Search - The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) / Flight of the Phoenix (2005) (Double Take) on DVD

Single feature

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 08/05/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It was not a wise move for FOX to juxtapose the 2004 FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX against Robert Aldrich's original classic from 1965. On its own the remake is an OK picture, but in comparison to its predecessor the newer version is a failure.

Seems to me the idea of a double feature is you watch two pictures in a row. Who is really gonna sit throught TWO "Phoenix"es, TWO "Alamo"s, TWO "Sabrina"s or TWO "Cape Fears" in one afternoon? Not I, and probably not you.

Let's call this what it is: a clean widescreen transfer of a great adventure story with a sterling cast, plus some modern throwaway with a single star and mostly nobodies in support.

FIVE stars for the '65 "Phoenix." THREE stars for the remake. Average: FOUR stars.


Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 indb viewer poll ratings.

(7.6) The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) - James Stewart/Richard Attenborough/Peter Finch/Hardy Krüger/Ernest Borgnine/Ian Bannen/Ronald Fraser/Christian Marquand/Dan Duryea/George Kennedy/Barrie Chase

(6.0) Flight of the Phoenix (2004) - Dennis Quaid/Tyrese Gibson/Giovanni Ribisi/Miranda Otto/Tony Curran/Sticky Fingaz/Jacob Vargas/Hugh Laurie/Scott Michael Campbell"