Saturday, August 9, 2014

Airplane! (1980)

Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Writers:    Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Cast:         Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen

An airplane crew takes ill. Surely the only person capable of landing the plane is an ex-pilot afraid to fly (PTSD). But don't call him Shirley.

This was my second watch of this film and it is a parody on disaster films evident by the opening credits which plays on Jaws. The humor is kind of unique and might not be up everyone's alley but I enjoyed it. It is the kind of humor that one might use to wind people up and for example: 

Rumack: You'd better tell the Captain we've got to land as soon as we can. This woman has to be gotten to a hospital.
Elaine Dickinson: A hospital? What is it?
Rumack: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.

 It references many films and there is one long routine on Saturday Night Fever with an elaborate song and party sequence. Reminded me of 'Hot Fuzz' which also uses overly lone scenes just to make its point. I think for those who grew up with this film might have it as one of their favorite comedy films but those who came later might not enjoy it as much. It is certainly worth a watch and there are plenty of things in the background that one might miss on the first watch. 'Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue'.

Roger Murdock: Flight 2-0-9'er, you are cleared for take-off.
Captain Oveur: Roger!
Tower voice: L.A. departure frequency, 123 point 9'er.
Captain Oveur: Roger!
Victor Basta: Request vector, over.
Tower voice: Flight 2-0-9'er cleared for vector 324.
Roger Murdock: We have clearance, Clarence.
Captain Oveur: Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
Tower voice: Tower's radio clearance, over!
Captain Oveur: That's Clarence Oveur. Over.
Tower voice: Over.
Captain Oveur: Roger.
Tower voice: Roger, over!

Rating: 3.5/5

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