TheLittleSongbird Review of Airplane!

Airplane! (1980)

A classic of the genre, and still one of the funniest movies ever made

[10/10 · 1 April 2011]

I do like comedy and spoof movies, and Airplane! is one of the best examples of the genre. The film still holds up well after all these years, with skillful enough camera work, and the direction is smart. The story is simple but well-paced and fun, while the film's cast is a distinguished one. Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty are great leads, and Peter Graves, Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges look as though they are also having a whale of a time. But I will always remember this film for the late Leslie Nielson, whose comic timing is just genius, and the "don't call me Shirley" is one of comedy's most memorable and quotable moments. Where Airplane! succeeds most is in its humour. The script is brilliant and wickedly funny with very accurate spoofs and purposefully cringe-inducing puns that make me laugh anyway, and there are some inspired sight gags as well. All in all, a classic and how to do a spoof. 10/10 Bethany Cox