Airplane Movie Analysis

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Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker first introduced their fast-paced, light-hearted comedy, Airplane!, to the big screen in the summer of 1980. Parodic in nature, Airplane! ridicules the ridiculousness of the overdramatic plot lines typical of disaster movies. While confined in a plane that’s cruising 35,000 feet in the air, ex fighter pilot and current taxi driver, Ted Striker, hilarious portrayed by Robert Hays, tries to salvage his relationship with airline stewardess, Elaine, who is played by Julie Hagerty. He boards a flight that his girlfriend is working on in a desperate attempt to win her back. However, the flight doesn’t go as smoothly as planned. Nearly everyone, including both pilots, come down with a bad case of food poisoning. …show more content…
is comedic gold. It’s littered with great jokes, witty one-liners that have stood the test of time, running gags that never get old, and slapstick comedy, all of which contribute to the movie’s lively energy. Every sentence said is a joke. In fact, most of the jokes spill out faster than the audience can catch them. The meanings behind the punchlines of many jokes hit the viewer minutes after the joke is said, resulting in a satisfying but delayed “aha” moment. The clever, much too literal responses to questions and statements are guaranteed to make you crack a smile. When one of the flight attendant inquires about the health of one passenger, Dr. Rumack states that he’s not well and that the person must be taken to a hospital. The stewardess, looking for a diagnosis, asks "A hospital? What is it?” Rumack smartly replies that "it's a big building with patients.” Additionally, the physical gags, as absurd as they may be, leave the viewers in awe of the writers’ creative genius. Their expertise can be seen whenever Ted’s “drinking problem” is highlighted. Each time Striker picks up a glass, he misses his mouth completely and spills his drink all over himself. The truly great thing about this movie, though, is the fact that the jokes have endured three decades. Every single one of them is still funny, even if you don’t get all of the 80’s pop culture references. For example, you don’t need to know anything about Ethel Merman to find the scene involving her …show more content…
Their ability to deliver their lines with little to no emotion sharply contrasts with the absurdity of the subject matter. This subtle humor heightens the effect of the jokes made and makes the audience burst out laughing. The cast never shows that they’re in on the joke, so nothing ever feels corny or planned. The utmost gravity that the actors deliver their lines with is sure to leave you with laughter lines. Leslie Nielsen proves that he’s the king of deadpan comedy through his portrayal of the doctor. His most iconic lines are those which he delivered ever so bluntly in this film. When he asks Ted to fly the plane, a surprised Ted replies with “surely you cant’t be serious.” Rumack gravely informs him that he is serious, but instructs him not to call him Shirley. His dry wit epitomizes the movie.

Airplane!, with its silly humor and glorious acting, continues to soar high above older and contemporary comedy movies alike. It’s free spiritedness is unapologetically unique. It’s certain to make you laugh the whole way through. It’s everything you could want in a comedy movie and more, and it surely deserves six stars out of
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