Rollercoaster (1977)

****

The film is about a nameless, faceless young terrorist who places home-made radio controlled explosives on rollercoasters across the States. Even after agreeing a pay-off with the police he still plants yet another bomb, this time it's on The Magic Mountain rollercoaster (one of the longest rollercoasters i've ever seen) at it's grand opening.

Timothy Bottoms (great name) is menacing as the Young Man who's terrorising these rides. He could have starred in The Driver as he's got that straight face look practically nailed. George Segal is also excellent as Hary Calder, the technical supervisor who has been ordered to pursue him.

My favourite part of the movie is where he's got Harry (Segal) riding every fairground attraction possible in an effort to wear him down, before pulling off the big steal when he least expects it.

I also liked how it avoided a usual cliche. At the grand opening of the Magic Mountain ride, Harry sees his wife and daughter (played by a young Helen Hunt) in the queue waiting to go on. I immediately see where this is all going, but no, he orders them to leave the amusement park and the film continues. Most films play those scenes out where the wife and daughter get caught up in the plot, and the chase for the bomb and terrorist becomes personal. This sticks to it's original guns and leaves the film all about the chase for the man. Loved it!

The rides were great too, especially the Rocket ride. It must be the reason why height restrictions are now in place at all major theme parks. Jeez, that thing was a death trap before the explosion. Something tells me the budget was running low because it looked like it was made out of bacon foil.

The whole movie was brilliantly filmed and looks absolutely stunning. I'm VHS through and through but I call for a Blu release, unless it's already out there? I have a credit card in hand.

I'd also like to pay a very special mention to the Sparks appearance near the very end of the film. It was a solid 7 to 7.5 film until then, but they show up and give this little gem an extra half a point. They really gave it their all and I was left open mouthed for some considerable time. Loves me some Sparks, and now loves me some Rollercoaster.

I feel ridiculous for having put this film off for so long, it has the same feel to it as something like The Poseidon Adventure. It's one i'll definitely be revisiting over and over again.

"You are in a race against time...and terror. You are pursuing a nameless, faceless man through America's greatest amusement parks...and, for the first time, you are experiencing the most sensational rides of our time, IN SENSURROUND"