In a tense moment where Ted Striker (Robert Hays) needs to land an airplane where the pilots (Peter Graves and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) have fallen sick, and several passengers need to get off the airplane for various reasons, all Striker can think to himself (with an echo in his mind, of course) is "I've got to concentrate... concentrate... concentrate... I've got to concentrate... concentrate... concentrate... Hello?... hello... hello... Echo... echo... echo... Pinch hitting for Pedro Borbon... Manny Mota... Mota... Mota..." That pretty much sums up the seriousness of Airplane!, the lampoon of the 1970s Airport movies, and pretty much every other disaster movie pumped out by Hollywood. The same guys who pieced together the Naked Gun movies write and direct this silly movie. Most of the jokes need to be seen to be properly experienced, the first rate actors are what brings the laughs. Robert Stack plays it straight, over-the-top straight, as a problem solver for the airline who happens to wear 2 pairs of sunglasses at all times. Stack's comedic timing and deadpan delivery bring out some of the biggest laughs of the film. Lloyd Bridges is the over-worked, over-stressed traffic controller who has picked the wrong week to stop drinking, smoking, and sniffing glue. And Leslie Neilson plays a doctor who has an acute sense for the obvious, surely one who could save the passengers and airline crew if they land safely, just don't call him Shirley. A few cheap laughs, a few misses, but over all, a pretty funny movie. If you like The Naked Gun, you'll like Airplane!
620 Reviews
Dad joke heaven
Ruskington21 May 2020
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.
An Undoubted Classic
mjw230515 January 2005
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
Arguably one of the funniest films ever made
MovieAddict20166 June 2004
"Airplane!" is, was and always shall be the master of spoof movies. It is single-handedly responsible for literally inventing a sub-genre of comedy. It is the ultimate Silly Movie. A satire of the disaster movies of the 1970s, particularly the "Airport" series, nothing makes sense and it doesn't need to. There's no real plot. Just laughs - and plenty of 'em.
It was helmed by the ZAZ trio (Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker), whose dedication to making the audience laugh is surprisingly adamant. Recent spoofs may have left a bad aftertaste in your mouth, but it seems to be a universal agreement: "Airplane" is the funniest film of its genre ever made. (Closely followed by "The Naked Gun" - also penned by the ZAZ trio - perhaps.)
The plot: Ted Striker (Robert Hays) is a war veteran-turned-cab-driver who decides to chase after his girlfriend, an airline stewardess named Elaine (Julie Hagerty), who has dumped him in order to pursue a new life. Right before her plane takes off, Ted climbs aboard, hitching a ride in order to woo her back into a relationship again.
When the aircraft is in midflight, both pilots become very ill after eating their meals. Eventually many passengers begin to show symptoms of a rare disease, apparently transmitted by the food. Onboard, Dr. Rumack (Leslie Nielsen) takes care of the sick passengers as Ted - an ex-fighter pilot from the war - decides to try and land the plane. If he messes up they will all die, and in a particularly funny scene, the pressure becomes so unbearable that he begins to literally sweat gallons in the cockpit.
That is essentially all the film is about, but most of its duration is spent cracking jokes. Spoof films are entirely different from other movies because normally we would criticize a film if it considered its plot to be the least important element. Not so here. This is a truly brainless piece of celluloid - a movie that doesn't try to be anything that it isn't. From the opening credits - that cleverly spoof "JAWS" - to the closing we realize that this is an altogether unique film going experience.
The movie's biggest laughs come through unexpected flashbacks, such as when Ted remembers where he first met Elaine in a crummy bar ("...it was worse than Detroit..."), and begins to disco-dance a la John Travolta from "Saturday Night Fever" (complete with Bee Gees soundtrack blaring in the background and the famous Travolta pose). Then, later, we are taken back to when Ted was hospitalized after the war, and finds out that he was responsible for the death of six men. "Seven, actually," he is informed, which adds to the pain of the moment for him.
Though this movie is very funny, many jokes misfire. If you're not pop culture savvy and you don't remember Mrs. Cleaver from TV's "Leave it to Beaver", the humor is going to go over your head. But unlike many comedies, "Airplane!" offers something unique for each person. I know that as a film lover, I picked up on many movie in-jokes that some people might not recognize. And then there were the gags that I first missed but picked up after a second viewing, or when someone explained them to me, or both. And I'm sure there are many yet that I'm not aware of. It seems that every time I watch it, there's something else to laugh at that I missed previously.
"Airplane!" not only was a huge success in 1980 (the year of its release), spinning off a horde of imitators and one sequel - it was also responsible for crowning Leslie Nielsen "The King of Spoof." Prior to "Airplane!" Nielsen had been a veteran of more serious productions, stemming back to playing cowboys on "The Mickey Mouse Club" and other embarrassing attempts at acting. However, Nielsen later claimed that he had always wanted to do a comedy, even when he first started acting seriously with projects such as the classic "Forbidden Planet" (one of the best science-fiction films ever made). He later reunited with the ZAZ trio for "The Naked Gun" trilogy, appeared in similar spoof films over the years such as "Wrongfully Accused" and "Scary Movie 3," and had his iconic comedy shtick ripped off by many screen veterans - most noticeably by George Gaynes in the unbearable "Police Academy" (1984).
When it comes down to a single evaluation, "Airplane" is simply the best spoof film ever made. It's like a MAD Magazine parody come to life. There are the occasional misfires, but unlike many other spoof film imitators, this one contains far more hits. The deadpan acting is genius and everything else fits into place, resulting in what may arguably be one of the absolute funniest films ever conceived and put on the big screen. And if you decide to watch the movie, don't blink - you might miss a gag or two. The "Police Academies" will come and go but "Airplane!" will never be forgotten.
It was helmed by the ZAZ trio (Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker), whose dedication to making the audience laugh is surprisingly adamant. Recent spoofs may have left a bad aftertaste in your mouth, but it seems to be a universal agreement: "Airplane" is the funniest film of its genre ever made. (Closely followed by "The Naked Gun" - also penned by the ZAZ trio - perhaps.)
The plot: Ted Striker (Robert Hays) is a war veteran-turned-cab-driver who decides to chase after his girlfriend, an airline stewardess named Elaine (Julie Hagerty), who has dumped him in order to pursue a new life. Right before her plane takes off, Ted climbs aboard, hitching a ride in order to woo her back into a relationship again.
When the aircraft is in midflight, both pilots become very ill after eating their meals. Eventually many passengers begin to show symptoms of a rare disease, apparently transmitted by the food. Onboard, Dr. Rumack (Leslie Nielsen) takes care of the sick passengers as Ted - an ex-fighter pilot from the war - decides to try and land the plane. If he messes up they will all die, and in a particularly funny scene, the pressure becomes so unbearable that he begins to literally sweat gallons in the cockpit.
That is essentially all the film is about, but most of its duration is spent cracking jokes. Spoof films are entirely different from other movies because normally we would criticize a film if it considered its plot to be the least important element. Not so here. This is a truly brainless piece of celluloid - a movie that doesn't try to be anything that it isn't. From the opening credits - that cleverly spoof "JAWS" - to the closing we realize that this is an altogether unique film going experience.
The movie's biggest laughs come through unexpected flashbacks, such as when Ted remembers where he first met Elaine in a crummy bar ("...it was worse than Detroit..."), and begins to disco-dance a la John Travolta from "Saturday Night Fever" (complete with Bee Gees soundtrack blaring in the background and the famous Travolta pose). Then, later, we are taken back to when Ted was hospitalized after the war, and finds out that he was responsible for the death of six men. "Seven, actually," he is informed, which adds to the pain of the moment for him.
Though this movie is very funny, many jokes misfire. If you're not pop culture savvy and you don't remember Mrs. Cleaver from TV's "Leave it to Beaver", the humor is going to go over your head. But unlike many comedies, "Airplane!" offers something unique for each person. I know that as a film lover, I picked up on many movie in-jokes that some people might not recognize. And then there were the gags that I first missed but picked up after a second viewing, or when someone explained them to me, or both. And I'm sure there are many yet that I'm not aware of. It seems that every time I watch it, there's something else to laugh at that I missed previously.
"Airplane!" not only was a huge success in 1980 (the year of its release), spinning off a horde of imitators and one sequel - it was also responsible for crowning Leslie Nielsen "The King of Spoof." Prior to "Airplane!" Nielsen had been a veteran of more serious productions, stemming back to playing cowboys on "The Mickey Mouse Club" and other embarrassing attempts at acting. However, Nielsen later claimed that he had always wanted to do a comedy, even when he first started acting seriously with projects such as the classic "Forbidden Planet" (one of the best science-fiction films ever made). He later reunited with the ZAZ trio for "The Naked Gun" trilogy, appeared in similar spoof films over the years such as "Wrongfully Accused" and "Scary Movie 3," and had his iconic comedy shtick ripped off by many screen veterans - most noticeably by George Gaynes in the unbearable "Police Academy" (1984).
When it comes down to a single evaluation, "Airplane" is simply the best spoof film ever made. It's like a MAD Magazine parody come to life. There are the occasional misfires, but unlike many other spoof film imitators, this one contains far more hits. The deadpan acting is genius and everything else fits into place, resulting in what may arguably be one of the absolute funniest films ever conceived and put on the big screen. And if you decide to watch the movie, don't blink - you might miss a gag or two. The "Police Academies" will come and go but "Airplane!" will never be forgotten.
Still hilarious and fresh decades later
bob the moo28 November 2001
Warning: Spoilers
War pilot Ted Striker boards a flight for the first time since the war in order to stop his relationship with stewardess Elaine breaking up. Unfortunately the fish meal on the flight is bad and causes the crew to go sick leaving the plane on automatic pilot. With Striker the only man on board who can land the plane can he overcome his fears of failure stemming from the war? This without a doubt one of the best comedies of cinema, it is far and away the best spoof ever made - and it was made when this type of humour was still fresh. From the opening moments right down to the closing credits this is hilarious. The plot is a straight spoof of 1970's Airport disaster movies, and is only an excuse for a range of jokes. However the plot is bang on - it's detailed enough that it could be a serious disaster movie and allows the film to poke fun directly at the disasters movies themselves. The cast are perfect. For Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty this represents the best things they've ever done. Both play the straight men for the majority and are relied upon to take it all seriously and drive the plot while jokes occur all round them, that said they deliver many themselves but always straight faced. Nielsen and Bridges are also spot on as stereotypical doctor and traffic control guy who "chose the wrong day to give up drinking"! They are both so straight faced that they make the whole thing seem even more silly. Robert Stack is excellent as the man brought in to talk the plane down, playing the butch masculine figure ignoring all the madness around him. Also on the ground, Stephen Stucker is great as the camp controller who delivers many brilliant one liners as he walks through scenes. Peter Graves and Kareen Abdul Jabbar are great as two of the pilots that almost are in a different movie the things they say! The film is a spot on spoof of disaster movies, making fun of the many clichés of the genre - the nuns on board, the sick child, the "only man who can land the plane", the poisoned food etc. But it does more than just poke fun at these - it is hilarious in it's own right. All the cast deliver their lines brilliantly and the script! The script is excellent - I'm not going to start listing lines but they come so thick and fast that you usually miss something because you're laughing at the last joke.
This is the mould for all spoofs - this is the one to beat. While many spoofs are hit and miss this is almost a total hit. Decades on and many viewings later this is still as fresh and as funny as it ever was. A brilliant, brilliant comedy!
This is the mould for all spoofs - this is the one to beat. While many spoofs are hit and miss this is almost a total hit. Decades on and many viewings later this is still as fresh and as funny as it ever was. A brilliant, brilliant comedy!
We have clearance, Clarence....
Mister-615 August 1999
It is my understanding that there are still a few people in the world that haven't seen "Airplane!" yet.
Those people probably are still waiting for electricity, indoor plumbing and all the other great advances in humanity, too.
To see "Airplane!" is to take part in the great move to subvert all self-importance in movies, which this film does with great relish (and plenty of corn).
You get a chance to see such "serious" actors as Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack and Leslie Nielsen subvert themselves and their own personnae into near oblivion thanks to the writing/directing team of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker. Not to mention visual and verbal send-ups of darn near every movie that ever took place in the air, and a few that didn't, but should have.
Kudos to Leslie Nielsen, who with this movie gave himself the greatest reinvention of any actor this century. At one time, he was the very model of stoic sensibility.
I swear. Seriously.
A looooong time ago.
Ten stars. A laugh riot.
And I STILL think this would make a great in-flight movie.
Those people probably are still waiting for electricity, indoor plumbing and all the other great advances in humanity, too.
To see "Airplane!" is to take part in the great move to subvert all self-importance in movies, which this film does with great relish (and plenty of corn).
You get a chance to see such "serious" actors as Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack and Leslie Nielsen subvert themselves and their own personnae into near oblivion thanks to the writing/directing team of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker. Not to mention visual and verbal send-ups of darn near every movie that ever took place in the air, and a few that didn't, but should have.
Kudos to Leslie Nielsen, who with this movie gave himself the greatest reinvention of any actor this century. At one time, he was the very model of stoic sensibility.
I swear. Seriously.
A looooong time ago.
Ten stars. A laugh riot.
And I STILL think this would make a great in-flight movie.
So Good, from before the days of Orwellian Censorship
josephdunn-6724527 November 2023
No doubt there are some references that just would not fly ;-) in the namby pamby world we live in today. Airplane survives much the way that some stand up comedians such as Gervais, Carr or Boyle are able to nowadays as it does not discriminate when choosing a subject matter for its comedy. It simply allows anything as long as its funny. Drug abuse. Alcohol abuse. Domestic abuse and every other sort of abuse you can think of. It also ridicules the sick and infirm. Is completely loaded with casual racism and the best thing about it is that there is no apology for any of it. And those who are participating in the creation of it are completely on board with the ridiculousness of it all which makes it honest and pure comedy. Don't get me wrong I totally get why it wouldn't fly today. But you can watch it guilt free as at no time throughout the movie does it make you feel like they have caused offence or are targetting a single group in particular. Its so stupid and yet complex in its own way. You will either see it as spoofy nonsense or like me as genius slapstick. Johnny who works in the tower is hilarious. It's a 7 out of 10,but that's the highest mark I think I could give a movie of this genre. Given the simplicity of its genius.
Comedy heights
Prismark1024 August 2013
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.
A good LOL 40 years later
pietclausen12 January 2020
A classic of the genre, and still one of the funniest movies ever made
TheLittleSongbird1 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
Silly And Crude, But It Works
bigverybadtom29 December 2021
This movie is of course a spoof of the 1970's Airport disaster movies, and it incorporates a lot of silly and lowbrow humor. Examples include the joke about a pilot telling a little boy, "Have you ever seen a grown man naked?" or the inflatable autopilot or "The s*** hits the fan"-literally.
Yet, like Dumb And Dumber, good timing and performances make everything stay funny. Should be good if you are not sensitive.
Yet, like Dumb And Dumber, good timing and performances make everything stay funny. Should be good if you are not sensitive.
the greatest comedy of all time
the-jerk30 March 2005
Airplane is simply the funniest movie of all time. It handles the broad range of parody, satire, and plain silliness expertly, and has some of the greatest one-liners and sight gags ever put in a movie. Sure some of the jokes are dated, but great comedies (especially parodies) exist in the moment, and you have to expect that. The fact is, enough jokes hit the bullseye that it really is one of those rare movies where you are laughing constantly. I am, at least. This movie launched Leslie Nielsen's career as a comedy actor, although he still hasn't made anything this good (Naked Gun comes closest, but it's still light years away from this). Do any movies come close to hitting the zenith that this one does? "Young Frankenstein" comes close, but even the best Mel Brooks film doesn't top this. There has simply never been a funnier movie than "Airplane!" and for that, it deserves to be considered one of the greatest MOVIES of all time (I know for many people that's a stretch, but I stand by it; I've been watching it my whole life and there's still nothing I flat-out enjoy watching more).
It's starting to fade into the sunset!
Hitchcoc22 March 2006
Don't get me wrong. I thought this was hilarious the first time I saw it. It is full of wonderful sight gags. It has Kareem chewing out the little boy. It has the folk singer almost killing the little girl and Beaver's mother saying, "Excuse me, I speak jive. These are really funny. What has happened to it happens to many topical comedies. A large portion of the movie has began to fade because of its topicality. What do todays audiences know about the pervasiveness of the Hare Krishna people? They fill up a significant part of the screen. Still, there's enough here to make up for this. The business in the cockpit. Pilots being carried out in full view of the passengers. Men with machine wrenches waiting to hit a hysterical woman. Of course, there's "And don't call me Shirley!" See it, but realize that many of the jokes are stuck in the past through no fault of the film.
I tried to like this, I really did...
OrigamiDoug24 July 2002
I really tried to like this movie after reading the great reviews and hearing that it was one of the funniest films of all time over and over. But I just couldn't. I watched the whole movie without so much as cracking a smile. It wasn't that I didn't understand the jokes. On the contrary, I saw the point of every joke and why it was supposed to be funny, but I just didn't think it was humorous in the slightest. All told, I have watched this movie three times all the way through thinking maybe I had missed something or it would just "click" one time, but it didn't. I honestly have no idea why anyone would think that this is one of the greatest comedies ever or even think that it's funny.
For me it's as good now as it was in 1980
snoozejonc19 September 2022
A dose of food poisoning incapacitates the pilots of an airliner and an ex-military flyer is called upon to save the day.
This is one of my favourite movies of all time.
It is rare for a feature length comedy to sustain the humour for the duration of the running time, but Airplane does it with an incredibly funny script that mixes entertaining characters, brilliant dialogue and hilarious visuals.
The plot is a remake of the 1957 movie 'Zero Hour' and uses the drama associated with a potential airline disaster to generate laughs with deadpan parody, silliness and random, unexpected punchlines.
For me there are so many memorable sight-gags and quotable one-liners from numerous characters that it is impossible to pick a favourite. Scenes that still make me laugh as much today as I did when I first saw them as a child in the 1980s include the flashback sequences to Ted and Elaine's romantic encounters, everything that happens in air traffic control, and every word that come out of Leslie Neilson's mouth.
All performances are outstanding, particularly Neilson, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Peter Graves, Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Stephen Stucker, and Barbara Billingsley.
The production values are exceptionally good, with as much attention to detail given to the disaster movie elements of the production as the humour. Simple practical effects are used to give the appearance of a stricken airliner and nothing makes it look obviously fake (other than the fact it's all played for jokes).
Airplane has not dated in my eyes and I never tire of watching it. However, I appreciate comedy is very much in the eye of the beholder and what is funny to me might not be as much to others.
This is one of my favourite movies of all time.
It is rare for a feature length comedy to sustain the humour for the duration of the running time, but Airplane does it with an incredibly funny script that mixes entertaining characters, brilliant dialogue and hilarious visuals.
The plot is a remake of the 1957 movie 'Zero Hour' and uses the drama associated with a potential airline disaster to generate laughs with deadpan parody, silliness and random, unexpected punchlines.
For me there are so many memorable sight-gags and quotable one-liners from numerous characters that it is impossible to pick a favourite. Scenes that still make me laugh as much today as I did when I first saw them as a child in the 1980s include the flashback sequences to Ted and Elaine's romantic encounters, everything that happens in air traffic control, and every word that come out of Leslie Neilson's mouth.
All performances are outstanding, particularly Neilson, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Peter Graves, Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Stephen Stucker, and Barbara Billingsley.
The production values are exceptionally good, with as much attention to detail given to the disaster movie elements of the production as the humour. Simple practical effects are used to give the appearance of a stricken airliner and nothing makes it look obviously fake (other than the fact it's all played for jokes).
Airplane has not dated in my eyes and I never tire of watching it. However, I appreciate comedy is very much in the eye of the beholder and what is funny to me might not be as much to others.
A good parody
akshatmahajan16 December 2022
This movie is parody of 70s big hit drama Airport and this is the best parody one may ever see. It was full of gags and funny moments filled with drama. The comedy was natural and doesn't seem forced. Even after being 40+ years old movie, it makes you laugh more than the recent comedy movies which work on forced comedy.
The story, direction, execution, pacing, acting, everything was as per the script. Everything was at the point and hands off to the writers and director for the work they did.
Overall, it is a good parody movie which I loved watching and it was entertaining to watch. Would recommend it to everyone.
The story, direction, execution, pacing, acting, everything was as per the script. Everything was at the point and hands off to the writers and director for the work they did.
Overall, it is a good parody movie which I loved watching and it was entertaining to watch. Would recommend it to everyone.
Classic comedy worth a watch
Lonneymovies21 September 2021
The original spoof classic!
Anonymous_Maxine7 May 2003
Unfortunately, Airplane! has been, for me, one of those comedies that I have seen so many times in the video store that its appeal has gradually worn down to almost nothing, resulting in a total absence of interest in renting it. I eventually watched it one day because I worked at the video store and could rent movies for free, and was continuing on my desperate attempt to watch every movie in the store (a goal which continues to this day, although by now I've come to realize that it's never going to happen). During my quest, by the way, I also saw the old 1970 film Airport, probably ten years after having seen parts of Airplane!, and realized that this is one of the many movies that inspired Airplane!
In general, I'm a little cautious about movies that have exclamation points in the titles, but Airplane! is without a doubt one of the funniest movies ever made. Consider, for example, those little montages that studios sometimes put together and put at the beginning of movies when they come out on videotape, honoring the great movies that the studio has made in the past. They show lots of memorable clips from their old movies (and I always write all of these titles down, determined to watch them all, and then promptly lose the list that I made) to remind you how great they are. I had a good time watching Airplane! and picking out how many scenes are in the movie that can and do go into those memorable montages.
Airplane! is made up of a series of hilarious scenes that string together a thin shoestring plot, which ironically speaks in the movie's defense. In general, movies with weak stories that are driven along by comedic stunts and pranks and whatnot tend to be pretty weak, but Airplane! is not driven by stunts to cover a weak story as much as the quality of the stunts and the slapstick comedy is so good that they overshadow everything else. It's interesting to watch someone like Robert Stack so many years ago and see that he looked and talked exactly like he did in Unsolved Mysteries so many years later, a show the seriousness of which boggles the mind, given that it's hosted by someone who did so well in a movie like this one.
My favorite thing about this movie is, obviously, the huge amount of sound bytes that comes from it, just the cleverness of the way it was written and put together. You have the main character's `drinking problem,' the airport announcers (`Listen, Betty, don't start up with your white zone sh*t again '), the stress of the people investigating the situation on the plane (`Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking/drinking/amphetamines.'), the plays on words (`There's a problem at the control tower!' `What is it?' `It's the big tower where the air traffic controllers talk to the planes.'), that one airport employee who was suspiciously bubbly and excited throughout the entire movie (while providing some of its best comedy), and then of course were the situational gags, such as Robert Stack pulling off his sunglasses to reveal another pair underneath (arguably the most famous scene in the entire film).
This is a movie where a list like this could go on and on, and I'm sure if you go to the memorable quotes page on the IMDb you'll find a gigantic list of hilarious quotes from the movie there. It is no secret that this is something of a childish and immature comedy, but it is smartly written and has so many great scenes and bits of dialogue that it's one of those rare movies that makes you want to take notes so you won't forget a lot of the lines. It is one of the earlier versions of Leslie Nielsen's spoofs, a genre in itself which went on to tremendous success with lots of great (and some not so great) spoofs to follow.
In general, I'm a little cautious about movies that have exclamation points in the titles, but Airplane! is without a doubt one of the funniest movies ever made. Consider, for example, those little montages that studios sometimes put together and put at the beginning of movies when they come out on videotape, honoring the great movies that the studio has made in the past. They show lots of memorable clips from their old movies (and I always write all of these titles down, determined to watch them all, and then promptly lose the list that I made) to remind you how great they are. I had a good time watching Airplane! and picking out how many scenes are in the movie that can and do go into those memorable montages.
Airplane! is made up of a series of hilarious scenes that string together a thin shoestring plot, which ironically speaks in the movie's defense. In general, movies with weak stories that are driven along by comedic stunts and pranks and whatnot tend to be pretty weak, but Airplane! is not driven by stunts to cover a weak story as much as the quality of the stunts and the slapstick comedy is so good that they overshadow everything else. It's interesting to watch someone like Robert Stack so many years ago and see that he looked and talked exactly like he did in Unsolved Mysteries so many years later, a show the seriousness of which boggles the mind, given that it's hosted by someone who did so well in a movie like this one.
My favorite thing about this movie is, obviously, the huge amount of sound bytes that comes from it, just the cleverness of the way it was written and put together. You have the main character's `drinking problem,' the airport announcers (`Listen, Betty, don't start up with your white zone sh*t again '), the stress of the people investigating the situation on the plane (`Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking/drinking/amphetamines.'), the plays on words (`There's a problem at the control tower!' `What is it?' `It's the big tower where the air traffic controllers talk to the planes.'), that one airport employee who was suspiciously bubbly and excited throughout the entire movie (while providing some of its best comedy), and then of course were the situational gags, such as Robert Stack pulling off his sunglasses to reveal another pair underneath (arguably the most famous scene in the entire film).
This is a movie where a list like this could go on and on, and I'm sure if you go to the memorable quotes page on the IMDb you'll find a gigantic list of hilarious quotes from the movie there. It is no secret that this is something of a childish and immature comedy, but it is smartly written and has so many great scenes and bits of dialogue that it's one of those rare movies that makes you want to take notes so you won't forget a lot of the lines. It is one of the earlier versions of Leslie Nielsen's spoofs, a genre in itself which went on to tremendous success with lots of great (and some not so great) spoofs to follow.
Hilarious!
sergionocerino56 November 2020
One of the best all-time, roll with laughter movies!
jif9131 January 2005
If you really need a good laugh out loud movie, to make you feel good, this is one of them! The 1st time we saw this movie, on cable, not long after it came out, we were rolling with laughter! This movie was one of the all-time best, with Lloyd Bridges, and that crazy air traffic controllers' scenes were the funniest. With every line of the movie having a comeback, and another meaning--this movie ranks up there with the pool scene in Caddyshack as one of the best--you're rolling with laughter! With Lloyd Bridges slowly going insane throughout the movie, with an all-star cast including Robert Hayes,very funny, they even had Ethel Merman doing a cameo, (not long before her death), it was hilarious. Even the sequel came out to be as good as the original.
Wacky and absurd comedy with numberless gags
ma-cortes13 August 2005
Jim Abrahams , Jerry Zucker and his brother David Zucker (ZAZ) are American satirists and writers with successful works along and long time collaborators among them , they made their own comedy troupe , ¨Kentucky Fried theatre¨. ¨Airplane¨ remains commercially as their exceptional hit smash with the exception for ¨Jerry Zucker's Ghost¨ . In the film appears the habitual quirky and lunatic roles , thus : Robert Hays obsessed for events happened long time ago , narrated by means of flashbacks and with a memorable cameo of Ethel Merman ; Julie Haggerty as a flight hostess who must pilot the airplane just like Karen Black in ¨Airport 1975¨(Jack Smight) ; the insane air controller LLoyd Bridges and Peter Graves and his children's desires . You've read the ad, now see the movie!.The In-Flight comedy that airlines won't show!! I'm Brian...fly me. Winner of no Academy Awards . What's slower than a speeding bullet, and able to hit tall buildings at a single bound? Thank God it's Only a Motion Picture! The craziest flight you'll ever take! The Plane's going to Chicago. The Pilot's going to New York. The Passengers are going to Pieces!
The film was realized by the Kentucky group , the ironic humor is originated in the American surrealist comedy since ¨Hellzapoppin¨ (by H. C. Potter) , Marx Brothers and W. C. Fields , and being based on the absurd , the lunatic and wacky comedy , and , of course , the parody or spoof movie . The picture is an ¨Airport¨ (George Seaton) spoof , the references are continued , the parody is gross-out but is also intelligent and audacious . There's one comic gag each ten seconds . Other references besides Airport (based on Arthur Haley novel) are the following ones : ¨Jaws¨ with the musical theme by John Williams ; ¨Fever Satuday night¨ with Robert Hays dancing like John Travolta ; ¨From Here to the eternity¨ with Hays and Haggerty imitating the famous kisses on the beach between Burt Lancaster and Debora Kerr ; ¨Rocky¨ with a poster advertising an aged boxer . The film will appeal to wild and unruly humor fans.
The film was realized by the Kentucky group , the ironic humor is originated in the American surrealist comedy since ¨Hellzapoppin¨ (by H. C. Potter) , Marx Brothers and W. C. Fields , and being based on the absurd , the lunatic and wacky comedy , and , of course , the parody or spoof movie . The picture is an ¨Airport¨ (George Seaton) spoof , the references are continued , the parody is gross-out but is also intelligent and audacious . There's one comic gag each ten seconds . Other references besides Airport (based on Arthur Haley novel) are the following ones : ¨Jaws¨ with the musical theme by John Williams ; ¨Fever Satuday night¨ with Robert Hays dancing like John Travolta ; ¨From Here to the eternity¨ with Hays and Haggerty imitating the famous kisses on the beach between Burt Lancaster and Debora Kerr ; ¨Rocky¨ with a poster advertising an aged boxer . The film will appeal to wild and unruly humor fans.
The funniest movie ever? Yes
gateaholic6 October 2005
Very rarely does a film come out that is as truly brilliant as Airplane. It has everything that a comedy should have. The cast is fantastic, the jokes hilarious and almost constant.
One of the best things about Airplane that I have found is that the jokes are not all obvious, and because of this it has far more re-watchability than most comedies, as every time you watch it you pick up on more of the subtler jokes and background sight gags.
It is a film that manages to cater for almost all tastes in humour, from dry wit to slapstick via spoofery and dark humour. If you haven't seen this film you MUST watch it. This is one of those few films that everybody can enjoy. It's fairly rare to find a comedy the whole family can enjoy, most are either unsuitable for children or too childish for adults, but Airplane manages to find that balance where all ages can enjoy it.
In conclusion, if you have yet to see this film, watch it. If you have seen it, watch it again.
One of the best things about Airplane that I have found is that the jokes are not all obvious, and because of this it has far more re-watchability than most comedies, as every time you watch it you pick up on more of the subtler jokes and background sight gags.
It is a film that manages to cater for almost all tastes in humour, from dry wit to slapstick via spoofery and dark humour. If you haven't seen this film you MUST watch it. This is one of those few films that everybody can enjoy. It's fairly rare to find a comedy the whole family can enjoy, most are either unsuitable for children or too childish for adults, but Airplane manages to find that balance where all ages can enjoy it.
In conclusion, if you have yet to see this film, watch it. If you have seen it, watch it again.
Original to say the least but over the years familiarity has made it seem less attractive
policy1348 December 2005
Warning: Spoilers
There once was a time when I could not stop laughing more than 2 seconds at a time at this totally outrageous exploration in all things that are silly and sometimes even mildly offensive to the squishy. Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty were total unknowns but did that ever change in a big way. To hear Hays say that he had a drinking problem and then pour orange juice down his face instead of in his mouth is made is delivered in such an outrageous manner that you find yourself laughing and then really didn't know why the hell it was so funny.
As time has passed maybe you can't really get that exhilarated over something like this again, especially when the ZAZ's, in my opinion made the ultimate laugh-fest "TOP SECRET" but there was a time when hearing Leslie Nielsen say "I am serious and don't call me Shirley" with a totally straight face could make your intestines ache from all the belly laughs that joke produced.
Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges were of course spoofing their own tough as nails personae and the hilarious Peter Graves was so out of it that you thought you had just had a mirage because you couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth.
So this will stand as a frontrunner for something that had never in my recollection been seen before but sadly the cheap knock-offs has made the words sound more hollow and that was never the intention.
As time has passed maybe you can't really get that exhilarated over something like this again, especially when the ZAZ's, in my opinion made the ultimate laugh-fest "TOP SECRET" but there was a time when hearing Leslie Nielsen say "I am serious and don't call me Shirley" with a totally straight face could make your intestines ache from all the belly laughs that joke produced.
Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges were of course spoofing their own tough as nails personae and the hilarious Peter Graves was so out of it that you thought you had just had a mirage because you couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth.
So this will stand as a frontrunner for something that had never in my recollection been seen before but sadly the cheap knock-offs has made the words sound more hollow and that was never the intention.
Dated and formulaic - not the funniest movie of all time!
GrassCrown11 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I decided to watch this movie because there was a story on the Telegraph that described a study where this movie generated the most laughs per minute out of all the comedies tested. Boy, I was going to have a good time I thought. Instead, I just sat there staring at the screen wondering how this movie could be considered one of the funniest comedies of all time.
Once you figure out all the humor is based on the characters misunderstanding which part of a sentence the other person was referring to, the movie and the jokes become too predictable and obvious. Then there's the physical gags e.g. Where a stewardess loans a guitar and proceeds to bang everyone's head as she moves through the aisle. And those eggs just continue to come from her mouth! Oh and black people have basketball in their genes, am I right guys? They just learn that thing when you give them a basketball. I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with racist jokes but goddamn, they have to be funny! I don't know, maybe this movie was funnier during a more naive and innocent time, like when it came out. But I'm not a movie historian and I think the movie should work even now if it's that great (like 12 Angry Men, for example). These jokes are just so tired and lame.
I was even a bit drunk while watching this and only had a few chuckles during the entire movie. It's not that I didn't understand the jokes or where they were going with them but I just didn't find them funny at all. It's just too silly and dumb. I even tried to watch a few funny scenes from my favorite comedies (Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Death at a Funeral, Sex Drive, Office Space) to make sure that I just wasn't in a non-comedic mood. But I laughed my ass off at those movies just like I had before. I give this movie two points for the few chuckles I had.
Once you figure out all the humor is based on the characters misunderstanding which part of a sentence the other person was referring to, the movie and the jokes become too predictable and obvious. Then there's the physical gags e.g. Where a stewardess loans a guitar and proceeds to bang everyone's head as she moves through the aisle. And those eggs just continue to come from her mouth! Oh and black people have basketball in their genes, am I right guys? They just learn that thing when you give them a basketball. I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with racist jokes but goddamn, they have to be funny! I don't know, maybe this movie was funnier during a more naive and innocent time, like when it came out. But I'm not a movie historian and I think the movie should work even now if it's that great (like 12 Angry Men, for example). These jokes are just so tired and lame.
I was even a bit drunk while watching this and only had a few chuckles during the entire movie. It's not that I didn't understand the jokes or where they were going with them but I just didn't find them funny at all. It's just too silly and dumb. I even tried to watch a few funny scenes from my favorite comedies (Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Death at a Funeral, Sex Drive, Office Space) to make sure that I just wasn't in a non-comedic mood. But I laughed my ass off at those movies just like I had before. I give this movie two points for the few chuckles I had.
A hilarious gem!
mattymatt4ever13 March 2003
This is voted as one of the funniest comedies of all time, and it deserves that honor! The film is filled with hilarious gags! Sure, in every one of these campy farces, there's usually a few gags that are way too silly. In this case, it was the "drinking problem" gag and that annoying gay man who works on Lloyd Bridges' staff. But when I can actually count on my hand how many gags didn't work, that's a good sign. The majority of the film sent me into a frenzy of laughter! One of my favorites is when the blow-up auto-pilot runs out of air and Julie Hagerty blows it back up again. You'll have to see the movie to find out why it was so hilarious! I also got a great kick out of the running gag in which every passenger who listens to Robert Hays ends up killing themselves. This is definitely the Zuckers and Abrahams in top form! Unfortunately, I haven't seen a great spoof in years. The "Scary Movie" films were pretty good, but incredibly lewd and crude. And obviously the Zuckers and Abrahams have much better eyes for satire than the Wayans brothers. I caught "Scary Movie" on cable and watched it a second time, and I didn't laugh nearly as many times as I did the first time. I can watch "Airplane" 200 times and still laugh like there's no tomorrow! The film was made back when comedies didn't go strictly for sex and toilet gags to make an audience laugh. This was back when writers used to employ this quality called "wit." "Kentucky Fried Movie" had some racy gags, but even those were witty for the most part. There is a certain rhythm in every gag that helps make the film work. For example, Lloyd Bridges starts out by saying "I think I picked the wrong day to quit smoking." Then he says he picked the wrong day to quit drinking. And when he finally says "I picked the wrong day to quit amphetamines," I was laughing my head off! So basically, you watch a film like this and feel the urge to mail a copy of the video to the Wayans Brothers and whatever crackheads wrote "Not Another Teen Movie," along with a note saying "THIS is how to make a spoof!"
There are so many other gags worth mentioning, including the "Saturday Night Fever" sendup, which is definitely one of the best comic moments caught on film! That scene also contains my favorite line: "I told the guy next to me to pinch me to make sure I wasn't dreaming." After that voice-over, we see the guy next to Robert Hays repulsed and walking away from him. Another great example of perfect comic timing and delivery!
If you want to get some authentic belly laughs--I'm not talking chuckles, but actual LAUGHS!--you must check out "Airplane." Trust me, movies don't get much more original or funny than this!
My score: 9 (out of 10)
There are so many other gags worth mentioning, including the "Saturday Night Fever" sendup, which is definitely one of the best comic moments caught on film! That scene also contains my favorite line: "I told the guy next to me to pinch me to make sure I wasn't dreaming." After that voice-over, we see the guy next to Robert Hays repulsed and walking away from him. Another great example of perfect comic timing and delivery!
If you want to get some authentic belly laughs--I'm not talking chuckles, but actual LAUGHS!--you must check out "Airplane." Trust me, movies don't get much more original or funny than this!
My score: 9 (out of 10)
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
