Seven Were Saved (DVD)

Japanese war criminal, Colonel Yamura, is being flown to Manila to stand trial. Midway through the flight, Yamura overpowers his guards and attempts to hijack the plane. In a violent struggle, the pilot loses control of the aircraft, which plummets into the cold shark infested waters of the South China Sea. Eight people, including Captain Yamura, scramble into a life raft as the plane sinks below the waves. In the desperate days that follow, dehydration, sharks and monsoon rains take their toll on the group, as suspicions and wartime hatreds fester. Their only hope is the slim chance of being spotted by the Air-Sea Rescue flight teams.

Reminiscent of Lifeboat, Hitchcock's 1944 classic, Seven Were Saved is a taut human drama with several surprising twists. Star Richard Denning is best remembered today for his roles in the 1950s sci-fi classics, Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), Target Earth (1954), and The Day the World Ended (1955). He also garnered a fan following for playing Jerry North in the "Mr. And Mrs. North" TV series (1952-1954).

• drama