Airplane! (Airplane! (DVD))

Member Name: polydeuces

Product:	Airplane! (DVD)
Date:	09/08/08 (6 review reads)
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Airplane is one comedy film that bears watching over and over again. It was written, directed and produced by the Zucker brothers- David and Jerry with Jim Abrahams who went on to make other spoof films like The Naked Gun series. Those of us who remember Police Squad with Leslie Nielsen know exactly what type of humour it is. There is a collection of visual gags aided by some hilariously funny sequences based on mistakes within the language and funny names.

Neilsen plays a doctor in this film who tries to help out in the emergency which occurs after the pilots are incapacitated. Robert Hays plays Striker who has a secret past concerning his time as a fighter pilot. As the emergency on a flight ensues he has to combat his fear and land the plane. Also by chance on the plane is his ex-girlfriend played by Julie Hagerty. The jokes cover all topics and rarely is there any scene which is not a set piece gag.
Some of the jokes do border on being a little in bad taste including the pilot trying to charm a little boy or one person who hangs themselves because of the boring story Striker is telling but generally it is all harmless. The film has some characters which clearly are taken as spoofs on the clichéd figures in the movies and sends them up. There are a number of visual references to other films as well. Some of the funniest moments are at the Help Desk where some odd questions are asked and the PA announcements at the airport.

Lloyd Bridges plays the mad air traffic controller to perfection constantly smoking and giving garbled information and Robert Stack comes in as Strikers former commander to help talk him down.
Airline is a very funny film. There is no biting satire, it just sets up the gags and keeps them running. In comedy films I prefer a little subtlety myself but there is nothing wrong with Airplane and it is cleverer than it looks.

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