Airplane!

Jim Abrahams/David Zucker | USA | 1980 | 86 mins

It has to be said that Airplane! is neither the best or most worthy film in our programme, but, hey, it's a bloody good laugh anyway.

The end of the '70s saw a glut of disaster movies, The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno are just two in a long list of tight nylon polo-neck and flared trouser bedecked masterpieces (watch them again and you'll see what I mean). Onto this scene came Airplane! an unashamed, and very funny, spoof of the disaster genre. If you think this sort of phenomenon is familiar, consider the situation in recent years where a vast number of "straight" horror films have led into a period of more tongue-in-cheek versions, such as Scream.

The plot of Airplane! revolves around Ted Striker (Robert Hays), an ex-fighter pilot with an unfortunate fear of flying. His life has been rapidly falling apart, and the final straw comes when his flight attendant girlfriend, Elaine Dickinson (played by Julie Hagerty), dumps him. In an attempt to save their relationship Ted follows Elaine onto her next flight. Of course things do not go to plan, a bout of food poisoning hits passengers and crew leaving Ted to overcome his fears and save the day.

What makes Airplane! fun is the pure stupidity of its gags, from the bouncing heart to Otto the inflatable autopilot. There are also so many memorable lines that have wormed their way into our subconscious; I have to admit to using the "drinking problem" line on numerous occasions when my beer somehow misses my mouth. But, surely, the best line is... well, I'll let you decide.

Oh, and don't call me Shirley (sorry it had to be done)

Review by Sarah Woolner
Taken from EUFS programme spring 2000