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Airplane!

6.4

89,592

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3 Related Movies

Sequel:

Airplane II: The Sequel

Related to:

Airplane Mode

Original title

Airplane!

Year

1980

Running time

88 min.

Country

United States

Director

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

Screenwriter

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

Cast

Music

Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography

Joseph F. Biroc

Producer

Paramount Pictures, Howard W. Koch

Genre

Comedy | Broad Comedy. Parody. Planes. Cult Movie

Synopsis

The quintessential movie spoof that spawned an entire genre of parody films, the original Airplane! still holds up as one of the brightest comedic gems of the '80s, not to mention of cinema itself. The humor may be low and obvious at times, but the jokes keep coming at a rapid-fire clip and its targets--primarily the lesser lights of '70s cinema, from disco films to star-studded disaster epics--are more than worthy for send-up. If you've seen even one of the overblown Airport movies then you know the plot: the crew of a filled-to-capacity jetliner is wiped out and it's up to a plucky stewardess and a shell-shocked fighter pilot to land the plane.

Awards: 1980: Golden Globes: Nominated for Best Motion Picture - Musical/Comedy

1980: BAFTA: Nominated Best Screenplay

1980: Writers Guild of America (WGA): Best Adapted Comedy Screenplay

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Critics' reviews

"If you need a few belly laughs, get a boarding pass."

Michael Blowen: Boston Globe
"An affectionate, albeit totally irreverent, tribute to the movies (...) The humor is an ingenious concoction of satire, spoof, burlesque, slapstick, raunchy dialogue and low-comedy sight gags."

The Hollywood Reporter
"It is sophomoric, obvious, predictable, corny, and quite often very funny (...) And the reason it's funny is frequently because it's sophomoric, predictable, corny, etc (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"

Roger Ebert: Chicago Sun-Times
"Though it obviously aims to be sassy and uninhibited, Airplane! never approaches the comic heights achieved unwittingly by "Airport '75"

Gary Arnold: The Washington Post
"At a time when throwaway gags seem like a luxury in any film, Airplane! has jokes—hilarious jokes—to spare. It's also clever and confident and furiously energetic"

Janet Maslin: The New York Times
"Airplane! has not aged well. The fine wine hasn't turned into vinegar but it's not as pleasant to the palate as it once was"

James Berardinelli: ReelViews

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Ranking Lists Position

2 Funniest Movie Posters Ever (5)
4 Funniest Movies Ever (167)
16 My Favorite Comedies (481)
18 Guilty Pleasures: Bad Movies I'm Into (112)
60 My Favorites from the 80s (115)
88 Movies I Grew Up With (192)

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Airplane!

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