Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (1983) (TV)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Jerry Jameson

Writers:

Peter R. Brooke (story)
Robert M. Young (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 February 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The first hypersonic flight turns into a terrifying nightmare...in space. [Australia Theatrical]

Plot:

The fictional story of the first "hypersonic" commercial passenger plane, which can make the flight from New York to London in a mere four hours...

Plot Keywords:

Passenger | Disaster | Space Shuttle | Rescue | Aviation

Cast

Lee Majors	...	Captain Cody Briggs
Hal Linden	...	Josh Gilliam
Lauren Hutton	...	Erica Hansen
Ray Milland	...	Q. T. Thornwell
Gail Strickland	...	Nancy Gilliam
George DiCenzo	...	Bowdish (as George Di Cenzo)
Tess Harper	...	Janet Briggs
Terry Kiser	...	Freddie Barrett
Heather McAdam	...	Laurie Hansen (as Heather Mc Adam)
Michael Sacks	...	Pete
Gary Bayer	...	Martin
Pat Corley	...	Joe Pedowski
Robert Webber	...	Felix Duncan
Jocelyn Brando	...	Mrs. Harvey
Diane Stilwell	...	Betty
Phil Coccioletti	...	Hal
Peter Jason	...	Schultie
Kirk Scott	...	Del, First Officer
Stephen Keep Mills	...	Chris Lucas (as Stephen Keep)
Carolyn Coates	...	Claire
Marius Mazmanian	...	Jean-Pierre
Herb Jefferson Jr.	...	Captain Kenny Hererra (as Herbert Jefferson Jr)
Michael Currie	...	Dr. Hyatt
Robert Englund	...	Scott
Jon Van Ness	...	Ray Barstowe
Robin Pearson Rose	...	Linda
Lois Hamilton	...	Millie (as Lois Areno)
Ellen Bry	...	Laura
Kirk Cameron	...	Gary
Redmond Gleeson	...	Bud Culver
Jean Marie Hon	...	Andrea
Marshall R. Teague	...	Guard (as Marshall Teague)
George Whiteman	...	Reporter
Kenny Bates	...	Carl (as Ken Bates)
Jeffrey Bannister	...	Russell (as Jeff Bannister)
Dar Robinson	...	Holt
Scott B. Sowers	...	Passenger
Ann Marie D'Angelo	...	Amy

Directed by
Jerry Jameson

Writing credits
Peter R. Brooke		(story)
Robert M. Young		(screenplay) (as Robert Malcolm Young)

Produced by
Peter R. Brooke	....	associate producer
Allan Manings	....	executive producer
Peter Nelson	....	producer
Arnold H. Orgolini	....	producer (as Arnold Orgolini)
Henry Winkler	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
Héctor R. Figueroa		(as Hector Figueroa)

Film Editing by
John F. Link		(as John F. Link II)

Casting by
Toni Howard
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
David L. Snyder

Art Direction by
Stephen Dane

Set Decoration by
Donald J. Remacle		(as Donald J. Remackle)

Makeup Department
Pete Altobelli	....	makeup artist (as Peter Altobelli)
Shirley Beck	....	hair stylist

Production Management
John W. Rogers	....	executive in charge of production
John W. Rogers	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mitchell Bock	....	second assistant director
Anthony Brand	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Tom Cranham	....	production illustrator
George Tuers	....	property master (as George W. Tuers II)

Sound Department
Bud Alper	....	sound mixer
David Dockendorf	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dave Dockendorf)
Don MacDougall	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Don MacDougal)
Richard Tyler	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Terry D. Frazee	....	special effects (as Terry Frazee)

Visual Effects by
Roger Dorney	....	special optical effects supervisor
John Dykstra	....	special effects
Grant McCune	....	miniatures supervisor
Robert Shepherd	....	special visual effects producer
Michael Douglas Middleton	....	visual effects still photographer (uncredited)

Stunts
Kenny Bates	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Kenny Bates	....	stunts
Rick Sawaya	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Clark	....	video playback supervisor
Sal Orefice	....	electrical gaffer (as Salvatore J. Orefice)
Bob Rust	....	key grip (as Robert Rust)
Chris Schwiebert	....	camera operator
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carolina Ewart	....	costume supervisor (as Carolina G. Ewart)
Halston	....	wardrobe courtesy: Lauren Hutton

Editorial Department
Toni Morgan	....	assistant editor

Music Department
James D. Young	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Howard Brady Davidson	....	transportation captain (as Howard Davidson)

Other crew
Dixie J. Capp	....	production coordinator
Dick Dubuque	....	production auditor
Greg Hamlin	....	location manager (as Greg H. Hamlin)
Michael Lincoln	....	production assistant
Ana Maria Quintana	....	script supervisor
Gene Warren	....	special consultant

Production Companies

• Nelson Productions
• Orgolini
• Orion Television

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (VHS)

Special Effects

• Apogee Productions (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Atmosphere Agency  exra talent
• Lynn Stalmaster, Toni Howard & Associates  casting by

Also Known As:

Airport 85 (Philippines: English title) (theatrical title)
Starflight One

Runtime:

105 min | Spain:109 min | West Germany:108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Australia:G | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12

Company:

Nelson Productions

Trivia:

The movie is loosely based on the novel "Orbit" by Thomas H. Block, from 1982. In the novel, a hypersonic plane on a cruise from New York to Sidney excesses its cruise altitude due to sabotage by a revenge-seeking company engineer.

Goofs:

Continuity: In many scenes, including the escape through the tunnel, there is visible evidence of gravity being present, while the spacecraft is in a zero gravity environment.

MST3K-caliber awful

In fact I think this was a KTMA episode. But one scene that stands out in my mind indelibly is the one where Hal Linden's character is spirited off Starflight by sticking him in the coffin that was transporting the Australian ambassador to the US back home for burial or some such, and the body is stiff as a board (or a mannequin) after being removed from the casket and floats around the cargo hold wearing the pointiest shoes I've ever seen . Somehow I don't think a casket is airtight enough to survive the rigors of spaceflight!