list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Airplane! on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Airplane/731/default.aspx Title: Airplane!
Year: 1980
Director: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Plot: This spoof of the Airport series of disaster movies relies on ridiculous sight gags, groan-inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting -- a comedy style that would be imitated for the next 20 years. Airplane! pulls out all the clichés as alcoholic pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays), who's developed a fear of flying due to wartime trauma, boards a jumbo jet in an attempt to woo back his stewardess girlfriend (Julie Hagerty). Food poisoning decimates the passengers and crew, leaving it up to Striker to land the plane, with the help of a glue-sniffing air traffic controller (Lloyd Bridges) and Striker's vengeful former captain (Robert Stack), who must both talk him down. Along the way, we meet a clutch of stock disaster movie passengers like the guitar-strumming nun, a sick little girl, a frightened old lady, and two African-American travelers whose "jive" has to be subtitled. Leslie Nielsen portrays the plane's doctor, launching a new phase of the actor's career that carried him through the next two decades in several similarly comedic roles. The trio of directors Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, and David Zucker responsible for the film would eventually go on to solo careers, but not before making Top Secret! and Ruthless People. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 114
Number of Lists: 80
Number of blog posts: 6
Number of discussion threads: 10
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:04:12 GMTAirplane!1980Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry ZuckerThis spoof of the <a href=/films/732/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Airport</a> series of disaster movies relies on ridiculous sight gags, groan-inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting -- a comedy style that would be imitated for the next 20 years. Airplane! pulls out all the clichés as alcoholic pilot Ted Striker (<a href="/players/P____31305/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Hays</a>), who's developed a fear of flying due to wartime trauma, boards a jumbo jet in an attempt to woo back his stewardess girlfriend (<a href="/players/P____29559/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Julie Hagerty</a>). Food poisoning decimates the passengers and crew, leaving it up to Striker to land the plane, with the help of a glue-sniffing air traffic controller (<a href="/players/P_____3198/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Lloyd Bridges</a>) and Striker's vengeful former captain (<a href="/players/P____67453/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Stack</a>), who must both talk him down. Along the way, we meet a clutch of stock disaster movie passengers like the guitar-strumming nun, a sick little girl, a frightened old lady, and two African-American travelers whose "jive" has to be subtitled. <a href="/players/P____52664/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Leslie Nielsen</a> portrays the plane's doctor, launching a new phase of the actor's career that carried him through the next two decades in several similarly comedic roles. The trio of directors <a href="/players/P____78951/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jim Abrahams</a>, <a href="/players/P___118047/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jerry Zucker</a>, and <a href="/players/P___118048/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Zucker</a> responsible for the film would eventually go on to solo careers, but not before making Top Secret! and <a href=/films/29740/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Ruthless People</a>. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide114Tag Target (>10)806103http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t78701hjc1c.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Airplane/731/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/8/11/43484.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 8/11/2009 2:04:12 PM
Body: Loaded Weapon 1 I guess the full title of this film is National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1. I could never really figure out what the connection was between the different films with the "National Lampoon's" prefix was, but I just looked it up and realized it's just the name of a production company. You know that the films are always comedies, and probably could have the descriptions of "zany", "crude", or "base" attached to them. Most people will think of Animal House or the Vacation movies (written by the recently departed John Hughes). Although I just found out the first ever National Lampoon's film was titled National Lampoon's Disco Beaver from Outer Space. But Loaded Weapon 1 is actually a bit different in that it's pretty much a spoof movie, where the others aren't. Obviously trying to work within the style created by the Zucker Abrahams Zucker team who did Airplane! and The Naked Gun, this film is much more based on a sequence of gags than really building complex character or scenarios. Which is fine with me. I love that stuff when it's done well. And I feel that Loaded Weapon 1 was done well. I have seen it a handful of times, and just pulled the shrinkwrap off a DVD that I've had in my house for a while after buying it on clearance to show my girlfriend. I think she fell asleep like she usually does, but I still had a great time. It's a short little film, as it should be. It's primarily a spoof of The Lethal Weapon movies which I have never seen. I have seen enough pieces of them and know the basic plot that I'm still able to enjoy what they are spoofing. A good spoof somehow gives you an insight into what the original scene of a movie it is spoofing was like even if you haven't seen it. It's hard to explain how this is done, but if you GET the joke, you can sense where it's coming from. One of the most striking things about the movie I think is how many cameos there are. Here's a list: Dr. Joyce BrothersJames Doohan (Scotty)F. Murray AbrahamCharlie SheenDennis LearyCorey FeldmanPhil HartmanJ.T. WalshErik EstradaLarry WilcoxPaul GleesonWhoopie GoldbergChristopher LambertBruce Willis And Denise Richards (although she was not at all a celebrity at that time) Of course you have the main characters played by Emilio Estevez who was pretty well known then. Samuel L Jackson was less well known. But then you got some other funny performances from John Lovitz, Tim Curry, Kathy Ireland, and of course the wonderful William Shatner, who tries to pull off such a goofy voice here. So if you want some laughs, and to see a "gratuitous beaver scene" check this movie out. Like I said, it's short and sweet. Rating: 9/10
]]>Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:04:12 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog8/11/2009 2:04:12 PMLoaded Weapon 1 I guess the full title of this film is National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1. I could never really figure out what the connection was between the different films with the "National Lampoon's" prefix was, but I just looked it up and realized it's just the name of a production company. You know that the films are always comedies, and probably could have the descriptions of "zany", "crude", or "base" attached to them. Most people will think of Animal House or the Vacation movies (written by the recently departed John Hughes). Although I just found out the first ever National Lampoon's film was titled National Lampoon's Disco Beaver from Outer Space. But Loaded Weapon 1 is actually a bit different in that it's pretty much a spoof movie, where the others aren't. Obviously trying to work within the style created by the Zucker Abrahams Zucker team who did Airplane! and The Naked Gun, this film is much more based on a sequence of gags than really building complex character or scenarios. Which is fine with me. I love that stuff when it's done well. And I feel that Loaded Weapon 1 was done well. I have seen it a handful of times, and just pulled the shrinkwrap off a DVD that I've had in my house for a while after buying it on clearance to show my girlfriend. I think she fell asleep like she usually does, but I still had a great time. It's a short little film, as it should be. It's primarily a spoof of The Lethal Weapon movies which I have never seen. I have seen enough pieces of them and know the basic plot that I'm still able to enjoy what they are spoofing. A good spoof somehow gives you an insight into what the original scene of a movie it is spoofing was like even if you haven't seen it. It's hard to explain how this is done, but if you GET the joke, you can sense where it's coming from. One of the most striking things about the movie I think is how many cameos there are. Here's a list: Dr. Joyce BrothersJames Doohan (Scotty)F. Murray AbrahamCharlie SheenDennis LearyCorey FeldmanPhil HartmanJ.T. WalshErik EstradaLarry WilcoxPaul GleesonWhoopie GoldbergChristopher LambertBruce Willis And Denise Richards (although she was not at all a celebrity at that time) Of course you have the main characters played by Emilio Estevez who was pretty well known then. Samuel L Jackson was less well known. But then you got some other funny performances from John Lovitz, Tim Curry, Kathy Ireland, and of course the wonderful William Shatner, who tries to pull off such a goofy voice here. So if you want some laughs, and to see a "gratuitous beaver scene" check this movie out. Like I said, it's short and sweet. Rating: 9/10 http://www.spout.com/blogs/the_mow/archive/2009/5/1/41936.aspx Post By: The_MOW
Post To: The_MOW Blog
Post Date: 5/1/2009 3:58:28 PM
Body: "Ted Striker" (Robert Hays) has tracked down his ex-girlfriend "Elaine Dickinson" (Julie Hagerty) to the airport she works out of, and purchases a ticket on her flight to talk to her despite having a fear of flying since flying in the war. While on board to talk to "Elaine", the flight crew, and some passengers, come down with a very serious case of food poisoning, and he has to conquer his fear very quickly to safely land the airplane with the help of his former superior officer who is talking him down from Chicago Air Traffic Control. Airplane! is one of the craziest movies you will ever see. There are way too many sight gags, slapsticK and funny one-liners in the film, which will require that you watch it over and over and over again. The all-star cast is hilariously fantastic, and somehow manages to play all their parts straight-faced despite the jokes that are just flying out of their mouths and around them. Leslie Neilsen stands out of the crowd with the ability to make his character, "Dr. Rumack", appear as a character in a more serious motion picture. Without giving too much away, you will see a lot of performers you would think would stay away from such an absurd movie such as this one. A word of warning, or maybe a few, Airplane! does not give the audience a rest between jokes. Some jokes work, some jokes don't -- and some jokes are so outdated that only those old enough to remember what was going on when the movie was released will laugh. The jokes are very clean, with just a pinch of more adult-oriented humor, which is on-screen very briefly. The plot is forgettable, thanks to the jokes that just don't seem to stop. It's there though, but you will be laughing enough to not even care about the story the film is telling. The visuals, and there are a lot of them, are mostly sight gags. However, you can easily tell that shots of the doomed airplane in-flight is a model. However, the model (or models) are shot in a way to make it appear to be a full-scale airplane. Like I said earlier, the cast is fantastic at playing their characters. None of the performances are intentionally way over-the-top, despite the movie being that way. There are some members of the supporting cast I think could have been used a little more, but they do help advance the storyline quite nicely. There are lots of references to movies this movie is spoofing. So, if you have never seen any of the airplane in danger movies that came out before Airplane!, you might not catch them. However, two classic movies that are referenced are very well known, and you will recognize them right off. In my opinion, Airplane! would be not just a "Must See" movie rental, but a fantastic addition to your video/DVD collection. And one more thing -- "Stop calling me 'Shirley.'"
]]>Fri, 01 May 2009 19:58:28 GMTThe_MOWThe_MOW Blog5/1/2009 3:58:28 PM"Ted Striker" (Robert Hays) has tracked down his ex-girlfriend "Elaine Dickinson" (Julie Hagerty) to the airport she works out of, and purchases a ticket on her flight to talk to her despite having a fear of flying since flying in the war. While on board to talk to "Elaine", the flight crew, and some passengers, come down with a very serious case of food poisoning, and he has to conquer his fear very quickly to safely land the airplane with the help of his former superior officer who is talking him down from Chicago Air Traffic Control. Airplane! is one of the craziest movies you will ever see. There are way too many sight gags, slapsticK and funny one-liners in the film, which will require that you watch it over and over and over again. The all-star cast is hilariously fantastic, and somehow manages to play all their parts straight-faced despite the jokes that are just flying out of their mouths and around them. Leslie Neilsen stands out of the crowd with the ability to make his character, "Dr. Rumack", appear as a character in a more serious motion picture. Without giving too much away, you will see a lot of performers you would think would stay away from such an absurd movie such as this one. A word of warning, or maybe a few, Airplane! does not give the audience a rest between jokes. Some jokes work, some jokes don't -- and some jokes are so outdated that only those old enough to remember what was going on when the movie was released will laugh. The jokes are very clean, with just a pinch of more adult-oriented humor, which is on-screen very briefly. The plot is forgettable, thanks to the jokes that just don't seem to stop. It's there though, but you will be laughing enough to not even care about the story the film is telling. The visuals, and there are a lot of them, are mostly sight gags. However, you can easily tell that shots of the doomed airplane in-flight is a model. However, the model (or models) are shot in a way to make it appear to be a full-scale airplane. Like I said earlier, the cast is fantastic at playing their characters. None of the performances are intentionally way over-the-top, despite the movie being that way. There are some members of the supporting cast I think could have been used a little more, but they do help advance the storyline quite nicely. There are lots of references to movies this movie is spoofing. So, if you have never seen any of the airplane in danger movies that came out before Airplane!, you might not catch them. However, two classic movies that are referenced are very well known, and you will recognize them right off. In my opinion, Airplane! would be not just a "Must See" movie rental, but a fantastic addition to your video/DVD collection. And one more thing -- "Stop calling me 'Shirley.'" http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_February_9_Public_Transportat/625/40359/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mciocco
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 2/9/2009 4:21:21 PM
Body: Do airplanes count? Airplane! is pretty darn funny:p These are probably more about road trips in general than public transportation, but Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and Midnight Run might count, right? Transsiberian is a recent thriller on a train. Didn't love it, but a lot of people seemed to think it was pretty good. Another recent horror movie on a train is Midnight Meat Train. Again, not especially groundbreaking stuff, but somewhat entertaining. I keep feeling like I'm really missing something obvious. Grrr. A lot of what I'm thinking of are just road trip movies, or movies that feature scenes on public transit... (like Dogma, which I'm not sure qualifies)
]]>Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:21:21 GMTmcioccoWeekly Theme2/9/2009 4:21:21 PMDo airplanes count? Airplane! is pretty darn funny:p These are probably more about road trips in general than public transportation, but Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and Midnight Run might count, right? Transsiberian is a recent thriller on a train. Didn't love it, but a lot of people seemed to think it was pretty good. Another recent horror movie on a train is Midnight Meat Train. Again, not especially groundbreaking stuff, but somewhat entertaining. I keep feeling like I'm really missing something obvious. Grrr. A lot of what I'm thinking of are just road trip movies, or movies that feature scenes on public transit... (like Dogma, which I'm not sure qualifies) http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_January_26_Female_Hysteria/625/39941/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 1/26/2009 8:13:59 PM
Body: Did anyone listen to this week's Filmcouch?................ No?? Well, I did. It was good. They talked quite a bit about horror movies and they actually touched on something I've been thinking about using for a Weekly Theme for a while now. They mentioned women in horror films and the stereotypical shriek so often heard at the moment of their imminent peril. Well, I'd like to talk about a broader topic. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's right, I wanna hear about all those "GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF" moments that have somehow become a part of film culture in general. Do any women actually act like this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ How about Betty Davis in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Or one can't forget Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. Also, the third act of a very old film called Häxan takes a very interesting turn that fits this theme. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it. OK your turn. Do you have a favorite moment. Or do y'all just hate this whole idea? I wanna hear it.
]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:13:59 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme1/26/2009 8:13:59 PMDid anyone listen to this week's Filmcouch?................ No?? Well, I did. It was good. They talked quite a bit about horror movies and they actually touched on something I've been thinking about using for a Weekly Theme for a while now. They mentioned women in horror films and the stereotypical shriek so often heard at the moment of their imminent peril. Well, I'd like to talk about a broader topic. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's right, I wanna hear about all those "GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF" moments that have somehow become a part of film culture in general. Do any women actually act like this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ How about Betty Davis in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Or one can't forget Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. Also, the third act of a very old film called H&auml;xan takes a very interesting turn that fits this theme. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it. OK your turn. Do you have a favorite moment. Or do y'all just hate this whole idea? I wanna hear it. http://www.spout.com/groups/Grew_up_in_the_80_s/Re_First_film_you_remember_seeing_in_the_theatre/38/36298/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Grew up in the 80's
Post Date: 10/14/2008 2:57:38 PM
Body: Wow, some classic 80's slapstick comedies there! I didn't know they still had drive-ins in the 80's?!? [quote user="Ravie13"] I remember going to drive-ins when I was little - it must have been easier for my parents to deal with a little kid when the little kid was manageable in their car/van. Kudos to them! The first ones I remember seeing (but I don't remember which was first) were Superman, Airplane and Zorro the Gay Blade (I was probably supposed to be asleep when that was on?). [/quote]
]]>Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:57:38 GMTseelyGrew up in the 80's10/14/2008 2:57:38 PMWow, some classic 80's slapstick comedies there! I didn't know they still had drive-ins in the 80's?!? [quote user="Ravie13"] I remember going to drive-ins when I was little - it must have been easier for my parents to deal with a little kid when the little kid was manageable in their car/van. Kudos to them! The first ones I remember seeing (but I don't remember which was first) were Superman, Airplane and Zorro the Gay Blade (I was probably supposed to be asleep when that was on?). [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Grew_up_in_the_80_s/Re_First_film_you_remember_seeing_in_the_theatre/38/36224/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Ravie13
Post To: Grew up in the 80's
Post Date: 10/12/2008 7:26:55 PM
Body: I remember going to drive-ins when I was little - it must have been easier for my parents to deal with a little kid when the little kid was manageable in their car/van. Kudos to them! The first ones I remember seeing (but I don't remember which was first) were Superman, Airplane and Zorro the Gay Blade (I was probably supposed to be asleep when that was on?).
]]>Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:26:55 GMTRavie13Grew up in the 80's10/12/2008 7:26:55 PMI remember going to drive-ins when I was little - it must have been easier for my parents to deal with a little kid when the little kid was manageable in their car/van. Kudos to them! The first ones I remember seeing (but I don't remember which was first) were Superman, Airplane and Zorro the Gay Blade (I was probably supposed to be asleep when that was on?). http://www.spout.com/groups/Grew_up_in_the_80_s/Re_What_is_your_Favorite_Comedy_of_the_1980_s/38/35589/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: filmgal81
Post To: Grew up in the 80's
Post Date: 9/26/2008 12:45:28 PM
Body: Coming to America, hands down. [quote user="divinemsjunebug"]Okay, I have two absolute favorite funny movies that I still love to watch over and over: Airplane and Caddyshack. Both of those movies make me laugh and giggle like I'm 14 again. They are both just CLASSIC 80s movies. What are some others out there that just cracked you up? [/quote]
]]>Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:45:28 GMTfilmgal81Grew up in the 80's9/26/2008 12:45:28 PM Coming to America, hands down. [quote user="divinemsjunebug"]Okay, I have two absolute favorite funny movies that I still love to watch over and over: Airplane and Caddyshack. Both of those movies make me laugh and giggle like I'm 14 again. They are both just CLASSIC 80s movies. What are some others out there that just cracked you up? [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/It_s_a_Wonderful_Night_for_Oscar/Re_AFI_s_100_Funniest_Comedy_and_the_Oscars_a/46/32696/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: It's a Wonderful Night for Oscar!
Post Date: 7/17/2008 6:08:25 PM
Body: [quote user="pippin06"] I thought I'd revive this discussion, even though I am the only one who seems to have been having it. I just watched Some Like It Hot again (for the second time), and I'm still baffled as to why this gets top honors on AFI's Funniest List when it fails to make me laugh. I sort of chuckle at Jack Lemmon, but it's not the roll-on-the-ground-clutching-your-sides-type-funny you would expect it to be for such a high ranking, at least not to me (but I know I'm not the only one who feels this way). Which makes me wonder if I've even got it right. Is my sense of humor out of wack? Or do I not appreciate the finest sensibilities of art versus comedy? Can't comedy be an art form? If comedy can be artsy, does the artsy quality detract from the funny? What's the perfect balance? And is there a film that strikes it - and if that film is Some Like It Hot, let's talk about why. [/quote] I saw Some Like It Hot not too long ago as well, and was quite disappointed knowing it's reputation. I did not laugh too much. It was also my first Marilyn Monroe movie too, and I find her quite irritating. This is also now my least favorite Billy Wilder film I've seen. So I have no idea why it's number one on this list. There are a couple others high up on the list that I don't laugh at all either like The Graduate. Annie Hall and MASH don't really make me laugh out loud either. But then you get Airplane!, the Marx Brothers, and Mel Brooks films all up high on the list too, and those all make me laugh outloud almost constantly. And then of course there is Dr. Strangelove at #3 which is no only one of the most laugh out loud hilarious movies, it is also one of the greatest movies of all time in every other category as well. I guess there's just quite a mix on the list of movies for people with different senses of humor. [quote user="pippin06"] Here, Some Like It Hot is rated #4, while Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a film I personally find gutbustingly hilarious is #1 (and that film never even made the AFI list!). [/quote] Well you seem to forget that this is the American Film Institute's list of America's Funniest Movies. Monty Python is 100% British so I don't think it counts. If we started letting those Brits and even those Canadians in we'd have a lot more to contend with.
]]>Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:08:25 GMTRisseladaIt's a Wonderful Night for Oscar!7/17/2008 6:08:25 PM[quote user="pippin06"] I thought I'd revive this discussion, even though I am the only one who seems to have been having it. I just watched Some Like It Hot again (for the second time), and I'm still baffled as to why this gets top honors on AFI's Funniest List when it fails to make me laugh. I sort of chuckle at Jack Lemmon, but it's not the roll-on-the-ground-clutching-your-sides-type-funny you would expect it to be for such a high ranking, at least not to me (but I know I'm not the only one who feels this way). Which makes me wonder if I've even got it right. Is my sense of humor out of wack? Or do I not appreciate the finest sensibilities of art versus comedy? Can't comedy be an art form? If comedy can be artsy, does the artsy quality detract from the funny? What's the perfect balance? And is there a film that strikes it - and if that film is Some Like It Hot, let's talk about why. [/quote] I saw Some Like It Hot not too long ago as well, and was quite disappointed knowing it's reputation. I did not laugh too much. It was also my first Marilyn Monroe movie too, and I find her quite irritating. This is also now my least favorite Billy Wilder film I've seen. So I have no idea why it's number one on this list. There are a couple others high up on the list that I don't laugh at all either like The Graduate. Annie Hall and MASH don't really make me laugh out loud either. But then you get Airplane!, the Marx Brothers, and Mel Brooks films all up high on the list too, and those all make me laugh outloud almost constantly. And then of course there is Dr. Strangelove at #3 which is no only one of the most laugh out loud hilarious movies, it is also one of the greatest movies of all time in every other category as well. I guess there's just quite a mix on the list of movies for people with different senses of humor. [quote user="pippin06"] Here, Some Like It Hot is rated #4, while Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a film I personally find gutbustingly hilarious is #1 (and that film never even made the AFI list!). [/quote] Well you seem to forget that this is the American Film Institute's list of America's Funniest Movies. Monty Python is 100% British so I don't think it counts. If we started letting those Brits and even those Canadians in we'd have a lot more to contend with. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/3/31/26776.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/31/2008 12:00:55 PM
Body: Remember the Cold War, when we were led to believe that Americans and Russians are so different from each other? Turns out that all that time we could have just made peace in a movie theater, watching spoofs like The Naked Gun and Airplane! together. Well, I guess the Russians could have only grown to love these kinds of comedies in the last 16 years, since the fall of the Soviet Union. But in any event, this trailer for the new film Hitler Kaput! shows that senses of humor are currently equal on both hemispheres. Even if our own latest parody, Superhero Movie, performed rather poorly at the box office over the weekend. Presently, there are no plans for Hitler Kaput! to be distributed in the U.S. (it opens in Russia on April 10), but were it not for the language barrier, it would easily be popular here. Seeming like a cross between the classic Zucker Bros. spy movie parody Top Secret! and any post-Scary Movie spoof film, it looks just dumb enough to appeal to the masses. Perhaps it could sell as a cult-ready DVD release if the dialogue is dubbed instead of subtitled. Actually, considering the fact that we can tell what is going on in the trailer, despite it being in Russian, we probably don’t need dubbing or subtitles. Visual gags like the silly dancing Hitler, the photo of Sean Connery, the swastika eye patch and plenty of slapstick bits make the movie exportable just the way it is. [via Fark.com] Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:00:55 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/31/2008 12:00:55 PM Remember the Cold War, when we were led to believe that Americans and Russians are so different from each other? Turns out that all that time we could have just made peace in a movie theater, watching spoofs like The Naked Gun and Airplane! together. Well, I guess the Russians could have only grown to love these kinds of comedies in the last 16 years, since the fall of the Soviet Union. But in any event, this trailer for the new film Hitler Kaput! shows that senses of humor are currently equal on both hemispheres. Even if our own latest parody, Superhero Movie, performed rather poorly at the box office over the weekend. Presently, there are no plans for Hitler Kaput! to be distributed in the U.S. (it opens in Russia on April 10), but were it not for the language barrier, it would easily be popular here. Seeming like a cross between the classic Zucker Bros. spy movie parody Top Secret! and any post-Scary Movie spoof film, it looks just dumb enough to appeal to the masses. Perhaps it could sell as a cult-ready DVD release if the dialogue is dubbed instead of subtitled. Actually, considering the fact that we can tell what is going on in the trailer, despite it being in Russian, we probably don’t need dubbing or subtitles. Visual gags like the silly dancing Hitler, the photo of Sean Connery, the swastika eye patch and plenty of slapstick bits make the movie exportable just the way it is. [via Fark.com] Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/3/27/26656.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 3/27/2008 2:30:32 PM
Body: Cinematic parody as it once was is dead. And after much searching and researching, I have found the murderer of this under-appreciated sub-genre of filmmaking. It’s Waldo. Oh sure, the bespectacled, striped-ski-cap-sporting little geek likes to appear anonymous, but I am positive he is to blame for the current slate of “Movie” movies: “Epic Movie,” ”Date Movie” and, most recently, “Superhero Movie.” If he’s not guilty, ask yourself this, why is he always hiding? You see, it is my assertion that the latest generation of filmgoers was weaned on Waldo in their youths. At an early age, they were trained to snoop and search page after page for the skinny little dweeb, and they approach these films much the same way. “Hey, there’s Borat!” “Oh, that’s a reference to ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’” They do not concern themselves with narrative, character development, plot, rationality, common sense or any other law, be it cinematic or logic. Just throw in a quick bodily function gag or a hip-hop reference and they are pacified.This sad state rests solely on the scrawny shoulders of that elusive little nerd who populates the books of their youth. “Oh, there’s Waldo in Paris!” “Hey, isn’t that Waldo in Tiananmen Square?” The page is simply turned and the search begins anew. The declineIt’s easy to vilify Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer (the comedically bankrupt parents of such lowest-common-denominator fare as “Date Movie,” “Epic Movie” and “Meet the Spartans”) , or one of the 8,000 writers of the original “Scary Movie” (7, 629 of which were Wayans siblings).. But they are merely feeding the audience what it apparently wants. How else can you explain the fact that an intelligent (if flawed) stab at actual parody, “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,” which actually harkened back to the days of “Airplane!” and “Naked Gun,” blinked in and out of theaters while the bottom-feeding “Spartans” landed atop the box office, making in its opening weekend almost what “Cox” earned in its entire theatrical run? “Cox” took the route traveled by the founding fathers of parody (that would be both Mel Brooks and the creative team of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abraham and David Zucker – collectively known as ZAZ), which meant building an original character based on a cinematic archetype and structuring a cohesive plot that had purpose. Conversely, “Spartans” merely planted actors who not only resembled their previous on-screen doppelgangers, but sometimes merely kept their original names in case it was too difficult for the audience to get it. Then plopped them in nearly identical settings and allowed someone to break wind, vomit, belch or breakdance (or any combination thereof). Now, apparently, mere imitation is the new parody. Storylines are cobbled with the only motive of tying the countless references crammed inside (“Spartans” mocks not only films like “300,” “Rambo,” and “Transformers,” but also makes room for television shows such as “American Idol,” “Heroes” and “Ugly Betty,” video games, commercials and even the MTV Music Video Awards). It’s the cinematic equivalent to sitting on the couch with someone who cannot stop flipping channels with the remote. The legacyDone properly, the parody film can enrich a generation with its writing. “Surely you can’t be serious?” you say. And any movie-lover worth his or her salt should be able to adequately answer that question.Take a look at some of these iconic statements made in parody films throughout the ages:· “Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!” (Blazing Saddles, 1974)· “Wait, Master. It may be dangerous. You go first!” (Young Frankenstein. 1974)· “Go away or I shall taunt you a second time. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!” (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975)· “ “ (Silent Movie, 1976)· “Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison?” (Airplane! 1980)· “I know a little German… He's sitting over there.” (Top Secret!, 1984)· “Jane, since I've met you I've noticed things that I never knew were there before: birds singing, dew glistening on a newly formed leaf, stoplights” (Naked Gun, 1988)· “My eyes are ceramic. Caught a bazooka round at Little Big Horn. Or was it Okinawa? The one without the Indians.” (Hot Shots, 1991) The future?Has the eulogy been written for the parody, an archaic artifact left best to the memory, or is there a phoenix-like future for the genre? “Superhero Movie” does not inspire much hope. While it does boast a production credit from “Airplane’s” David Zucker, it was written and directed by Craig Mazin, who, aside from penning the latest two “Scary Movie” installments, has a handful of other minor credits to his name. Really, it does not matter who is behind the lens or the script of such films, as realized by “Dewey Cox,” which was backed by current comic “it-boy” Judd Apatow. No, I think any future hope for the parody film to make a comeback will rest in the homes of those raised on the exploits of Lt. Frank Drebin, Ted Striker, Hedly Lamarr, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (“that’s Franken-steen!”) and others who not only made us laugh, but made indelible marks in our cinematic psyche. For they now have children of their own who may one day demand a bit more sophistication with their humor and need to no longer help their children find that globe-trotting geek so innocently named Waldo and stop him in his tracks before he kills again.The future of comedy as you once knew may just depend on it.
]]>Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:30:32 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog3/27/2008 2:30:32 PMCinematic parody as it once was is dead. And after much searching and researching, I have found the murderer of this under-appreciated sub-genre of filmmaking. It&rsquo;s Waldo. Oh sure, the bespectacled, striped-ski-cap-sporting little geek likes to appear anonymous, but I am positive he is to blame for the current slate of &ldquo;Movie&rdquo; movies: &ldquo;Epic Movie,&rdquo; &rdquo;Date Movie&rdquo; and, most recently, &ldquo;Superhero Movie.&rdquo; If he&rsquo;s not guilty, ask yourself this, why is he always hiding? You see, it is my assertion that the latest generation of filmgoers was weaned on Waldo in their youths. At an early age, they were trained to snoop and search page after page for the skinny little dweeb, and they approach these films much the same way. &ldquo;Hey, there&rsquo;s Borat!&rdquo; &ldquo;Oh, that&rsquo;s a reference to &lsquo;Pirates of the Caribbean.&rsquo;&rdquo; They do not concern themselves with narrative, character development, plot, rationality, common sense or any other law, be it cinematic or logic. Just throw in a quick bodily function gag or a hip-hop reference and they are pacified.This sad state rests solely on the scrawny shoulders of that elusive little nerd who populates the books of their youth. &ldquo;Oh, there&rsquo;s Waldo in Paris!&rdquo; &ldquo;Hey, isn&rsquo;t that Waldo in Tiananmen Square?&rdquo; The page is simply turned and the search begins anew. The declineIt&rsquo;s easy to vilify Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer (the comedically bankrupt parents of such lowest-common-denominator fare as &ldquo;Date Movie,&rdquo; &ldquo;Epic Movie&rdquo; and &ldquo;Meet the Spartans&rdquo;) , or one of the 8,000 writers of the original &ldquo;Scary Movie&rdquo; (7, 629 of which were Wayans siblings).. But they are merely feeding the audience what it apparently wants. How else can you explain the fact that an intelligent (if flawed) stab at actual parody, &ldquo;Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,&rdquo; which actually harkened back to the days of &ldquo;Airplane!&rdquo; and &ldquo;Naked Gun,&rdquo; blinked in and out of theaters while the bottom-feeding &ldquo;Spartans&rdquo; landed atop the box office, making in its opening weekend almost what &ldquo;Cox&rdquo; earned in its entire theatrical run? &ldquo;Cox&rdquo; took the route traveled by the founding fathers of parody (that would be both Mel Brooks and the creative team of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abraham and David Zucker &ndash; collectively known as ZAZ), which meant building an original character based on a cinematic archetype and structuring a cohesive plot that had purpose. Conversely, &ldquo;Spartans&rdquo; merely planted actors who not only resembled their previous on-screen doppelgangers, but sometimes merely kept their original names in case it was too difficult for the audience to get it. Then plopped them in nearly identical settings and allowed someone to break wind, vomit, belch or breakdance (or any combination thereof). Now, apparently, mere imitation is the new parody. Storylines are cobbled with the only motive of tying the countless references crammed inside (&ldquo;Spartans&rdquo; mocks not only films like &ldquo;300,&rdquo; &ldquo;Rambo,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Transformers,&rdquo; but also makes room for television shows such as &ldquo;American Idol,&rdquo; &ldquo;Heroes&rdquo; and &ldquo;Ugly Betty,&rdquo; video games, commercials and even the MTV Music Video Awards). It&rsquo;s the cinematic equivalent to sitting on the couch with someone who cannot stop flipping channels with the remote. The legacyDone properly, the parody film can enrich a generation with its writing. &ldquo;Surely you can&rsquo;t be serious?&rdquo; you say. And any movie-lover worth his or her salt should be able to adequately answer that question.Take a look at some of these iconic statements made in parody films throughout the ages:&middot; &ldquo;Badges? We don&#39;t need no stinking badges!&rdquo; (Blazing Saddles, 1974)&middot; &ldquo;Wait, Master. It may be dangerous. You go first!&rdquo; (Young Frankenstein. 1974)&middot; &ldquo;Go away or I shall taunt you a second time. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!&rdquo; (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975)&middot; &ldquo; &ldquo; (Silent Movie, 1976)&middot; &ldquo;Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison?&rdquo; (Airplane! 1980)&middot; &ldquo;I know a little German&hellip; He&#39;s sitting over there.&rdquo; (Top Secret!, 1984)&middot; &ldquo;Jane, since I&#39;ve met you I&#39;ve noticed things that I never knew were there before: birds singing, dew glistening on a newly formed leaf, stoplights&rdquo; (Naked Gun, 1988)&middot; &ldquo;My eyes are ceramic. Caught a bazooka round at Little Big Horn. Or was it Okinawa? The one without the Indians.&rdquo; (Hot Shots, 1991) The future?Has the eulogy been written for the parody, an archaic artifact left best to the memory, or is there a phoenix-like future for the genre? &ldquo;Superhero Movie&rdquo; does not inspire much hope. While it does boast a production credit from &ldquo;Airplane&rsquo;s&rdquo; David Zucker, it was written and directed by Craig Mazin, who, aside from penning the latest two &ldquo;Scary Movie&rdquo; installments, has a handful of other minor credits to his name. Really, it does not matter who is behind the lens or the script of such films, as realized by &ldquo;Dewey Cox,&rdquo; which was backed by current comic &ldquo;it-boy&rdquo; Judd Apatow. No, I think any future hope for the parody film to make a comeback will rest in the homes of those raised on the exploits of Lt. Frank Drebin, Ted Striker, Hedly Lamarr, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (&ldquo;that&rsquo;s Franken-steen!&rdquo;) and others who not only made us laugh, but made indelible marks in our cinematic psyche. For they now have children of their own who may one day demand a bit more sophistication with their humor and need to no longer help their children find that globe-trotting geek so innocently named Waldo and stop him in his tracks before he kills again.The future of comedy as you once knew may just depend on it. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
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