Airplane! (Wide Screen) > Reviews > Funathon

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Good
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Good
How does it compare to similar films?	Not applicable

Advantages:	funny, funny, funny
Disadvantages:	none really, some people may not like it

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Airplane! (1980)

Characters

Robert Hays - Theodore 'Ted' Striker
Robert Hays plays an ex-aircraft pilot who flew in the war and caused a massive accident by telling his squadron to fly too low. He has been indecisive ever since and had trouble with his relationship with Elaine. Robert Hays plays this role with competence and is very good in making his character come alive. He has many minor roles since but never made it big-time.

Julie Hagerty - Elaine Dickinson, Stewardess
Elaine Dickinson was the former lover of Ted Striker, she left him because he has no self-confidence and was becoming obsessed about the war. She is a stewardess on the flight that Ted gets. Julie Hagerty plays the role well and blends into her character well. This was her first ever acting role and she did a good job for it to be her debut.

Lloyd Bridges - Steven McCroskey, Chicago Air Control
One of his 176 films, Lloyd Bridges is the Air Traffic Control person with an added twist; he flew with Ted during the war. He is a stereotypical ATC who smokes, glue-sniffs and smokes tobacco and drugs and is generally very stressed.

Leslie Nielsen - Doctor Rumack
Leslie Nielsen is a comedy legend! He makes ever film he appears in amazing. He is a doctor in this film and is as funny as all his movies. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that it is his best film, nor would I say that he makes the film funny, it would be funny without him. However, he is a genius when it comes to making movies. In case anyone doesn’t know who he is, Leslie Nielsen is the guy in Wrongfully Accused and he Naked Gun Series.

There are also the co-pilots, Roger and Captain Over, religious enthusiasts and the rest of the eccentric passengers.

Story

Ted Striker is having a bad time after botching a Second World War mission in which several of his squadron died. He is now indecisive and lacking in self-confidence. He also has a drinking problem, more later.

He is chasing, his lover, Elaine through an airport and gets a plane that she will be on as a stewardess. He boards the plane, but soon enough, it gets into trouble as everyone gets food poisoning from the fish.

It is up to Elaine, Dr Rumack and Ted to save the plane and all the passengers on it.

Why Is It So Funny?
Clichés
This film has so many clichés and stereotypes, it is unbelievable. Everyone is a stereotype from the passengers to the pilots.

- One of the air traffic controllers (McCroskey) keeps on saying “Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop *******” (Insert a variety of bad habits including sniffing-glue, drinking, smoking etc…
- Another ATC Johnny, is camp, not really a stereotype but still very funny. He has some great lines such as “Well, it's a big pretty white plane with a red stripe, curtains at the windows, wheels, and it just looks like a big Tylenol!” when he is asked to describe the situation about the plane.
- Two of the passengers are Jive Dudes and speak Jive. This makes for some interesting listening, as jive may sound rude if you don’t read the subtitles, but you’ll have to see for yourself.
- The two co-pilots are called Roger and Mr. Over. This is interesting as when they are speaking with ATC, the words Roger and Over are used to sign off at the end of a conversation.
- The pilot is gay and has an interesting conversation with a little boy, Joey who comes up to the cockpit to have a look around.
- The whole way through the film, people ask about something and get a different answer, this is hard to explain so here is another quote for your benefit,

Rumack: You'd better tell the Captain we've got to land as soon as we can. This woman has to be gotten to a hospital.
Elaine: A hospital? What is it?
Rumack: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.

Old lady: Nervous?
Ted Striker: Yes.
Old lady: First time?
Ted Striker: No, I've been nervous lots of times.

- The jet sounds like a Second World War fighter.
- The auto-pilot is a dummy.

Verdict

As you have probably noticed, like this film. It is a movie full of jokes, hidden jokes, clichés and anything else that the scriptwriters could think off that was funny. The acting is brilliant; without good acting, this film could’ve been a flop.

It is pure comedy from start to finish with pure comedy in the middle too.

If this was released today, it might have been banned or heavily censored, it is only a 15 but might have been higher if released now. It lasts 88 minutes which is about right, as it was longer, it would have got broing, any shorter would have forced the director to cut soem scenes out.

Laughs, Chris.