SATAN'S TRIANGLE (1975)

There is an area of the Caribbean popularly known as the Bermuda Triangle, where over the years, hundreds of people have mysteriously vanished while at sea. One day, Coast Guard rescue pilots Doug McClure and Michael Conrad fly a helicopter out to answer a Mayday call. The two are buddies but a little antagonistic—Conrad is conservative and religious and McClure is young and hedonistic. McClure even has Conrad lower the copter so he can ogle a topless sunbather on a boat. When they get to the schooner in distress, the first thing they see is a dead body hanging from the mast. McClure is dropped onto the boat and finds two more dead bodies, one looking like it's hanging suspended in the air. The only survivor is Kim Novak who seems rather fragile (but also, occasionally, rather flirtatious). With bad weather threatening and his fuel running low, Conrad heads back to base and says he'll return with more back-up the next morning. Novak then settles in with McClure and tells the story of her ill-fated fishing trip. An already tense situation existed as Jim Davis, recklessly trying to outdo his brother by catching a big fish, clashed with the crew and captain (Ed Lauter) who were trying to keep everyone safe. They rescue a priest (Alejandro Rey) found floating on some wreckage and the local sailors desert the ship, saying that with a priest on board in the Triangle, they will be tested by the devil. As soon as they leave, weird weather kicks up, people start dying (it's the priest who is hanging from the mast, having gone up to set off a signal flare), and Novak is now certain that she and McClure are similarly doomed by evil forces. McClure manages to come up with rational explanations for all the deaths, even the levitating body. Novak and McClure (pictured at left) have sex that night. The next morning, Conrad returns with a rescue team and both are taken up in a helicopter. Everything’s fine? Well, not exactly…

This TV-movie is no gem, but by the standards of 1970s TV-movies, it works, with the last ten minutes being particularly effective (no spoilers here). Novak's character seems a little vague and off-kilter, but that’s more or less explained by the ending. Novak, the star of A-movies, works well with McClure, a B-adventure movie guy, and they both get to do some scenery chewing at the end—both get to exhibit very creepy smiles. Some viewers on IMDb find the ending silly but I like it. Rey does a nice job as the somewhat mysterious priest, and Conrad (best known as the desk sergeant on Hill Street Blues) is fine in a relatively small role. The storm scene, shot in daylight in blurred focus, is a letdown. If you're not already a fan of 70s TV-movies, you may not find this your cup of tea, but those of us who were teenagers back then should enjoy it. Pictured are Novak and McClure. [YouTube]