Rating: 
Summary: Barbara Billingsley Talks Jive
Review: Yes, for all you "Leave it to Beaver" fans, Beaver Cleaver's mom speaks jive in this movie and does a fine job. It's hilarious.This is probably the funniest movie ever made and certainly has more laughs per minute than any other movie. There's no subtlety, this is pure slapstick, but done masterfully by all the participants. The opening disco scene where Robert Hayes parodies "Saturday Night Fever" will have you on the floor, clutching your sides as they split open from laughing so hard. Leslie Nielson, Robert Stack and Lloyd ("I guess I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue") Bridges all turn in sterling, hilarious performances. Robert Stack's scene where he beats up everyone in the airport is just another in a long line of classic scenes. This movie is as funny as it was 20 years ago when it was released. The AFI recently listed it at number 10 on their all-time "Funniest Movies" list and they blew it. It should have been number one. It's *that* funny.
Rating:
Summary: "Don't Call Me Shirley...."
Review: All right people. You know that this is one of the funniest films ever made. If you don't, you have no sense of humor at all. This 1980 classic is the blueprint of a pitch perfect classic spoof film that opened the doors for many films and filmmakers doing it today. Robert Hays stars as a man who must take over flying an airplane filled with passengers, after the pilots become incompasitated. The movie is filled with old hollywood stars like Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, and the man who would begin a whole new career after this, the one and only Leslie Nielsen. Many gags come fast and funny, and it would be wise to watch the film a few times. The reason being that there are just so many jokes and visual gags that it's impossible to catch it the first time. This film began the successful duo of Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker. The film spawned a sequel that was just as hilarious. If ever you need a quick ppick me up comedy, you can't go wrong with Airplane.
Rating:
Summary: "Get me Ham on 5, hold the Mayo."
Review: Airplane! (1980) is the second collaboration of the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team (the first being Kentucky Fried Movie) that would later bring us such brilliant spoofery as Police Sqaud, Top Secret!, & the Naked Gun films. ZAZ's Airplane is responsible for basically popularizing (if not starting) the spoof genre with it's joke a minute style. It was the first film directed by the ZAZ team as well, because they served as writers on their first film, a series of sketches called the Kentucky Fried Movie. Airplane also gave Leslie Nielsen (Dr. Rumack) a new identity as a comedian, which led to his starring role as Lt. Frank Drebin on the hilarious, but shortlived (only 6 episodes) 1982 series Police Squad and the later more successful Naked Gun trilogy. Nielsen along with Peter Graves (Capt. Oveur), Llyod Bridges (McCrosky), and Robert Stack (Capt. Rex Cramer) are all scene stealers in Airplane because of the way they play it straight. Meaning they recite the most hilarious stuff with a straight face. I've always thought Leslie Nielsen especially was just perfect for this type of humor. Robert Hays (Striker) & Julie Hagerty (Elaine) are also hilarious as the former couple who join together to save the plane and its passengers from almost certain disaster. There's really too many characters to list, you just have to see it to appreciate them all. Airplane is just a classic comedy. The AFI calls it "One of the top 10 funniest movies ever made!" and I usually don't agree with most quotes, but that ranking is totally justified. Airplane begat one sequel, fittingly named Airplane II: The Sequel in 1982, but without the ZAZ team's contributions. The sequel was directed by Ken Finkleman, who's only other work I'm familiar with being the writer of Grease 2! Don't let that stop you from seeking out the sequel because honestly it feels like it was made by the same guys. Plus William Shatner is in it so come on! Some comments on the 2000 Paramount DVD: One reviewer stated there are scenes missing from the DVD, but they're mistaken. According to that review, the scene where the little girl tells the boy how she likes her coffee and the scenes where the woman who "hasn't been with a man before" have been removed, but I can tell you, having just purchased this DVD that the the boy and girl drinking coffee scene is there. The other scenes with the woman telling every man that sits next to her "I've never been with a man before." are from Airplane II: The Sequel. I haven't noticed anything missing from my original VHS version. Other DVD notes:
The 2000 Paramount DVD has the Widescreen version (16:9) of the film, which is nice to see after the full screen VHS tapes for all these years. You can also see things better like McCrosky standing next to the picture of himself on the wall. The sound offered is Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround and French Mono. There are also English subtitles. The main two features are the original trailer (which gives away plenty of good jokes) and a group commentary with Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker, and producer Jon Davison. This isn't the most exciting commentary ever, but there are some interesting insights into the film and they're having fun talking about it. I agree with other reviews that the film deserved a Special Edition (at least as good as the Up In Smoke DVD) with all the scenes filmed for the TV version and anything else from interviews and featurettes, but having this movie in widescreen DVD is enough to make me excited and with the commentary and original trailer it makes an above average release. Bottom line: No original theatrical scenes are missing from this DVD and it's inexpensive, so fans should pick it up. Choice quotes - Captain Oveur:
1. "You ever seen a grown man naked?"
2. "Joey, you ever hang around the gymnasium?"
3. "Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"
4. "Joey, have you ever been to a turkish prison?" Dr. Rumack:
1. "I don't know where I'll be then, Doc, he said...But I won't smell too good, that's for sure."
2. "I just want to tell you both good luck. We're counting on you."
3. "I just want to tell you both good luck. We're counting on you."
4. "I am serious and stop calling me Shirley." McCrosky:
1. "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking."
2. "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking."
3. "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines."
4. "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffin' glue." Also Recommended:
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)
Police Squad (1982 series)
Airplane II: the Sequel (1982)
All 3 Naked Gun Films (1988-1994)
Top Secret! (1984)
BASEketball (1998)
Hot Shots! (1991)
Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)
Rating:
Summary: DVD, what is it?
Review: It's a round disc with movies on it, but that's not important right now. There really is no need to explain just how funny this movie really is. You have to let it speak for itself. Airplane! really gets you rolling before the plot even thickens, starting with the white zone argument at the airport, then working its way up to the jive dudes, Peter Graves "holding the Mayo," Lloyd Bridges picking the wrong week to quit anything, Robert Stack battling religious zealots, etc. Not only are the quotes funny, especially the "Don't call me Shirley" gag, but there are plenty of sight gags as well. My favorites include "flying on instruments," and the you-know-what hitting the fan. Airplane! ranked No. 10 on the AFI's funniest films list, and it rightfully deserves it. This movie buries those cheesy Airport movies of the '70s, making us thankful that it came out when it did. Personally, I think this movie is better than all of them put together! (Let's face it, we were sick of them anyway.) Finally, watch for a special appearance by Ethel Merman, and stay tuned through the credits!
Rating:
Summary: One of the funniest ever
Review: Hard to add anything to what's been said about this classic. I've seen this movie more times than I can remember. It still holds up, having just watched the DVD again recently, some 20+ years after my first viewing. I know this movie shot-by-shot, line-by-line, every nuance. That's what happens after dozens of viewings over many years. But I'd say that it would easily take 10 or so viewings to catch all the gags. And the success rate of said gags is probably higher than in any movie I've ever seen. The dvd itself is a pretty basic, though still worthy, release. I didn't seen Airplane! in the theaters, so after countless videotape viewings it was most definitely a treat to see it presented widescreen. I must say the commentary, featuring ZAZ and the film's producer, is one of - if not THE - funniest tracks I've listened to. And for that reason, this DVD is essential even if you feel you've seen Airplane! enough times. These guys have a great time during the commmentary, and their fun and laughter is contagious. Usually, I find it annoying when the commentator(s) sit and laugh at their own jokes, but in this case it works-- because their jokes are extremely funny. Downside: Where are the deleted scenes featured in the network TV version? I don't want them re-edited into the feature, but a 'deleted/alternate scenes' section would have been great. All throughout the commentary track, the guys talk about the additional footage. I know Paramount hasn't had a great track record for Special Edition materials (though they have gotten much better recently), but I think they really dropped the ball by not giving us this material that was apparently readily available. Oh well, what are you gonna do?
Rating:
Summary: Parody, gags, and literal humor.
Review: Films simply don't get any funnier than this one. Even if a gag fails for one person, it hits a home run for another. If it didn't make you laugh, just wait, another gag is on the way. After seeing this film as many times as I have I am starting to notice all the comedic detail that makes this a bona-fide classic in the genre. Like when the doctor who is keeping the heart beating for a transplant for one of the passengers is talking on the phone. Look in the background and you will see shelf after shelf of "Best Foods" mayonaise. Another detail I hadn't noticed before is when the reporters arrive for a statement and hold out their microphones. I never noticed this before, having always focused on the person speaking, but instead of a microphone one of the reporters is holding out a chocolate ice cream cone. There are gags aplenty, and some literal humor that both made me laugh and roll my eyes skyward. The reason the story holds together is the film's penchant for parody. They parody disaster flicks, romance films, and they mix "Saturday Night Fever" with "Casablanca" complete with a Western bar fight between two Girl Scouts. There is a dated feel to the film, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar mentioning Bill Walton and Bob Lanier, for instance; or the occassional reference to a TV commercial from the era like when an airline employee checks the "radar range" and we see him open up a microwave with a turkey inside, or when we hear a female passenger voice-over say that her husband never takes a second cup of coffe at home. For those who lived through that time, and fondly remember the release of this fantastic comedy, all the jokes work. This is a crazy, fun film! Take it easy.
Rating:
Summary: The "Star Wars" Of Comedy Films!
Review: Airplane! was recently called "One of the top ten funniest movies of all time." This is very well deserved. Airplane is a film that keeps throwing gags at us and we all keep laughing so hard that by the time we've finished the movie we have to catch our breath. A absoloutley hilarious joke comes, we laugh, we start to stop laughing, and another one comes that's even funnier than the one before it and we laugh before we can catch our breath! It takes strong comic talent for a movie to keep us laughing like that! Let's explore this classic spoof film. Flight 209 is heading to Chicago. It's March 5th and Elaine Dickenson (Julie Hagerty) has just run away from her ex-boyfriend Ted Striker (Robert Hays). However, Ted comes home early, finds her note, and speeds to the airport to stop her before she gets on the flight and intends to change her life in Chicago. His attempts to get her back fail, so he follows her on the plane, haunted by flashbacks of his expierience in the war, where he lost most of his squadron while on a foolish attack. Bad luck takes the day when all the pilots become very ill courtesy of food-poisoning in the fish. Even more bad luck comes when passengers start getting sick for the same reason and now it's up to Ted to land the plane with the help of his ex-girlfriend, a doctor (Leslie Nielson), stewardess Randy (Lorna Patterson), a loony air-port controller by the name of McCroskey (Lloyd Bridges), and and old friend (?) from the war, Rex Cramer (Robert Stack). It may sound serious, but not one thing is meant to be taken seriously in this unbelievably hilarious film. Every shot (yes) has something funny in it, whether it is subtle (the air-plane makes a propellor blade noise) or some very out-in-the-open ones I will not give away. Let's just say, watching this movie may be the most hilarious expierience of your life. All the actors are right on. Delighfully acting serious amidst all the slap-stick things going on, it's pitch perfect. Robert Hays is swell as paranoid Striker, and Hagerty is good as his ex, but those who deserve special recognition are surely Leslie Nielson (Don't call me Shirley!), Lloyd bridges (Look's like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking), Robert Stack (No, that's just what they'll be expecting us to do!) and Steven Stucker as the clueless Johnny (Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes and curtains in the windows and wheels, and it looks like a big tylenol). But this an excellent cast. The directing is handled by the now famous Zucker brothers and Abraham, whose only previous film was The Kentucky Fried Movie. The directing is very Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker, which means HILARIOUS. Knowing what they're doing, they're the ones who wrote this beautiful script! The DVD for the film is a cut above most Paramount features, but still seriously lacking, especially for such a classic film. There's a commentary by the director's that runs out of steam after about half an hour (it's one of those commentaries where they say they're gonna talk about a certain thing and never do). The commentary was a big dissipointment for me, because I expected info on how a lot of gags got thought up. Nothing like that here. A trailer is also included, but it's very long and ruins a lot of the funniest moments by putting them along with stupid music and making the movie look very unfunny. The presentation quality of the film is actually very good, though. The picture is not bad at all, much brighter than the mushy presentations of previous video and TV incarnations of the film. The grain has been very reduced to a minimum and the quality is very good for a 22 year old movie. The sound is a new remastered 5.1 surround that gets the job done admirably. After videos that would go from LOUD LOUD LOUD to quiet quiet quiet, this new sound is great. Well-balanced and with the music well-placed and the voices clear, you'll love the new sound (why Paramount's Friday The 13th movies are getting treated with Mono soundtracks is beyond me). However, a complaint I hold against this DVD the most is- where are those TV scenes? When the movie plays on TV, it includes some cool extra scenes that extend the running time and add some more laughs. They include more scenes with the little kids acting like adults and more scenes with Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Robert Hays and Julie Hagery, as well as Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges. They are nowhere on this DVD. BIG dissipointment. I don't think Paramount quite get the point of DVD. They re supposed to be movies on disks with superior picture and sound quality as well as interesting behind the scenes features and DELETED SCENES. Anyway, that's the big thing missing on this DVD. Airplane was followed by a sequel, Airplane 2 The Sequel which failed to keep the laughs the original had going and usually recycled stuff from the first film with new actors. Also, it missed a lot of great characters from th original. Leslie Nielson, Robert Stack, Lorna Patterson, a lot of people missing from the sequel. That movie is good fun, there are some good laughs, but the original will always be the best. Period.
Rating:
Summary: Barbara Billingsley Talks Jive
Review: Yes, for all you "Leave it to Beaver" fans, Beaver Cleaver's mom speaks jive in this movie and does a fine job. It's hilarious. This is probably the funniest movie ever made and certainly has more laughs per minute than any other movie. There's no subtlety, this is pure slapstick, but done masterfully by all the participants. The opening disco scene where Robert Hayes parodies "Saturday Night Fever" will have you on the floor, clutching your sides as they split open from laughing so hard. Leslie Nielson, Robert Stack and Lloyd ("I guess I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue") Bridges all turn in sterling, hilarious performances. Robert Stack's scene where he beats up everyone in the airport is just another in a long line of classic scenes. This movie is as funny as it was 20 years ago when it was released. The AFI recently listed it at number 10 on their all-time "Funniest Movies" list and they blew it. It should have been number one. It's *that* funny.
Rating:
Summary: One of the all-time great comedies!
Review: Airplane! is most definitely one of the ten greatest comedies of all time, and it's held up well over the past 24 years or so. Normally, this type of parody/slapstick comedy bores me to tears, but I think it's the dry delivery in Airplane! that makes everything work. A classic performance from Leslie Nielsen doesn't hurt, either. Even though this movie spoofed some of the biggest movies of its time period, the fact that Airplane! is remembered just as fondly (if not "fondlier") is testament to how great this film is. Anyone that enjoys comedies must A)Watch this movie, B)Own this movie, and C)Repeat lines from this movie as often as possible.
Rating:
Summary: Wide-Ranging Parody, Hysterical Results
Review: I have always felt that even the best parodies (like most Mel Brooks' films) tend to run out of gas once the novelty wears off. The reason AIRPLANE does not run out of jet fuel is that it embraces so many different forms and films to sustain its energy and comedy. Obviously, there are parodies of the disaster films that proliferated in the 70s. But AIRPLANE also parodies love stories ("Casablanca", "From Here to Eternity", "Love Story") and countless soap operas. Then there are parodies of individual movie scenes, especially the gut-splitting "Saturday Night Fever" parody. And the cast is filled with So-called second-tier stars like Leslie Neilsen, Lloyd Bridges, and Robert Stack, all of whom do a great job, and are great sports to poke fun of their usual roles. Cameos abound, but nothing is funnier than Barbara Billingsley (yes, June Cleaver) as a jive-interpretor. I have no idea how this film will stand with younger viewers who have been inundated with Police Academy movies and the other AIRPLANE spin-offs. All I know is that I just love this MAD magazine on film!
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