1981's "Goliath Awaits" was a huge ratings winner for Operation Prime Time, enabling independent UHF stations the chance to compete with the 'Big Three' - ABC, CBS, NBC - but at lower advertising rates that benefited everyone but the networks, in those early days before cable really took off. A highly improbable scenario is made believable by a strong cast of familiar faces, but nominal lead Mark Harmon is often too shrill to be effective. The ocean liner Goliath is sunk by German torpedoes in 1939, yet the 337 people found alive more than 40 years later survived due to the ingenuity of first officer John McKenzie (Christopher Lee), rightfully revered as their leader and captain ever since. A rescue team of four (Mark Harmon, Robert Forster, Alex Cord, John Ratzenberger) venture inside to offer their solution to the inevitable collapse of this insulated existence, only one month left before the fuel supply runs out for good. We have a number of fine character vignettes, in particular John Carradine (veteran of OPT's 1979 miniseries THE SEEKERS) as Ronald Bentley, famed swashbuckling movie hero, in perhaps a nod to one of his dearest friends, the late Errol Flynn. As one of the original survivors from the long ago sinking, he has spent the time educating the young about his life experiences, enjoying the one movie of his that has survived the years, wanting to be remembered as the virile young actor he once was, great with action, less so with dialogue. Still, it is Christopher Lee who stands out as the ambiguous McKenzie, who resists any attempt at rescue, knowing that his days as absolute ruler were bound to end sooner or later, his mysterious associate Dan Wesker (Frank Gorshin) a self appointed 'Angel of Death,' dispensing with people unable to work or feed themselves. Originally broadcast in two parts at over 3 hours-plus, it's never boring and makes good use of stock footage, thanks to the editing skills of director Kevin Connor, who had previously worked with Lee and Ratzenberger on the 1979 "Arabian Adventure." Not all our questions are answered, and the climax is unfortunately drawn out too long to sustain the tension, but overall a commendable effort that stayed with viewers over the decades since, much like the occupants below the sea.

I spent a good few hours the other day trying to remember this movie from my childhood. As far as I could remember, I watched it on TV around 1981 or so. I would have been 11 or 12 at the time. The movie at that time and it's concept intrigued me to no end. I was captivated by it.The most I could remember about it was that there were some people that had been trapped inside a sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean for years. They had developed into a rather "cultist" society and even after being discovered by rescuers did not want anything to do with the real world on the surface. I remembered they shot one of the rescuers that surfaced inside the ship to explore it and then pretty much trapped any other rescuers there with them that entered their so called "world of utopia". Overall the movie was great back then. Subplots aside, I really enjoyed it so much, I am currently looking for a copy on VHS or DVD I can buy and own for myself and relive a little of my childhood memories thorough it.

This movie is quality entertainment! I was laughing my rear off the entire time. Just when you think the BS cant be stretched any further, here comes even more unbelievable silliness like a mack truck. Have a few drinks, or take a smoke of something, and sit back for a good time! A+ I almost expect this to be an episode of In Search Of or Issac Asimov's Strange World with the made-for-TV, shot-on-video look. You could play tons of great drinking games with this movie. Like every time there 'should' be a commercial break, everyone drink up! If you like your B-list stars, this ones got it in spades! Christopher Lee, Frank Gorshin, Robert Foster, and if you look close enough, even Kirk Cameron! Give it a view, if you have the right tastes, it doesn't get much better than this.

This was the film that first introduced me to the actor, Duncan Regehr, who played the leader of the Bow people. His performance and that of Christopher Lee as the conflicted leader of the sunken Goliath were the only bright spots in this sci-fi thriller. It could have been a great picture for the idea was fascinating, but the writing was heavy-handed. Even such top-notched character actors as Jeanette Nolan, John McIntire,John Carradine, and Jean Marsh were hampered by the insipid dialogue. I love Frank Gorshin but his performance here was a comic book caricature and unworthy of him. Both Mark Harmon and Emma Samms were pretty to look at, but bland. Duncan Regehr came across as sexy and powerful, and one of the film's implausibilities was that the heroine would prefer Mark Harmon over him! Duncan Regehr and Christopher Lee, were the only actors who gave a three-dimensional performance to what was written as one-dimensional characters. Still it's not a bad picture-- it is a interesting picture, but not a compelling one!