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Airplane! (1980)
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Synopsis
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
Cast
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Murdock
Lloyd Bridges
McCroskey
Peter Graves
Capt. Oveur
Julie Hagerty
Elaine Dickinson
Robert Hays
Ted Striker
Leslie Nielsen
Dr. Rumack
Lorna Patterson
Randy
Robert Stack
Kramer
Stephen Stucker
Johnny
Production Crew
Hunt Lowry
Associate Producer
Fred Smith
Camera Operator
Joel Thurm
Casting
Tom Mahoney
Choreography
Tom Mahoney
Choreography
Joseph Biroc
Cinematographer
Elmer Bernstein
Composer (Music Score)
Rosanna Norton
Costume Designer
David Zucker
Director
Jerry Zucker
Director
Jim Abrahams
Director
Patrick Kennedy
Editor
David Zucker
Executive Producer
Jerry Zucker
Executive Producer
Jim Abrahams
Executive Producer
Arne Schmidt
First Assistant Director
David Zucker
Producer
Howard W. Koch, Jr.
Producer
Jerry Zucker
Producer
Jim Abrahams
Producer
Jon Davison
Producer
Ward Preston
Production Designer
David Zucker
Screenwriter
Jerry Zucker
Screenwriter
Jim Abrahams
Screenwriter
Anne McCulley
Set Designer
Tom Overton
Sound/Sound Designer
Bruce Logan
Special Effects
Jesse Wayne
Stunts
Year: 1980
Runtime: 88
Country: USA
MPAA Rating: PG
Category: Feature
Genre
Comedy
Color type
Metrocolor
Produced by
Howard W. Koch Productions
Paramount
Awards
1980 - Best Picture - Musical or Comedy - Golden Globe
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