After the crew becomes sick with food poisoning, a neurotic ex-fighter pilot must safely land a commercial airplane full of passengers.After the crew becomes sick with food poisoning, a neurotic ex-fighter pilot must safely land a commercial airplane full of passengers.After the crew becomes sick with food poisoning, a neurotic ex-fighter pilot must safely land a commercial airplane full of passengers.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 3 wins & 7 nominations total
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Roger Murdock
- (as Kareem Abdul-Jabaar)
Summary
Reviewers say 'Airplane!' is celebrated for its relentless humor and rapid-fire jokes, effectively spoofing disaster movies. Leslie Nielsen’s deadpan performance adds charm. The film’s clever wordplay, puns, and visual gags are often praised. Despite some dated jokes, its humor remains largely universal. Iconic one-liners and memorable scenes enhance its appeal. However, a few find certain jokes less effective, noting uneven humor. Overall, it’s a classic comedy cherished for decades.
Featured reviews
Parodies or Spoofs are one particular segment that I have rarely got the opportunity to venture into. Partly due to the comparative absence of such features in the current scenario where black comedies are the talk of the town.
Nevertheless, I have made my decision to explore this relatively uncharted territory after watching some hilarious clips that I found on Reddit last week and I'm glad I listened to my conscience.
It is extremely slapsticky but at the same time, the writing oozes brilliance. It's witty, it's clever and it knows how and when to deliver the lines. Now, for some of you the performances may come across as hammy, a bit over-the-top, but as this was all intentional, it all come to be just fine. Not all jokes land but the ones that did lay the foundation for some comedic golds.
Rumack: Captain, how soon can you land?
Captain Oveur: I can't tell.
Rumack: You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
Captain Oveur: No. I mean I'm just not sure.
Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess?
Captain Oveur: Well, not for another two hours.
Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours?
Nevertheless, I have made my decision to explore this relatively uncharted territory after watching some hilarious clips that I found on Reddit last week and I'm glad I listened to my conscience.
It is extremely slapsticky but at the same time, the writing oozes brilliance. It's witty, it's clever and it knows how and when to deliver the lines. Now, for some of you the performances may come across as hammy, a bit over-the-top, but as this was all intentional, it all come to be just fine. Not all jokes land but the ones that did lay the foundation for some comedic golds.
Rumack: Captain, how soon can you land?
Captain Oveur: I can't tell.
Rumack: You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
Captain Oveur: No. I mean I'm just not sure.
Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess?
Captain Oveur: Well, not for another two hours.
Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours?
I don't know why this only shows a review of 7.7. I'd give this an 8, at least. Possibly a 9. This movie has more jokes & gags every 2 minutes than most comedies have in their entire feature. There's a joke every few seconds. It's brilliant. Hilarious. Witty & sometimes just visually ridiculous. The casting is wonderful especially from the spot-on Leslie Neilson. This was made in 1980, & here I am watching this 42 years later & it's still as good now as it was then.
Still one of funniest spoof movies ever made, Airplane is one of the first and one of the best around.
Hot Shots, Loaded Weapon even Naked Gun have tried to follow in its footsteps, but they have failed to hit the mark. That's not to say that they are bad movies, just that its difficult to follow a movie of this calibre.
Spoof movies definitely have there place in everyone's collection, but this is probably the best you'll ever see in the genre, if you have never seen it and you fancy a laugh, I can't recommend a better film, even though it has dated; it's still hilarious 9/10
Hot Shots, Loaded Weapon even Naked Gun have tried to follow in its footsteps, but they have failed to hit the mark. That's not to say that they are bad movies, just that its difficult to follow a movie of this calibre.
Spoof movies definitely have there place in everyone's collection, but this is probably the best you'll ever see in the genre, if you have never seen it and you fancy a laugh, I can't recommend a better film, even though it has dated; it's still hilarious 9/10
Quite simply one of the best laugh-out-loud movies ever made. The unapologetic Dad jokes and dry satire are eternally enjoyable and the movie has not lost any of it's bite over the years. Eminently quotable and amongst the best in its class.
Disaster films were the rage in the 1970s. As the decade wore on the films got even more star studded and the stakes get higher. The scripts flabbier and our square jawed heroes getting even more po faced with each impending disaster.
Surely this could not continue and after Airplane it did not. It burst the disaster film bubble and stop calling me Shirley!
Airplane with its deadpan humour, jokes with double meanings and risqué gags. Both visual and spoken broke the mould when it came to comedy pastiche movies.
Even more than 30 years later it entices a new generation even though some of the topical references (Gerald Ford, Ethel Merman) might be meaningless to many new viewers.
The real beauty of Airplane was getting solid actors to play their part straight. Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack and Leslie Nielsen shine in their roles, totally ignoring the mayhem around them.
For Neilsen a man known for playing solid drama roles, it gave him a lucrative extension in his career as a slapstick comedy actor.
Airplane is just plane crazy.
Surely this could not continue and after Airplane it did not. It burst the disaster film bubble and stop calling me Shirley!
Airplane with its deadpan humour, jokes with double meanings and risqué gags. Both visual and spoken broke the mould when it came to comedy pastiche movies.
Even more than 30 years later it entices a new generation even though some of the topical references (Gerald Ford, Ethel Merman) might be meaningless to many new viewers.
The real beauty of Airplane was getting solid actors to play their part straight. Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack and Leslie Nielsen shine in their roles, totally ignoring the mayhem around them.
For Neilsen a man known for playing solid drama roles, it gave him a lucrative extension in his career as a slapstick comedy actor.
Airplane is just plane crazy.
Did you know
- TriviaFor the argument between announcers concerning the white and red zones at the airport, the producers hired the same voice artists who had made the real-world announcements at Los Angeles International Airport. At the real airport, the white zone is for loading and unloading of passengers only, and there's no stopping in the red zone (except for transit buses). They were also married to each other in real life.
- GoofsDuring the disco-dance scene, when Elaine tosses Ted up in the air and he (his stunt double) flies into the audience, Robert Hays (Ted) is clearly visible among the spectators, waiting to run back onto the dance floor.
- Quotes
Rumack: Can you fly this plane, and land it?
Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.
Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.
- Crazy creditsIntroducing Otto as Himself (over picture of the inflatable autopilot)
- Alternate versionsSome versions do not have subtitles on a part where the Jive Dudes are talking. The original theatrical release had subtitles.
- ConnectionsEdited into L'agence tous risques: The Beast from the Belly of a Boeing (1983)
- SoundtracksStayin' Alive
Written by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb
Performed by The Bee Gees
Courtesy of RSO Records
Published by Stigwood Music, Inc.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- ¿Y dónde está el piloto?
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $3,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $83,453,539
- Gross worldwide
- $83,455,874
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