(1973) ***
Following a successful archeology dig a jerk millionaire insists on taking an ancient pagan chapel out of England despite the protestations of a fellow archeologist. Rather than having his large cargo transferred by boat he pays a lot of money to have his treasure flown home. The large aircraft is nearly empty save a dozen people or so and it is explained by a stewardess that “It’s the holiday season and many people double book” (?). During the flight strange things begin to occur including strange voices hear through the plane’s radio headphones, huge wind gusts that keep the plane flying in a circle, the temperature in the back half of the plane falling to below zero, and a strange oozing substance flowing out of the floor. After a crewmember is killed by this paranormal activity everyone (except Shatner) panics. It is quickly concluded that the plane is possessed because of the cargo in the hold. As the passengers become hysterical they make several ridiculous decisions such as dressing up a child’s doll and gluing real hair and fingernails on it in an effort to fool the demons into believing they are offering a sacrifice. When this does not work they set a fire in an attempt to keep the demons at bay (?) and when that fails they begin discussing a human sacrifice.
Shatner is the real reason to watch this made-for-television silliness. In The Horror at 37,000 Feet he plays an ex-priest alcoholic who walks around with a smug look on his face, laughing at all the crazy things the passengers are doing. When they ask him for help or solace he gives them one of these,
Other times he gives them one of those,
However, after having a change of heart and deciding that he feels sorry for the idiot passengers he attempts to confront the evil in the cargo hold, but then this happens,
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this movie was a lot of fun. It’s classic Shatner and the “predicament” is classic 1970s.
