The Doomsday Flight

Only the fifth TV movie to be released in the United States, although released theatrically in the UK, this chillingly authentic hijack thriller had to be withdrawn by Universal after it inspired a copycat extortion bid. Scripted by Twlight Zone creator Rod Serling, it is a clear forerunner of Speed, in that embittered Edmond O'Brien has planted a bomb aboard an internal flight that's primed to go off if the plane dips beneath 5,000 feet. With Hawaii Five-O star Jack Lord as the agent sent to deal with the crisis and a nerve-jangling soundtrack from Mission: Impossible and Starsky and Hutch composer Lalo Schifrin, this is an entertaining rollercoaster ride.