Airplane! 2005 Staring Lloyd Bridges and Peter Graves

One of the best comedies ever made

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Airplane! Is directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker. The film stars Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Barbara Billingsley, and Lorna Patterson. Elmer Bernstein contributes the musical score.

Airplane! is a parody of "aircraft in distress" movies. The film primarily parodies the film Zero Hour, but throws in elements of other similar films, including the Airport series. But this doesn't keep it from spoofing other films, including Jaws, Saturday Night Fever, Casablanca, and From Here To Eternity. The plot of the film follows Ted Striker, a war veteran whose stewardess lover has left him and decided to move on. In an effort to win her back, he buys a ticket on her next flight - but gets more than he bargained for. Both pilots and numerous passengers fall victim to food poisoning. It's up to Striker, who has never flown an airliner before, to land the plane - with laugh-out-loud nonsensical gags, puns, and flashbacks occurring all the while.

The Zucker/Abrahams team never fails to get laughs from its audience - and no film epitomizes that like this one does. From the film's infancy on the ground, right up to the laugh-laden jet ride across the country, the laughs never stop, with great scenes around every corner. It's one of the greatest comedies ever made - no questions asked.

The cast of Airplane! Could not have been better selected. Amongst the stand-outs in the cast are Robert Hays as Ted Striker, the war veteran on a quest to get back his lover, Robert Stack as an on-the-ground captain who has to instruct Striker how to land the plane (and it doesn't help things any that their characters have a bad past), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as himself masquerading as a first officer on the ill-fated flight, Peter Graves as a pedophiliac captain, and of course, Leslie Nielsen as the doctor on board the plane - who keeps a straight face no matter how ludicrous what he says is. Perhaps even more amazingly is that, despite his great performance here, this was Nielsen's first comedy role ever! And it changed the direction of his career forever. Great cast, enough said.

Elmer Bernstein composed the musical score for the film. A legendary film composer, he had scored films of various genres as far back as the early fifties. For Airplane!, he composes a "serious" score, despite the comical nature of the movie. Not only does this actually work in the movie's favor, but it's a move countless composers since have copied.

Airplane! Has received two DVD releases from Paramount over the years. The first release was a bare-bones issue, not unlike most of Paramount's early DVD releases. Fortunately, the company has decided to go back and rerelease most of their popular films - this time with worthwhile extras. In the case of Airplane!, the new edition is the "Don't Call Me Shirley!" Edition, after one of Leslie Nielsen's most priceless lines in the film. There are a ton of new bonus features included here, and it puts the old DVD to shame. Needless to say, be sure it's the version you're picking up!

It's tough to review comedies, but rest assured - Airplane! Is a masterpiece. With lightning-fast humor coming from a brilliant cast, you won't stop laughing.

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