urias out of the plane and killing him. The collision also destroys most of the flight engineer's panel and fatally injures the flight engineer, Julio. Captain Stacy is struck in the face by debris and blinded.
Despite his injuries, Captain Stacy is able to engage the autopilot and altitude hold switch before losing consciousness. First stewardess Nancy Pryor, played by Karen Black, rushes to the flight deck, where she finds Julio dead, Urias gone, and Stacy injured. She informs the Salt Lake control tower that the crew is dead or badly injured and that there is no one to fly the plane.
Although it is not based on a true story, the original 1970 film "Airport" was supposedly inspired by the tragic incident that happened with Continental Airlines Flight 11. On May 22, 1962, a Boeing 707 Flight 11 exploded due to a suicide bombing as part of an insurance fraud, killing everyone on board.
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It stars Charlton Heston and Karen Black
Airport 1975, also known as Airport '75, is a 1974 American air disaster film and the first sequel to the 1970 film Airport. It was directed by Jack Smight and starred Charlton Heston and Karen Black, with George Kennedy and Gloria Swanson in supporting roles.
In the film, Heston plays a retired test pilot named Alan Murdock, while Black portrays a stewardess named Nancy Pryor. The plot centres on the aftermath of a mid-air collision involving a Columbia Airlines Flight 409 Boeing 747 and a private plane, resulting in the incapacitation of the pilots. As the only person on board capable of taking the controls, Pryor is forced to pilot the plane. Meanwhile, her boyfriend Murdock is lowered into the damaged cockpit from a helicopter and assumes control of the aircraft. The special effects in the film were praised, particularly the depiction of the mid-air collision, which occurs relatively early in the film.
The film was a commercial success, grossing $47.3 million in the United States and Canada and $55.7 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $103 million. However, critical reception was mostly unfavourable, with critics describing the film as "silly" and "implausible". Roger Ebert gave the film two and a half stars out of four, calling it "corny escapism". Despite the negative reviews, *Airport 1975* was included in the book "The Official Razzie Movie Guide" as one of "The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made".
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It was shot on location at Salt Lake City International Airport
Airport 1975 is a 1974 American air disaster film and the first sequel to the 1970 film Airport. It is a work of fiction and was not based on a true story. The film was directed by Jack Smight and stars Charlton Heston, Karen Black, George Kennedy and Gloria Swanson.
The plot of Airport 1975 centres on the dramatic events that unfold aboard an airborne Boeing 747 when a small aircraft crashes into the cockpit, resulting in the deaths of the First Officer and Flight Engineer and the captain being blinded. With no one qualified to fly the plane, stewardess Nancy Pryor, played by Karen Black, is forced to take over the controls. Her boyfriend, Captain Alan Murdock, portrayed by Charlton Heston, attempts to guide her through piloting and landing the aircraft.
The film was shot on location at Salt Lake City International Airport, with aerial shots captured over Heber City, Utah, and the Wasatch Mountains. Interior airport scenes were filmed at Washington Dulles International Airport, which is depicted in its original, unextended form in the film.
Despite its commercial success, critical reception to Airport 1975 was largely negative. The film was included in the book The Fifty Worst Films of All Time, published in 1978, and was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for one of the "Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made". However, some critics, including Roger Ebert, acknowledged its appeal as "corny escapism".
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It was the seventh-highest-grossing film of 1974
Airport 1975, an American air disaster film, was the seventh-highest-grossing film of 1974. It was directed by Jack Smight and starred Charlton Heston, Karen Black, George Kennedy, and Gloria Swanson. The plot revolves around the dramatic events that unfold when a small aircraft collides with a Boeing 747, resulting in the deaths of the First Officer and Flight Engineer and leaving the Captain blinded. With qualified personnel to operate the aircraft now out of commission, the story takes on a sense of urgency and impending doom.
The film's commercial success is notable, grossing $2,737,995 in its first week from 144 theatres. Its total box office earnings in the United States and Canada amounted to $47.3 million, contributing to a worldwide total of $103 million. This financial achievement is especially impressive given the film's budget of $3 million.
Critical reception, however, was predominantly unfavourable. Pauline Kael, a film critic for The New Yorker magazine, described the picture as "cut-rate swill," suggesting that it was produced on a low budget by profit-driven businessmen. Kael also took issue with the audio quality, noting that it gave Karen Black's voice a grating, metallic sound. Additionally, Kael criticised the portrayal of the main character, a stewardess, as constantly being patronised by men.
Other reviews offered a more mixed assessment. Roger Ebert gave the film two and a half stars out of four, characterising it as "corny escapism." He acknowledged the presence of corny elements but also highlighted the relatively engrossing main storyline and the effective special effects. Gene Siskel, another well-known critic, gave the film the same rating, praising the collision scene as "both a surprise and well executed" while finding the subsequent scenes "implausible and dull."
Despite the negative reviews, "Airport 1975" has gained a cult following and is considered a classic of the disaster film genre that became popular in the 1970s. Its success led to it being parodied in the 1980 film "Airplane!" and it has been included in lists of enjoyably bad movies, such as Golden Raspberry Award founder John J.B. Wilson's book "The Official Razzie Movie Guide."
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Frequently asked questions
No, the plot of Airport 1975 is not based on a true story. However, the book that the 1970 film Airport was based on may have taken inspiration from the tragic incident that happened with Continental Airlines Flight 11. On May 22, 1962, a Boeing 707 Flight 11 exploded due to a suicide bombing as part of an insurance fraud.
Airport 1975 is an air disaster film. The plot concerns the dramatic events that unfold when a small aircraft crashes into the cockpit of a Boeing 747, resulting in the deaths of the First Officer and Flight Engineer and the blinding of the Captain. As a result, there is no one qualified to fly the plane, and a stewardess is forced to take the controls.
Airport 1975 stars Charlton Heston, Karen Black, George Kennedy, and Gloria Swanson.
Airport 1975 received mixed reviews. Roger Ebert described it as "corny escapism" and gave it two and a half stars out of four. Pauline Kael of The New Yorker called the picture "cut-rate swill". The film was included in the book The Fifty Worst Films of All Time published in 1978. However, some reviews praised the film's special effects and suspense, and it was the seventh highest-grossing movie of 1974 at the US and Canada box office.
