Airplane! (1980)
Comedy (12a)
Rating: 5/5 stars - An excellent film, genius, a classic movie
Directors:
Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker.
Synopsis
Former pilot Ted Stryker (Robert Hays) has been jilted by his airline stewardess fiancee Elaine (Julie Hagerty) who has had enough of him refusing treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, after a disastrous flight during the Vietnam War.
Ted sets about getting her back, but must overcome his fear of flying by joining her next flight as a passenger.
Disaster is on the horizon when food poisoning sets in for passengers, disabling the entire flight crew.
But can Ted, as the only person with flight experience on the plane, conquer his nerves and save the day to win back his girl? He has help and hindrance as a group of crazed individuals at tower control on the ground gather to ‘assist’ him.
When to see it: Airplane! (1980) Sat 22 Dec, Universal TV, 7:30pm; Thu 27 Dec, Sky Comedy, 1:50am
Review by @Reelreviewer
This deliriously funny send-up of the glut of airborne disaster drama of the 1970's, most notably Airport 1975 is still hilarious (even after repeated viewings) nearly 40 years after it was first released.
The films scores repeatedly because of the sheer onslaught of visual gags, one-liners, daft situations and faultless, straight-faced playing by a cast who perform as if they are actually in a serious disaster drama.
Some of them such as Leslie Nielsen (as the least empathetic doctor) and Robert Stack (as a ruthless military flight leader) appeared in the very movies they are lampooning.
(Movie geek fact - Stack started the film performing differently to how the directors envisaged his character. To resolve this, they played a recording of an actor doing an impersonation of him. So here, Stack performs an impersonation of a man impersonating him).
The best, however, is from Lloyd Bridges. As the airport's tower lead who has serious addictive behaviours, he walks away with the film and saw his career take a new direction as a spoof comedy star.
For more, read the full review: http://bit.ly/airplane1980
Cast & credits
Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker. 1hr 28mins (88mins). Howard W. Koch Productions/Paramount. (12a)
Producer: Jon Davison.
Writers: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker.
Camera: Joseph Biroc.
Music: Elmer Bernstein.
Sets: Ward Preston.
Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lorna Paterson, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Stephen Stucker, Ethel Merman, Maureen McGovern
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