Airplane!




By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?

This is the one that established the spoof a minute genre that claims its best from the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team, including flicks like The Naked Gun and Hot Shots.

Yeah, they're all on an airplane bound for disaster. The finer points follow Ted (Robert Hays), an ex war pilot, onto a flight after his girlfriend (Julie Hagerty) threatens to break up. Disaster strikes the odd assortment of passengers and crew soon after lift off as all the people who ate fish for dinner grow ill. This leaves only Ted to fly the plane, who's still haunted by his war experiences.

Most claim this as the funniest comedy of its kind, and still many others claim it's the funniest comedy period. While I can see where they're coming from, I don't know if I'd put it that far. Arguably, the jokes aren't packed in as tightly as other movies of a similar nature and some do get over used. Still, extra recognition must go to it for really being the first of its kind and a lot of the humor is understandably easy to miss as it often uses parodies of obscure or long gone references.

This is less of a physical comedy than others that would follow from the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker group, relying more on the dialogue and witty turn of words. No doubt most have heard of the "Don't call me Shirley" line, but there are many other great ones as well. The cast wasn't well known for comedy, but some great casting decisions were made. Of particular note is Leslie Nielson, who made a comedic one eighty with his career following this movie. His deadpan deliveries are the high points of the movie. But perhaps my biggest hackle is with Johnny, played by Stephen Stucker who is much more irritating than he's worth.

Over the top ridiculousness coupled with the silly and unexpected: yup, that's Airplane!



-The Gnome