Kenneth Johnson
This was one of the "made for TV" films, of which many were fairly banal, but there were a few gems like "The Night Stalker" (which has been released on DVD along with "Birds of Prey"), and this film which deserves a DVD release.A somewhat dysfunctional family (dad is a Super Type-A, mom drinks, the son feels alienated) heads south in their family single-engine aircraft for a vacation in Mexico. Enroute, engine problems and weather force a landing in the middle of a desert, forcing them to come together for survival. In working towards repairing the plane and returning to the sky, they work through their problems, but then dad - the only licensed pilot - is seriously injured, and the son - who has some flying time logged - has to save the group. The resolution is most gratifying and a thrill to any pilot (yes, you'll have to see it to find out what happens).Good performances, and a plot that includes some survival tips, no less, rate this film worthy of release. I assume the rights to this, and many of the other made-for-TV films, are in limbo which may make getting them released tricky, but with proper marketing a "Movie of the Week" box set would probably be successful.
