Free Fall (film)
Encyclopedia
Free Fall is a 1999
American
/Canadian
made-for-television action
/ drama film
directed by Mario Azzopardi
with a screenplay by Ken Wheat
and Jim Wheat based upon a story by Mark Homer
.
, the film was distributed by Fox Family Channel and first released in the US on January 17, 1999, with 1999 releases in Italy
as Freefall - Panico ad alta quota and in Germany
as Angst über den Wolken. The film had its video premiere in Spain
in 2000, followed by video releases in France
(as Crashs en série), Germany as Freefall - Todesflug 1301, Japan
, and New Zealand
. It had its television premiere in Sweden
on February 19, 2007.
safety expert Renee Brennan (Jaclyn Smith
) calls for grounding of the airline's panes, but is thwarted by Mark Ettinger (Bruce Boxleitner
), who repeatedly countermands her orders for grounding the planes. After Mark is himself killed in a crash, Brennan and FBI agent Scott Wallace (Scott Wentworth
) track doen the sabateur, Michael Ives (Hannes Jaenicke
), a former pilot seeking revenge against the airline, but are themselves caught in a trap he set for them at 33,000 feet.
1999 in film
The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
/Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
made-for-television action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
/ drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Mario Azzopardi
Mario Azzopardi
Mario Philip Azzopardi , is a television and film director and writer.He has worked on such shows as The Outer Limits, Stargate SG-1 , and Stargate Atlantis...
with a screenplay by Ken Wheat
Ken Wheat
Ken Wheat is an American screenwriter, producer and director. He is the writer of Pitch Black and the brother of screenwriter Jim Wheat, with whom he has collaborated on a number of projects.- Filmography :...
and Jim Wheat based upon a story by Mark Homer
Mark Homer
Mark Homer is a British actor of stage, television and film. He is best known for playing Tony Hills in the popular British soap opera EastEnders from 1995 to 1999. His subsequent work includes guest appearances in Silent Witness and Spine Chillers, both also for the BBC...
.
Background and release
Filmed by Falling Productions Inc on locations in Toronto, Ontario and Uxbridge, OntarioUxbridge, Ontario
Uxbridge is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Durham, in the Greater Toronto Area.The main centre in the township is the namesake community of Uxbridge...
, the film was distributed by Fox Family Channel and first released in the US on January 17, 1999, with 1999 releases in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
as Freefall - Panico ad alta quota and in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as Angst über den Wolken. The film had its video premiere in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 2000, followed by video releases in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(as Crashs en série), Germany as Freefall - Todesflug 1301, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It had its television premiere in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
on February 19, 2007.
Plot
After 'Trans Regional Airlines' is hit by a series of mysterious plane crashes, National Transportation Safety BoardNational Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
safety expert Renee Brennan (Jaclyn Smith
Jaclyn Smith
Jacquelyn Ellen "Jaclyn" Smith is an American actress and businesswoman. She is best-known for the role of Kelly Garrett in the television series Charlie's Angels, and was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run...
) calls for grounding of the airline's panes, but is thwarted by Mark Ettinger (Bruce Boxleitner
Bruce Boxleitner
Bruce William Boxleitner is an American actor, and science fiction and suspense writer. He is known for his leading roles in the television series How the West Was Won, Bring 'Em Back Alive, Scarecrow and Mrs. King , and Babylon 5...
), who repeatedly countermands her orders for grounding the planes. After Mark is himself killed in a crash, Brennan and FBI agent Scott Wallace (Scott Wentworth
Scott Wentworth
Scott Wentworth is an American actor currently living and working primarily in Canada.After starting his career in New York City, he began a long association with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in the 1985 production of The Glass Menagerie...
) track doen the sabateur, Michael Ives (Hannes Jaenicke
Hannes Jaenicke
Hannes Jaenicke is a German actor. He has played in various television shows and movies, including Lost Treasure.-Selected filmography:* Rosa Luxemburg * Allein unter Töchtern...
), a former pilot seeking revenge against the airline, but are themselves caught in a trap he set for them at 33,000 feet.
Partial cast
- Hannes JaenickeHannes JaenickeHannes Jaenicke is a German actor. He has played in various television shows and movies, including Lost Treasure.-Selected filmography:* Rosa Luxemburg * Allein unter Töchtern...
as Michael Ives - Jaclyn SmithJaclyn SmithJacquelyn Ellen "Jaclyn" Smith is an American actress and businesswoman. She is best-known for the role of Kelly Garrett in the television series Charlie's Angels, and was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run...
as Renee Brennan - Bruce BoxleitnerBruce BoxleitnerBruce William Boxleitner is an American actor, and science fiction and suspense writer. He is known for his leading roles in the television series How the West Was Won, Bring 'Em Back Alive, Scarecrow and Mrs. King , and Babylon 5...
as Mark Ettinger - Scott WentworthScott WentworthScott Wentworth is an American actor currently living and working primarily in Canada.After starting his career in New York City, he began a long association with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in the 1985 production of The Glass Menagerie...
as Scott Wallace - Hayden ChristensenHayden ChristensenHayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. He moved on to minor acting roles before being praised for his role of Sam in Life as a House, for which he was nominated for a Golden...
as Patrick Brennan - Nigel BennettNigel BennettNigel Bennett is an English actor/director/writer who has been based in Canada since 1986. He is best known for playing the vampire patriarch Lucien LaCroix in the TV series Forever Knight, for which he won the Canadian Gemini Award for best supporting actor in a dramatic series.-Life and...
as Donald Caldwell - Chad EverettChad EverettChad Everett is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and television series but is probably best known for his role as Dr. Joe Gannon in the 1970s television drama Medical Center.-Early life:...
as Richard Pierce
- Brett HalseyBrett HalseyBrett Halsey , is an American film actor, sometimes credited as Montgomery Ford. He is best known as the original John Abbott on the soap opera The Young and the Restless, a role he held from May 1980 to March 1981, before being replaced by Jerry Douglas.-Career:Interested in acting since he was a...
as Chief of Security Tom Mason - Tanja ReichertTanja ReichertTanja Reichert is a Canadian actress. She got into acting when she was 15 years of age, but she first appeared on the TV only seven days after she turned 17 years old, when she had the role of "Shelley-Girl #2" in Breaker High for two episodes ; and she has appeared in many...
as Stewardess Holly Nesbitt - Robyn StevanRobyn StevanRobyn Stevan is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role in the film Bye Bye Blues, for which she won the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress.- External links :...
as Polly James - Anne RossAnne RossAnne Ross is a German singer.She was a member of the German pop girl group Preluders. After Preluders disbanded, she and Manel Filali teamed up to form the duo Milk & Honey.-External links:*...
as Stewardess Janet Reardon - Philip Craig as Captain Markham
- Rod WilsonRod WilsonRodriques Wilson is an American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina...
as Captain Meyers - Paul HubbardPaul HubbardPaul Hubbard, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
as Co-Pilot