Airplane! (1980). Written and directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker; starring Robert Hayes, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Leslie Nielsen, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, and Robert Stack.
haha - awesome montage of clips ... I went to the YouTube site of the user who posted the Jive video and found one for "Johnny the office boy" too -- good stuff.
I really don't think they make these kind of comedies any more - why? Are they too low-brow, or too high-brow? Is it considered too lame to have endless word puns thrown into the mix these days? Are constant-string-of-gag comedies just not in fashion any more?
Even though there are numerous great scenes from this movie, this one sticks with me because it has no equal.
I think they're definitely too high-brow, Josh. The modern spoof is something like Superhero Movie or Meet The Spartans - bodily fluid humor and inane ripoffs of movies that are, ironically, in theaters at exactly the same time. I was going to say that something like Airplane! would be considered too politically incorrect these days, but I don't think it's true.
Incidentally, the same writing team from Airplane! had what I thought was there last gasp almost 10 years ago with High School High. That still had some fresh comedy.
The most recent comedy I've seen that did what Airplane! did successfully was 1999's Dick. Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams have a surprising flair for comedy. But I wonder if people who didn't grow up in the Nixon era or who weren't familiar with it would find it as hilarious as I did.
Really? I have to say it was Kirsten Dunst who actually kept me away from that one. I suppose I could try to overlook her, but that's asking a lot of me, haha...
Somewhere between Spider-Man sequels I totally lost my appreciation for her. I didn't see Marie Antoinette and I know people loved her in that. I don't know what it is about her. I'm sure she's a nice person...
Williams, for her part, didn't impress me until The Station Agent, but I thought she was great in Brokeback Mountain and I'm Not There as well.
Ah, classic is the word for it. I love the fact that the so-called "jive" is actually a blend of ebonics, period street slang and (during the dinner ordering scene) greasy spoon shorthand.
I like the find, Sarah! This first Short Cut is one of my favorites. I wish I knew someone who I could reenact the scene with. Guess I'd have to memorize it first.
Thanks for posting this. It's such a classic!
ReplyDeleteThis movie damaged my tiny little 11-year-old mind...and I'm glad!
ReplyDeleteAnd this scene is one of the of the best.
haha - awesome montage of clips ... I went to the YouTube site of the user who posted the Jive video and found one for "Johnny the office boy" too -- good stuff.
ReplyDeleteI really don't think they make these kind of comedies any more - why? Are they too low-brow, or too high-brow? Is it considered too lame to have endless word puns thrown into the mix these days? Are constant-string-of-gag comedies just not in fashion any more?
Even though there are numerous great scenes from this movie, this one sticks with me because it has no equal.
ReplyDeleteI think they're definitely too high-brow, Josh. The modern spoof is something like Superhero Movie or Meet The Spartans - bodily fluid humor and inane ripoffs of movies that are, ironically, in theaters at exactly the same time. I was going to say that something like Airplane! would be considered too politically incorrect these days, but I don't think it's true.
Incidentally, the same writing team from Airplane! had what I thought was there last gasp almost 10 years ago with High School High. That still had some fresh comedy.
The most recent comedy I've seen that did what Airplane! did successfully was 1999's Dick. Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams have a surprising flair for comedy. But I wonder if people who didn't grow up in the Nixon era or who weren't familiar with it would find it as hilarious as I did.
ReplyDeleteReally? I have to say it was Kirsten Dunst who actually kept me away from that one. I suppose I could try to overlook her, but that's asking a lot of me, haha...
ReplyDeleteSeriously? I really like her and think she's a very good actress. I was more leery of Williams, but she nailed her character.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere between Spider-Man sequels I totally lost my appreciation for her. I didn't see Marie Antoinette and I know people loved her in that. I don't know what it is about her. I'm sure she's a nice person...
ReplyDeleteWilliams, for her part, didn't impress me until The Station Agent, but I thought she was great in Brokeback Mountain and I'm Not There as well.
Ah, classic is the word for it. I love the fact that the so-called "jive" is actually a blend of ebonics, period street slang and (during the dinner ordering scene) greasy spoon shorthand.
ReplyDeleteI like the find, Sarah! This first Short Cut is one of my favorites. I wish I knew someone who I could reenact the scene with. Guess I'd have to memorize it first.
ReplyDelete