Skyjacked (1972)

A Los Angeles-bound commercial air flight is hijacked to Russia.Running Time: 101 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: PG UPC: 012569797307 Manufacturer No: 79730 Product Description

just terrible

This movie is a total waste of time- except maybe for the sequences showing the 707 in flight- still a beautiful airplane.

The plot is contrived, and stupid. Charleton Heston is his usual overacting self- and most all the other actors seem to be just going through the motions. Roosevelt Greer was attempting to build a career as an actor at the time, and you can clearly see why he's not acting now. James Brolin's performance as the hijacker is embarassing to watch, particularly when he starts to look like a wild-eyed lunatic.

One of my favorite parts of this movie is when the Soviet fighters (North American F-100 Super Sabers)intercept the airliner in Alaska and then proceed to escort it ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE SOVIET UNION to Moscow.

One particularly hilarious thing is where they dub a deeper voice for John Fiedler (the mousey guy who always played a dormat.) Apparently his real voice was too high pitched. However, his character is so minor in the movie that they could have cast anyone. April 14, 2008

Very quick response to problem

The original copy I ordered never arrived (who knows it may have been stolen from my mailbox). Once Amazon found this out a replacement copy was immediately sent out, and I had it in two days. Thank you Amazon. I found you expedient handling of the situation very impressive.
October 28, 2007

Skyjacked

Skyjacked

I found the story a bit much, but overall enjoyed the movie It's a good one to sit and watch to get into the mood for the feature if you intend watching a few similar films.


October 6, 2007

Camp is right! A look back after 35 years

I saw this 1972 film as a child and just loved it (this was a year before my loyalty shifted to POSEIDON ADVENTURE). I remember even reading David Harper's novel ("Hijacked") because this film made such an impression on me. Well, when I saw that it was finally being released on DVD I was a little insulted that it was being released by Warners as a "Cult Camp Classic." Well, Warners' is accurate in their labeling. My pre-teen memories of a great film was shattered by watching this low-budget disaster flick 35 years later.

While not the howler of hilarity that AIRPORT 79: THE CONCORD is, this flick barely has the production values above a TV-movie and boats some really terrible acting. I'm surprised James Brolin ever got another job after this attempt to out-twitch Anthony Perkins.

Don't get your hopes up just because its directed by John Guillermin. Sure, he's responible for TOWERING INFERNO and DEATH ON THE NILE, but he also directed SHAFT IN AFRICA, SHEENA QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE and the 1976 version of KING KONG. And this clunker is more like the latter three films.

Jeanne Crain is wasted in her final film. Also wasted intheir film debuts are Leslie Uggams (she's much better utilized in BLACK GIRL, also filmed in 1972) and Susan Dey (so zombie-like that she seems to have lost all the natural charm she had on THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY). Rosie Grier obviously put all his efforts into the absurdly entertaining THE THING WITH TWO HEADS, that was filmed the same year.

The biggest laughs are from all the smoking that goes on in the cockpit. Every time Charlton Heston lights up his pipe, his co-pilot and navigator smirk as if there's some inside-joke. Its a wonder he can see the runway with all that smoke in the cockpit. June 12, 2007

"Alright you hero's...come and get it!"

This is one of my most favorite Charleton Heston films. The suspense and drame, tied in with the few action scenes that are in the film really make this a must-see for any Heston fan. Heston is perfectly cast as the pilot, who is ready to go down fighting for his passengers and aircraft. James Brolin, young, vibrant, and extremely unpredicable and intense as the flipped out Army Vet is absolutely convincing as the terribly misunderstood villian. Check out the scene where Brolin uses his Green Beret karate tricks to take on Rosie Greer and some of the other "Hero" passengers. It is one of the best moments in the film, when Brolin pulls out a grenade and yells out, " Alright you hero's, come and get it!" But of course in the end, it comes down to only two who must square off face to face in this wonderful suspence drame. Supporting cast is great too. Pick up your favorite beverage and pop some corn, sit back and enjoy! March 5, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...