I don't see why they felt the need to make Airplane! when this gem already existed.
A laugh a minute! Even funnier than the original Airport. You don't often get that. I'm STILL laughing trying to find something to say about it.
You are supposed to suspend all reality and not view it as a comedy. This was made as a thriller. Suspense. It had that if you could just put your sarcastic mind aside for 100 minutes.
Hollywood is supposed to be about fantasy. This movie was fantasy, in a real life situation, that was made to be fantastic.
sorry, christopher - I have rgcustomer's back on this one. It's so hilarious that I can't believe this passed as "suspense" back then.
"Loser! Idiot! Wimp! Degnerate! SSSSSSSSSLUT!!!!"
I remember seeing this when I was little kid. We all thought it was really cool. In retrospect, its totally cheesy, even for its time. Disaster movie's were all the rage in the mid-70s (Towering Inferno, The Poseidon Adventure, etc). This was one of the worst of the bunch. The parody "Airplane" was specifically meant to spoof this movie. And it was an excellent comedy in its time.
The 1970s seem really messed up, looking back at what passed for entertainment. But you have to consider that the 747 or whatever double decker jet was in the film, was brand new, and had never been seen by most of the public.
Best line from the film, Charleton Heston- "Fly Baby Fly!"
The movie was released in 1974. I was little in the 1970's too but I clearly recall the immense hoopla surrounding the debut of the B747 in 1969. It competed with the Apollo program for our attention. By 1971 I had a battery operated 747 that rolled across the floor and turned every time it bumped into something. The engines had lights and it made this cool roaring sound. Anyone who went to a larger airport saw them and marveled that such a huge machine could become airborne. Everyone with the possible exception of Pennsylvania Amish were well aware of this aircraft.
shareI remember seeing this when I was about 6. That was back when there was 1 HBO. Everyone got a small guide at the beginning of every month. It was only on until midnight everyday. No rated R movies until after 10 pm. Lol...
shareIt's not a bad flick as far as aviation films go. The makers did more research than most of the cable news channels do today.
What drags it down is all the name actors among the passenger consist. Each with their own unentertaining personal dramas.
Heston carries the movie. George Kennedy's Patroni is over the top and comical. They kept making him more ridiculous with each sequel. The original role as a crusty old line mechanic was well done. Then they made a V-P out of him and things went downhill. The scene where he jumps a fire truck, and starts cheerleading the approach and landing is the worst. An overweight middle age man hanging off a truck, screaming and waving his arms.