The Horror at 37,000 Feet (1973) (DVD Review)
Directed By: David Lowell Rich
Starring: Chuck Connors, Buddy Ebsen, William Shatner
Rated: UR/Region: 1/1:33/Number of disc: 1
Available from Paramount
An architect and his wife are flying from London to L.A. with an altar from an ancient abbey secured in the plane’s cargo hold. Also aboard the flight are Buddy Ebsen as a pushy millionaire, William Shatner as a drunken, cynical ex-priest, Tammy Grimes as a nutcase, and Chuck Connors as the lantern-jawed pilot. Crew and passengers come into jeopardy when an invisible demon escapes from the altar, and threatens the plane in an effort to destroy the architect’s wife. No, it doesn’t make any sense, but it’s pretty hilarious, and you should watch it anyway.
This was a film that was made for TV back in the day and I never through I’d say this, but William Shatner is the best part of the film and actually gives the best performance on screen. Also, in an odd twist, the film is so slowly paced that I think it would have been better to have watched it on TV with the commercials to give you a break and a moment to keep yourself interested. I don’t think the film is an awful film in anyway, but it does have some major plot and timing issues. It isn’t unwatchable, but it makes it flawed very badly.
The film does, however, pick it self up at the 50 minute mark, but there is only really 13 or 14 good minutes left after that point. It comes too little too late to really do anything for the film as a whole, but if you can sit it out until it’s final run you will get some enjoyment from the movie. The film has Chuck Conners, who I think did a little sleep walking through his role. And, while most want to give William Shatner a hard time, this was before he became a parody of himself and he really is enjoyable on screen. He’s far more entertaining than the demonic force that unleashes an onslaught of cold on the plane.
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