View source for Airplane!

{{short description|1980 American satirical comedy film}}
{{redirect|Flying High!||Airplane (disambiguation)|and|Flying High (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Airplane!
| image          = Airplane! (1980 film).jpg
| alt            = A plane flying in the sky, with its front half being twisted. The top tagline reads "What's slower than a speeding bullet and able to hit tall buildings at a single bound!" The film's title is placed below the aircraft with another tagline reading "Thank God it's only a motion picture!". The films credits are placed below it.
| caption        = Theatrical release poster by [[Robert Grossman (artist)|Robert Grossman]]
| director       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Jim Abrahams]]
* [[David Zucker]]
* [[Jerry Zucker]]
}}
| producer       = [[Jon Davison (film producer)|Jon Davison]]
| writer  = {{Plainlist|
* Jim Abrahams
* David Zucker
* Jerry Zucker
}}
| based_on       = ''{{based on|[[Zero Hour!]]''|[[Arthur Hailey]]<br />[[Hall Bartlett]]<br />John Champion}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Robert Hays]]
* [[Julie Hagerty]]
}}
| music          = [[Elmer Bernstein]]
| cinematography = [[Joseph Biroc]]
| editing        = Patrick Kennedy
| studio         = [[Paramount Pictures]]<br />[[Howard W. Koch|Howard W. Koch Productions]]
| distributor    = Paramount Pictures
| released       = {{Film date|1980|6|27|Toronto and Buffalo<ref name=op/>|1980|7|2|Wide}}
| runtime        = 87 minutes<ref>{{cite web |title=Airplane! |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/airplane-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmdm3mdq |website=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |access-date=February 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316142930/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/airplane-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmdm3mdq |archive-date=March 16, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $3.5 million<ref name="Numbers">{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Airplane#tab=summary |title=Airplane! (1980) - Financial Information |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=August 15, 2010 |archive-date=June 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620015751/http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Airplane#tab=summary |url-status=live }}</ref>
| gross          = $171 million<ref name=ww/>
}}

'''''Airplane!''''' (alternatively titled '''''Flying High!''''')<ref name="bfi">{{cite web|title=Airplane! (1980)|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6bbdabaa|website=British Film Institute|access-date=December 16, 2017|archive-date=December 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216203805/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6bbdabaa|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a 1980 American [[disaster film|disaster]] [[comedy film]] written and directed by [[Jim Abrahams]] and brothers [[David Zucker|David]] and [[Jerry Zucker]] in their [[List of directorial debuts|directorial debut]],<ref name="Airplane!">{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/66945/airplane#credits|title=Airplane!|work=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date=May 21, 2016|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816032610/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/66945/Airplane-/full-credits.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and produced by [[Jon Davison (film producer)|Jon Davison]]. It stars [[Robert Hays]] and [[Julie Hagerty]] and features [[Leslie Nielsen]], [[Robert Stack]], [[Lloyd Bridges]], [[Peter Graves]], [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], and [[Lorna Patterson]].<ref name="Airplane!"/> It is a [[parody film|parody]] of the [[disaster film]] genre, particularly the 1957 Paramount film ''[[Zero Hour!]]'', from which it borrows the plot, central characters, and some dialogue.<ref name="commentary">{{cite video|people=Abrahams, Jim; Zucker, David; Zucker, Jerry; Davidson, Jon|date=2000|title=Airplane! DVD audio commentary| medium=DVD|publisher=Paramount Pictures}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title="Side-by-side" comparison: Zero Hour! (1957) Vs Airplane! (1980) | date=August 9, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-v2BHNBVCs |language=en |access-date=2022-10-10}}</ref> It also draws many elements from ''[[Airport 1975]]'' and other films in the [[Airport (film series)|''Airport'' series]]. It is known for using [[surreal humor]] and fast-paced [[slapstick comedy]], including visual and verbal puns, gags, [[running jokes]], and [[dark humor]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zuckerman |first=Esther |date=November 28, 2024 |title=The Great Gags From 'Airplane!' and More |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/28/movies/airplane-jokes-jim-abrahams.html |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

Released by [[Paramount Pictures]], it was a critical and commercial success, grossing $171 million worldwide against a budget of $3.5 million.<ref name="gross">{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1980/0RPL1.php |title=Movie Airplane! – Box Office Data, News, Cast Information |publisher=The Numbers |date=July 4, 1980 |access-date=August 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100731080511/http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1980/0RPL1.php |archive-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> The creators received the [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay#1980s|Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Comedy]], and nominations for the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]] and for the [[BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay]].

Since its release, the film's reputation has grown substantially, and ''Airplane!'' is now considered one of the [[List of films voted the best#Comedy|greatest comedy films ever made]], inspiring numerous references, homages, and further parodies in popular culture. It ranked sixth on [[Bravo (American TV network)|Bravo]]'s 100 Funniest Movies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/bravo-funniest-movies-all-time/zD1lgXmwCYi6WZUm1JQ53H/article.html#slide-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305005616/http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/bravo-funniest-movies-all-time/zD1lgXmwCYi6WZUm1JQ53H/article.html#slide-21|url-status=dead|title=Bravo's 100 Funniest Movies of All Time|date=December 31, 2013|publisher=Bravo|access-date=April 28, 2020|archive-date=March 5, 2016}}</ref> In a 2007 survey by [[Channel 4]] in the United Kingdom, it was judged the second-greatest comedy of all time, behind ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Life of Brian named best comedy|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4573444.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=January 18, 2014|archive-date=December 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210192701/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4573444.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2008, it was selected by ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine as one of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, and in 2012 was voted number one on the 50 Funniest Comedies Ever poll.<ref>{{cite web|title=The 50 Funniest Comedies Ever|url=https://www.empireonline.com/features/50comedy/default.asp?film=1|website=Empire|access-date=February 6, 2015|archive-date=September 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913134903/http://www.empireonline.com/features/50comedy/default.asp?film=1|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2010, it was selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] by the [[Library of Congress]] as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hollywood Blockbusters, Independent Films and Shorts Selected for 2010 National Film Registry|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-10-273/2010-national-film-registry-announced/2010-12-28/|website=Library of Congress|access-date=2020-05-18|archive-date=February 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228035318/https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-10-273/2010-national-film-registry-announced/2010-12-28/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="hollreporter">{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/empire-strikes-airplane-25-movies-65915 |title='Empire Strikes Back,' 'Airplane!' Among 25 Movies Named to National Film Registry |access-date=December 28, 2010 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |first=Mike |last=Barnes |date=December 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230174923/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/empire-strikes-airplane-25-movies-65915 |archive-date=December 30, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Complete National Film Registry Listing |url=https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/|website=Library of Congress|access-date=2020-05-18|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305191832/https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Plot==
Ex–[[fighter pilot]] Ted Striker is a [[Post-traumatic stress disorder|traumatized]] war veteran turned taxi driver. Because of his pathological [[fear of flying]] and subsequent "drinking problem"—he splashes beverages anywhere but into his mouth—Ted has been unable to hold a responsible job. His wartime girlfriend, Elaine Dickinson, now a [[flight attendant]], breaks off her relationship with him before boarding her rostered flight from [[Los Angeles]] to [[Chicago]]. Ted abandons his taxi and buys a ticket on the same flight to try to win her back. Once on board, however, Elaine continues to reject him, causing Ted to inadvertently drive several other passengers to suicide as he sadly reminisces.

After the in-flight meal is served, the entire flight crew and several passengers fall ill. Passenger Dr. Rumack discovers that the fish served during meal service has caused [[Foodborne illness|food poisoning]]. With the flight crew incapacitated, Elaine contacts the Chicago [[Air traffic control|control tower]] for help and is instructed by tower supervisor Steve McCroskey to activate the plane's [[autopilot]], a large inflatable dummy pilot dubbed "Otto", which will get them to Chicago, but cannot land the plane. Elaine and Rumack convince Ted to take the controls. When Steve learns Ted is piloting, he contacts Ted's former commanding officer, Rex Kramer—now serving as a commercial pilot—to help talk Ted through the landing procedure. Ted becomes uneasy when Kramer starts giving orders, and he briefly breaks down amid more wartime flashbacks. Elaine and Rumack both bolster Ted's confidence, and he manages to once again take the controls.

As the plane nears Chicago, the weather worsens, complicating the landing. With Elaine's help as co-pilot and Rex's guidance from the tower, Ted is able to land the plane safely, despite the landing gear shearing off, and the passengers suffer only minor injuries. Rescue vehicles arrive to help unload the plane. Impressed by Ted's courage, Elaine embraces and kisses him, rekindling their relationship. "Otto" restarts the plane and takes off as a female companion inflates beside him.

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Robert Hays]] as Ted Striker
* [[Julie Hagerty]] as Elaine Dickinson
* [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] as First Officer Roger Murdock
* [[Lloyd Bridges]] as Steve McCroskey
* [[Peter Graves]] as Captain Clarence Oveur
* [[Leslie Nielsen]] as Dr. Rumack
* [[Lorna Patterson]] as Randy
* [[Robert Stack]] as Captain Rex Kramer
* [[Stephen Stucker]] as Air Traffic Controller Johnny Henshaw-Jacobs
* [[Frank Ashmore]] as Flight Engineer Victor Basta
* [[Jonathan Banks]] as Gunderson
* Craig Berenson as Paul Carey
* [[Barbara Billingsley]] as jive lady
* [[Lee Bryant]] as Mrs. Hammen
* [[Nicholas Pryor]] as Jim Hammen
* [[Joyce Bulifant]] as Mrs. Davis
* [[Maureen McGovern]] as nun
* [[Kenneth Tobey]] as Air Controller Neubauer
* Marcy Goldman as Mrs. Geline
* [[Barbara Stuart]] as Mrs. Kramer
* [[Ross Harris (actor)|Ross Harris]] as Joey Hammen
* Norman Alexander Gibbs as first jive dude
* [[Al White]] as second jive dude
* David Hollander as young boy with coffee
* Michelle Stacy as young girl with coffee
* [[David Leisure]] as first Krishna
* [[Jason Wingreen]] as Dr. Brody
* [[Jill Whelan]] as Lisa Davis
* [[Ethel Merman]] as Lieutenant Hurwitz
* Lee Terri as Mrs. Linda Oveur
* [[Jimmie Walker]] as windshield wiper man
* [[James Hong]] as Japanese general
* [[Howard Jarvis]] as man in taxi
* Michael Laurence as newscaster
* [[Herb Voland]] as Air Controller Macias
* Otto as himself
}}

==Production==
[[Jerry Zucker]], [[Jim Abrahams]], and [[David Zucker]] (collectively known as [[Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker]], or ZAZ) wrote ''Airplane!'' while they were performing with the Kentucky Fried Theatre, a theatre group they had founded in 1971. To obtain material for comedy routines, they routinely recorded late-night television and reviewed the tapes later primarily to pull the commercials, a process Abrahams compared to "[[Seine fishing|seining for fish]]".<ref name="avclub oral">{{cite news | url = https://www.avclub.com/article/surely-you-cant-be-serious-oral-history-airplane-218043 | title = Surely you can't be serious: An oral history of Airplane! | first = Will | last = Harris | date = April 17, 2015 | access-date = April 17, 2015 | newspaper = [[The A.V. Club]] | archive-date = April 18, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150418003221/http://www.avclub.com/article/surely-you-cant-be-serious-oral-history-airplane-218043 | url-status = live }}</ref> During one such taping process, they unintentionally recorded the 1957 film ''[[Zero Hour!]]'', and while scanning the commercials, found it to be a "perfectly classically structured film" according to Jerry Zucker.<ref name="commentary"/><ref name="avclub oral"/> Abrahams later described ''Zero Hour!'' as "the serious version of ''Airplane!''" It was the first film script they wrote, completed around 1975,<ref name="avclub oral"/> and was originally called ''The Late Show''. The script originally stayed close to the dialog and plot of ''Zero Hour!'', as ZAZ thought they did not have a sufficient understanding of film at the time to structure a proper script.<ref name="avclub oral"/> ZAZ's script borrowed so much from ''Zero Hour!'' that they believed they needed to negotiate the rights to create the remake of the film and ensure they remain within the allowance for parody within copyright law. They were able to obtain the rights from [[Warner Bros.]] and [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] for about $2,500 at the time.<ref name="avclub oral"/> The original script contained spoofs of television commercials, but people who proofread it advised them to shorten the commercials, and they eventually removed them. When their script was finished, they were unable to sell it.<ref name=directors>{{cite book|pages=337–342|title=The Directors: Take One|author=Emery, Robert J.|chapter=The films of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams and David Zucker|publisher=Allworth Communications, Inc.|year=2002|isbn=978-1-58115-218-0}}</ref>

While failing to sell their script, the trio met director [[John Landis]], who encouraged them to write a film based on their theatre sketches. They managed to put ''[[The Kentucky Fried Movie]]'' into production in the late 1970s. [[David Zucker]] said, "it was the first time we had ever been on a movie set. We learned a lot. We learned that if you really wanted a movie to come out the way you wanted it to, you had to direct. So on the next movie, ''Airplane!'', we insisted on directing".<ref name=directors/>

Eventually the ''Airplane!'' script found its way to Paramount through [[Michael Eisner]], who had learned of the script via Susan Baerwald, another scriptwriter with [[United Artists]], and had [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] track down and meet with ZAZ to discuss details.<ref name="avclub oral"/> [[Avco Embassy Pictures]] also expressed interest in producing the film, but ZAZ decided to go with Paramount.<ref name="avclub oral"/>

Paramount insisted the film be shot in color rather than black-and-white as ZAZ wanted, and to be set aboard a jet airliner rather than propeller plane to better identify with modern filmgoers. In exchange, Paramount acquiesced to ZAZ's desire to cast serious actors for the film rather than comedy performers.<ref name="telegraph 40th"/> Principal photography began on June 20, 1979, and wrapped on August 31, with the bulk of filming having been done in August. Jerry Zucker stood beside the camera during shooting, while David Zucker and Jim Abrahams watched the video feed to see how the film would look; they conferred after each take.<ref name="AVClub">{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/robert-hays-1798227786|title=Random Roles: Robert Hays|first=Nathan|last=Rabin|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=October 4, 2011|access-date=October 20, 2012|archive-date=October 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031060323/http://www.avclub.com/articles/robert-hays%2C62766/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Casting===
David Zucker explained that "the trick was to cast actors like [[Robert Stack]], [[Leslie Nielsen]], [[Peter Graves]], and [[Lloyd Bridges]]. These were people who, up to that time, had never done comedy. We thought they were much funnier than the comedians of that time were".<ref name=directors/>

David Zucker felt Stack was the most important actor to be cast, since he was the "linchpin" of the film's plot.<ref name=directors/><ref name="avclub oral"/> Stack initially played his role in a way that was different from what the directors had in mind. They showed him a tape of impressionist [[John Byner]] impersonating Robert Stack. According to the producers, Stack was "doing an impression of John Byner doing an impression of Stack".<ref name="commentary"/> Stack was not initially interested in the part, but ZAZ persuaded him. Bridges' children advised him to take the part.<ref name=directors/> Graves rejected the script at first, considering it tasteless. During filming, ZAZ had explained to Graves that his lines spoken to a young boy, like "Have you ever seen a grown man naked?", would "be explained later in a part that you aren't in".<ref name="telegraph 40th"/> On the DVD commentary, Abrahams said: "I don't understand. What did he think was tasteless about pedophilia?"<ref name=nytimes1/>

For the role of Dr. Rumack, ZAZ initially suggested [[Dom DeLuise]], [[Christopher Lee]] (who had appeared in ''[[Airport '77]]''), [[Vincent Price]], and [[Jack Webb]], all of whom turned it down, before they considered Nielsen,<ref name="telegraph 40th"/><ref name="How We Made: Airplane!">{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2020-05-25 |title=How We Made: Airplane! |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/25/how-we-made-airplane-the-movie |access-date=2023-10-18 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> who was "just a fish in water" in his role, according to Jerry Zucker.<ref name="avclub oral"/> Nielsen's career to this point had consisted mostly of serious leading roles, but he had wanted to work in comedy and had been looking for a film to help in the transition. He was considered a "closet comedian" on set, pranking his fellow actors between shots, but immediately adopted his somber, serious persona when performing as Rumack.<ref name="telegraph 40th"/> During filming, Nielsen used a device that made farting noises to keep the cast off-balance. Hays said that Nielsen "played that thing like a maestro".<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/movies/27airplane.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Surely It's 30 (Don't Call Me Shirley!)|date=June 25, 2010|access-date=June 30, 2010|archive-date=June 30, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630091454/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/movies/27airplane.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-02 |title='Airplane!' Is Considered One of the Best Comedies of All Time. But 40 Years Ago No One Saw it Coming. |url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a33024479/airplane-1980-comedy-40th-anniversary-essay-history/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Esquire |language=en-US}}</ref> Christopher Lee would later acknowledge that turning down the role (to star in the film ''[[1941 (film)|1941]]'') was a huge mistake.<ref name=TFInterview>{{cite news|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the_total_film_interview__christopher_lee |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612192345/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the_total_film_interview__christopher_lee |archive-date=June 12, 2007 |title=The Total Film Interview – Christopher Lee |work=Total Film |date=May 1, 2005 |access-date=August 25, 2013}}</ref>

The role of Ted Striker was written for [[David Letterman]], who had auditioned for a news anchorman role in ''[[Kentucky Fried Movie]]''. Letterman did a screen test in 1979 that ZAZ liked and they wanted him to do a second audition, but Letterman did not want to pursue the role and was not selected.<ref>{{cite AV media|people=[[Jon Davison]], [[Jim Abrahams]], [[Jerry Zucker]], [[David Zucker (filmmaker)|David Zucker]]|title=Airplane! [[audio commentary]]|medium=DVD|publisher=Paramount Pictures|time=9:50–10:00|isbn=0-7921-6688-4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=David Letterman auditioned for 'Airplane!' against his better judgment |url=https://ew.com/movies/david-letterman-auditioned-for-airplane/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Chevy Chase]], [[Barry Manilow]], [[Bill Murray]] and [[Fred Willard]] were also considered for the role.<ref name="How We Made: Airplane!"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/04/fred-willard-charmingly-recounts-turning-down-a-role-in-airplane.html|title=Fred Willard Charmingly Recounts Turning Down a Role in Airplane!|date=April 8, 2011}}</ref><ref name="telegraph 40th"/> [[Caitlyn Jenner]]{{efn|At the time of production, Caitlyn was still presenting as male and known as Bruce Jenner.}} also read for the part. Instead, ZAZ opted for [[Robert Hays]], co-star of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[Sitcom|situation comedy]] ''[[Angie (TV series)|Angie]]''.<ref name="telegraph 40th"/> Elaine's part was auditioned for by [[Sigourney Weaver]] and [[Shelley Long]] but eventually went to [[Julie Hagerty]].<ref name="telegraph 40th"/> The directors advised the pair to play their roles straight.<ref name=AVClub/> Hays and Hagerty developed an on-screen chemistry that worked in the film's favor; they spent time to practice and perfect the bar dance routine set to "[[Stayin' Alive]]", among other scenes.<ref name="avclub oral"/><ref name="telegraph 40th"/>

For the "red zone/white zone" send-up of curbside terminal announcements in which public address announcers "Betty" and "Vernon" argue over the red and white zones, ZAZ went through the usual process of auditioning professional voice actors, but failed to find ones who could provide the desired authenticity. Instead, the filmmakers ultimately sought out and hired the real-life married couple who had recorded the announcement tapes which were then being used at Los Angeles International Airport.<ref>{{cite podcast|url=http://www.nerdist.com/pepisode/nerdist-podcast-airplane-the-movie/|title=Nerdist Podcast: Airplane! (The Movie)|website=Nerdist|host=Katie Levine|date=May 4, 2012|time=33:50|access-date=March 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222081357/http://www.nerdist.com/pepisode/nerdist-podcast-airplane-the-movie/|archive-date=February 22, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ZAZ lifted some of their dialog directly from the 1968 novel ''[[Airport (Hailey novel)|Airport]]'', written by [[Arthur Hailey]] who had also written ''Zero Hour!''{{'s}} script. The lifted lines included ones about an unwanted pregnancy; David Zucker said the couple "got a kick out of it".<ref name="telegraph 40th">{{cite news | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/inflatable-pilots-inappropriate-jokes-jive-talk-making-airplane/ | title = Inflatable pilots, inappropriate jokes and 'jive talk': the madcap making of Airplane! | first = Martin | last = Chilton | date = June 29, 2020 | access-date = July 2, 2020 | work = [[The Daily Telegraph]] | archive-date = July 2, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200702182240/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/inflatable-pilots-inappropriate-jokes-jive-talk-making-airplane/ | url-status = live }}</ref> The role of the Hare Krishna in the airport went to a college roommate of Hays's, newcomer [[David Leisure]], due to Leisure's willingness to shave his head for the bit part;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/surely-you-can-t-be-serious-an-oral-history-of-airplan-1798279218|title=Surely you can't be serious: An oral history of Airplane!|last=Harris|first=Will|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=2015-04-07|access-date=2020-02-03}}</ref> it would be several more years before Leisure landed his [[breakthrough role]] as [[Joe Isuzu]].<ref name=people>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/david-leisure-a-k-a-joe-isuzu-finds-that-the-road-to-success-is-paved-with-lies-lies-lies-vol-26-no-19/|title=David Leisure—a.k.a. Joe Isuzu—Finds That the Road to Success Is Paved with Lies, Lies, Lies!|last=Wolmuth|first=Roger|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=1986-11-10|accessdate=2020-02-03}}</ref> Baseball player [[Pete Rose]] was originally considered for the role of Roger Murdock.<ref name="avclub oral"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-02 |title=We Have Clearance, Clarence, to Share These Secrets About Airplane! |url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1166898/we-have-clearance-clarence-to-share-these-secrets-about-airplane |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=E! Online}}</ref>

ZAZ got businessman and Republican politician [[Howard Jarvis]] to make a [[cameo appearance]]. Jarvis, who was well known in California at the time for getting his tax policy [[1978 California Proposition 13|Proposition 13]] passed in 1978, plays the patient passenger who gets into Ted Striker's cab at the start of the film. He then spends the entire movie sitting in an empty cab with the meter running. He also has the final line, which he says after the end credits: he looks at his watch and says "Well, I'll give him another twenty minutes, but that's it!", the joke being that Jarvis was wasting money while being known for his stance on fiscal responsibility and limited spending.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fox |first1=Joel |title=The Funniest Part of California's 1978 Tax Revolt {{!}} Essay |url=https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2015/02/24/the-funniest-part-of-californias-1978-tax-revolt/chronicles/who-we-were/ |website=Zócalo Public Square |access-date=28 January 2023 |date=24 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thatericalper.com/2015/04/14/the-joke-in-airplane-hiding-in-plain-sight-that-everybody-missed/|title=The Joke In Airplane! Hiding In Plain Sight That Everybody Missed|website=www.thatericalper.com|date= April 14, 2015}}</ref>

===Music===
The film's score was composed and conducted by [[Elmer Bernstein]], who had provided soundtracks for classic films like ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]'', ''[[The Magnificent Seven]]'', ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird (film)|To Kill a Mockingbird]]'', and ''[[The Great Escape (film)|The Great Escape]]'', and performed by the [[Hollywood Studio Symphony]]. ZAZ told Bernstein they did not want an epic score like his past works but "a B-Movie level score, overdone and corny".<ref name="telegraph 40th"/> According to ZAZ, Bernstein completely understood what they were trying to do, had laughed throughout a previous cut of the film, and wrote a "fantastic score".<ref name="avclub oral"/>

In 1980, an LP soundtrack for the film was released by Regency Records which includes dialog and songs from the film. Narrated by [[Shadoe Stevens]], it features only one score track, the "Love Theme from ''Airplane!''" composed by Bernstein. The soundtrack was altered for the European ''Flying High'' release, with several featured tracks swapped for pieces original to the LP.

In April 2009, La-La Land Records announced it would release the first official soundtrack album for ''Airplane!'', containing Bernstein's complete score.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lalalandrecords.com/SpecialAnnouncement.html |title=La-La Land Records Announces a Special Mayday Alert! |website=Lalalandrecords.com |access-date=August 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819155257/http://www.lalalandrecords.com/SpecialAnnouncement.html |archive-date=August 19, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The soundtrack was released digitally on February 19, 2013, by [[Paramount Music]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Airplane! (Music from the Motion Picture)|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/airplane!-music-from-motion/id598420923|publisher=iTunes Music Store|access-date=March 15, 2013|archive-date=July 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726212838/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/airplane!-music-from-motion/id598420923|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Release==
Prior to the film's release, the directors were apprehensive following a mediocre audience response at a pre-screening, but the film earned its entire budget of about $3.5 million in its first five days of wide release.

''Airplane!'' opened on June 27, 1980, in seven theatres in [[Toronto]], grossing $83,058 in its opening weekend.<ref name=op>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 2, 1980|page=3|title='Empire' Major Exception To B.O. Slump, Hits $65-Mil In Five Wks.|last=Ginsberg|first=Steven}}</ref><ref name=Adv>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 2, 1980|page=17|title=Fasten Your Seatbelts! (advertisement)}}</ref> It also opened in two theaters in [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], grossing $14,000 in its first week.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 9, 1980|page=14|title='Evil' Ominous 16G, Buff.; 'Lagoon' 7G}}</ref> The film then expanded on Wednesday, July 2 to 705 theaters in the United States and Canada, grossing $6,052,514 in its first five days of wide release, finishing second for the weekend with a gross of $4,540,000.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 9, 1980|page=3|title=Fox's Senior Notes, Debentures Primed For Undetailed Uses}}</ref> Overall, it grossed $83 million at the US and Canadian box office and returned $40 million in rentals,<ref name=gross/> making it the [[1980 in film#Highest-grossing films (U.S.)|fourth-highest-grossing film of 1980]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Airplane! (1980)|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=airplane.htm|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=February 6, 2015|archive-date=March 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326183710/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=airplane.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Worldwide, the film earned $130 million in its initial release,<ref name="AFI film-53895">{{AFI film|53895}}</ref> and by 2002 it had made $171 million.<ref name=ww>{{Cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Top 50 worldwide grossers|date=July 15, 2002|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|page=52, Paramount at 90 supplement}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{quote box|align=right|quote="''Airplane!'' emerged in 1980 as a sharply perceptive parody of the big-budget disaster films that dominated Hollywood during the 1970s [and] introduced a much-needed deflating assessment of the tendency of theatrical film producers to push successful formulaic movie conventions beyond the point of logic".|width=30em|source=[[Library of Congress]]}}
''Airplane!'' received universal acclaim from critics and is widely regarded as one of the best films of 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmsite.org/1980.html |title=Greatest Films of 1980 |website=Filmsite.org |access-date=August 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722104331/http://www.filmsite.org/1980.html |archive-date=July 22, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Ethan Morris |url=http://www.film.com/features/story/10-best-movies-of-1980/15097039 |title=The 10 Best Movies of 1980 |website=Film.com |date=June 14, 2007 |access-date=August 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812102157/http://www.film.com/features/story/10-best-movies-of-1980/15097039 |archive-date=August 12, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.films101.com/y1980r.htm |title=The Best Movies of 1980 by Rank |website=Films101.com |access-date=August 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906013309/http://www.films101.com/y1980r.htm |archive-date=September 6, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|score=97|average=8.5|count=73|consensus=Though unabashedly juvenile and silly, ''Airplane!'' is nevertheless an uproarious spoof comedy full of quotable lines and slapstick gags that endure to this day.|ref=|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/airplane/ |title=Airplane! (1980) |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |date=January 1980 |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]] |access-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722143724/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/airplane/ |archive-date=July 22, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{Metacritic film prose|78|18|access-date=3 June 2025}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/airplane! |title=Airplane! Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=July 3, 2018 |archive-date=June 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621192053/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/airplane! |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' wrote "''Airplane!'' is sophomoric, obvious, predictable, corny, and quite often very funny. And the reason it's funny is frequently because it's sophomoric, predictable, corny, etc."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/airplane-1980|title=Airplane! :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews|website=Rogerebert.com|access-date=August 15, 2010|archive-date=September 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914172007/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/airplane-1980|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote "''Airplane!'' is more than a pleasant surprise... As a remedy for the bloated self-importance of too many other current efforts, it's just what the doctor ordered".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF1738E762BC4A53DFB166838B699EDE|title=Airplane! (1980)|date=July 2, 1980|author=Janet Maslin|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=December 2, 2010|archive-date=February 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217181340/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF1738E762BC4A53DFB166838B699EDE|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2008, ''Airplane!'' was selected by ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine as one of 'The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time'.<ref>{{cite web|title=Empire Features|url=https://www.empireonline.com/500/25.asp|access-date=August 15, 2010|work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]|archive-date=January 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119034539/http://www.empireonline.com/500/25.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> It was also placed on a similar list—'The Best 1000 Movies Ever Made'—by ''The New York Times''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/ref/movies/1000best.html|work=The New York Times|title=The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made|date=April 29, 2003|access-date=April 23, 2010|archive-date=March 29, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050329013532/http://www.nytimes.com/ref/movies/1000best.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2015, the film was ranked fourth in the [[Writers Guild of America]]'s list of '101 Funniest Screenplays'.<ref>{{cite news|title=101 Funniest Screenplays List|url=https://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-funniest-screenplays/list|work=Writers Guild of America, West|date=November 11, 2015|access-date=April 25, 2019|archive-date=February 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202091302/http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=5949|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Maxim (magazine)|MaximOnline.com]] named the airplane crash in ''Airplane!'' as number four on its list of "Most Horrific Movie Plane Crashes". Leslie Nielsen's response to Hays' "Surely you can't be serious" line—"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley"—was 79th on AFI's [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes|list of the best 100 movie quotes]]. In 2000, the [[American Film Institute]] listed ''Airplane!'' as number ten on its list of the [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs|100 funniest American films]]. In the same year, ''[[Total Film]]'' readers voted it the second-greatest comedy film of all time. It was also second in the British 50 Greatest Comedy Films poll on [[Channel 4]], beaten by ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]''. ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' voted the film the "funniest movie on video" in their list of the 100 funniest movies on video.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Brod, Doug|title=The Kings of Comedy|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=October 16, 1992|url=https://www.ew.com/article/1992/10/16/kings-comedy|access-date=July 22, 2009|archive-date=September 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904044954/http://www.ew.com/article/1992/10/16/kings-comedy|url-status=live}}</ref>

A number of actors were cast to spoof their established images: prior to their roles in ''Airplane!'', Nielsen, Stack, and Bridges were known for portraying adventurous, no-nonsense tough-guy characters. Stack's role as the captain who loses his nerve in one of the earliest airline "disaster" films, ''[[The High and the Mighty (film)|The High and the Mighty]]'' (1954), is spoofed in ''Airplane!'', as is Lloyd Bridges' 1970–1971 television role as airport manager Jim Conrad in ''[[San Francisco International Airport (TV series)|San Francisco International Airport]]''. Peter Graves was in the made-for-television film ''[[SST: Death Flight]]'', in which an [[Supersonic transport|SST]] was unable to land owing to an emergency.<ref name="Synposis">{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/478220/sst-death-flight|title=Synopsis: SST Death Flight|publisher=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date=December 7, 2014|archive-date=October 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020132211/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/478220/SST-Death-Flight/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nielsen enjoyed a major career boost subsequent to ''Airplane!''{{'}}s release. The film marked a significant change in his film persona towards [[deadpan]] comedy, notably in the three ''[[The Naked Gun|Naked Gun]]'' films: ''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' (1988)''; [[The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear|The Naked Gun 2&nbsp;{{frac|1|2}}: The Smell of Fear]]'' (1991)'';'' and ''[[Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult|Naked Gun 33&nbsp;{{frac|1|3}}: The Final Insult]]'' (1994). The films were based on the six-episode television series ''[[Police Squad!]]'' which starred Nielsen and was created and produced by Zucker–Abrahams–Zucker. This also led to his casting, many years later, in [[Mel Brooks]]' ''[[Dracula: Dead and Loving It]]''. Brooks had wanted to make the film for a long time, but put it off because, as he said: "I just could not find the right Dracula". According to Brooks, he did not see ''Airplane!'' until years after its release. When he did, he knew Nielsen would be right for the part. When it was suggested that his role in ''Airplane!'' was [[Typecasting|against type]], Nielsen protested that he had "always been cast against type before", and that comedy was what he always really wanted to do.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Andrew |last1=Dalton |first2=Bob |last2=Thomas |url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBIT_LESLIE_NIELSEN?SITE=TXMCA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |title='Airplane!', 'Forbidden Planet' actor Nielsen dies |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=November 29, 2010 |access-date=November 30, 2010 |archive-date=December 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208205723/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBIT_LESLIE_NIELSEN?SITE=TXMCA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Influence==
[[Peter Farrelly]] said of the film: "I was in [[Rhode Island]] the first time I saw ''Airplane!'' Seeing it for the first time was like going to a great rock concert, like seeing [[Led Zeppelin]] or the [[Talking Heads]]. We didn't realize until later that what we'd seen was a very specific kind of comedy that we now call the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker school".<ref name=nytimes1/> Farrelly, along with his writing partner Bennett Yellin, sent a comedy script to David Zucker, who in return gave them their first Hollywood writing job. Farrelly said: "I'll tell you right now, if the Zuckers didn't exist, there would be no [[Farrelly brothers]]".<ref name="nytimes1"/>

On the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode [[Prick Up Your Ears (Family Guy)|Prick Up Your Ears]], [[Stewie Griffin|Stewie]] is told to calm down by a line of characters holding various weapons, mimicking a scene from the movie. In the episode [[Airport '07]], [[Hugh Hefner]] gives [[Glen Quagmire|Quagmire]] a motivation speech while playing the [[Notre Dame Victory March]], another reference.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik9oESlC51c</ref><ref name="MacFarlane">{{cite video | people=MacFarlane, Seth|date=2007|title=Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Airport '07"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

During the [[Qantas Flight 72]] incident over the Indian Ocean west of [[Australia]] in 2008, the captain recited some of Lloyd Bridges' lines to relieve tension while trying to land the plane. This was commented in the ''[[Air Disasters]]'' episode "Free Fall".

The 2010 documentary ''[[Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story]]'' opens with a scene from the film, in which a passenger is offered the very short book ''Famous Jewish Sports Legends'' by a flight attendant.<ref name=latimes1>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-nov-19-la-et-jews-baseball-20101119-story.html|author=Kenneth Turan|title=Movie review: 'Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story'|work=Los Angeles Times|date=November 19, 2010|access-date=December 12, 2010|archive-date=December 4, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204034008/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/19/entertainment/la-et-jews-baseball-20101119|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=jewsandbaseball1>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewsandbaseball.com/film1.html|title=Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story|publisher=Jewsandbaseball.com|access-date=December 12, 2010|archive-date=August 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811064202/http://www.jewsandbaseball.com/film1.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The ''[[MythBusters]]'' TV show episode "Airplane Hour" reenacted the climax of the film to see if an inexperienced pilot could land a plane with only a call from Air Traffic Control. The Mythbusters had to use a simulation to test the myth but concluded that the scene was plausible. They did, however, mention that most planes today have an autopilot to land the plane safely.

In the 2012 film ''[[Ted (film)|Ted]]'', main character John Bennett tells the story of how he met Lori Collins. The flashback is a close recreation of the scene where Ted Striker met Elaine Dickinson in the disco.<ref name="HuffPost">{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ryan/ted-25-questions_b_1619250.html|title='Ted': Will 'Ted' Make You Feel Guilty For Laughing?|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|date=June 22, 2012|access-date=October 9, 2013|archive-date=March 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312034420/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ryan/ted-25-questions_b_1619250.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In early 2014, [[Delta Air Lines]] began using a new on-board safety film with many 1980s references, featuring an ending with a [[cameo appearance|cameo]] of [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] reprising his role as co-pilot Roger Murdock.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/delta-airlines-promotes-safety-1980s-themed-video-article-1.1595323|title=SEE IT: Delta Airlines promotes safety in 1980s-themed video|author=Joel Landau|date=January 29, 2014|access-date=June 9, 2014|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714215649/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/delta-airlines-promotes-safety-1980s-themed-video-article-1.1595323|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014, Travel [[Wisconsin]] began airing an ad with Robert Hays and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reprising their roles from the film. Kareem makes the comment "Why did I ever leave this place?" referring to his time playing for the [[Milwaukee Bucks]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kareem |url=http://www.nba.com/bucks/features/boeder-140303 |website=The Official Site of the Milwaukee Bucks |access-date=January 30, 2016 |archive-date=February 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206053916/http://www.nba.com/bucks/features/boeder-140303 |url-status=deviated}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.nba.com/bucks/news/MB_071121.html|title = Kareem: The return of the King|date = November 21, 2007|access-date = January 29, 2016|website = The Official Site of the Milwaukee Bucks|publisher = National Basketball Association|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170202183302/http://www.nba.com/bucks/news/MB_071121.html|archive-date = February 2, 2017|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.jsonline.com/sports/lew-alcindor-jersey-sells-for-95600-gh8t6pv-192796261.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114075628/http://www.jsonline.com/sports/lew-alcindor-jersey-sells-for-95600-gh8t6pv-192796261.html |archive-date=January 14, 2015 |title=Lew Alcindor jersey sells for $95,600 |date=February 24, 2013 |access-date=January 29, 2016 |newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |url-status=dead}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Hays also reprises his role as an airline pilot in ''[[Sharknado 2: The Second One]]''.

The first episode of the eighth season of the TV series ''[[The Goldbergs (2013 TV series)|The Goldbergs]]'' re-enacts certain scenes.

==Related works==
===Sequel===
''[[Airplane II: The Sequel]]'', first released on December 10, 1982, attempted to tackle the [[science fiction film]] genre, though there was still emphasis on the general theme of disaster films. Although most of the cast reunited for the sequel, the writers and directors of ''Airplane!'' chose not to be involved. In the DVD commentary for ''Airplane!'', David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker claim to have never seen nor to have any desire to see ''Airplane II''.

===Book and audiobook===
An oral history on the making of ''Airplane!'', was published on October 3, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250289315/surelyyoucantbeserious |title= Surely You Can't Be Serious |access-date= October 30, 2023 |publisher= Macmillan}}</ref> An audiobook version was also released, featuring David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker as well as guests [[Jimmy Kimmel]], [[Bill Hader]], [["Weird Al" Yankovic]], [[Molly Shannon]], [[Sarah Silverman]], [[Patton Oswalt]], [[Beau Bridges]], [[John Landis]], [[Barry Diller]] and [[Michael Eisner]], among others.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://deadline.com/2023/09/airplane-audiobook-david-zucker-jim-abrahams-jerry-zucker-jimmy-kimmel-weird-al-yankovic-sarah-silverman-1235557328/ | title = 'Airplane!' Filmmakers David Zucker, Jim Abrahams & Jerry Zucker To Narrate Making-Of Audiobook With Jimmy Kimmel, "Weird" Al Yankovic, Sarah Silverman, Trey Parker, Barry Diller, Michael Eisner & More | first = Andrea | last = Wiseman | date = September 27, 2023 | accessdate = September 29, 2023 | work = [[Deadline Hollywood]] }}</ref>

==References==
'''Informational notes'''
{{notelist}}

'''Citations'''
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/airplane2.pdf ''Airplane!'' essay by Michael Schlesinger] at the National Film Registry
*{{AFI film|53895}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20230928213234/https://www.paramountmovies.com/movies/airplane Airplane! (1980) (archived 2023)] on ParamountMovies.com
* {{mojo title|airplane}}
* {{IMDb title|0080339}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|airplane}}
* {{TCMDb title|66945}}
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/movies/27airplane.html Surely It’s 30 (Don’t Call Me Shirley!)] {{--}} Retrospective article on ''[[The New York Times]]'', June 25, 2010
* [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/22/airplane-at-30-zucker-abrahams-interview Airplane at 30! The ride of their lives] {{--}} Retrospective article from ''[[The Guardian]]'', Aug 22, 2010
* "[http://remakechronicles.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/the-two-troubled-commutes-of-ted-stryker/ The Two Troubled Commutes of Ted Stryker]", comparison of ''Zero Hour!'' and ''Airplane!'' by Adam-Troy and Judy Castro.

{{Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker}}
{{Airport}}

[[Category:1980 comedy films]]
[[Category:1980 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:1980 films]]
[[Category:1980s American films]]
[[Category:1980s disaster films]]
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]
[[Category:1980s parody films]]
[[Category:1980s satirical films]]
[[Category:American aviation films]]
[[Category:American disaster films]]
[[Category:American parody films]]
[[Category:American satirical films]]
[[Category:American self-reflexive films]]
[[Category:American slapstick comedy films]]
[[Category:Disaster comedy films]]
[[Category:Films about aviation accidents or incidents]]
[[Category:Films about post-traumatic stress disorder]]
[[Category:Films based on adaptations]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Arthur Hailey]]
[[Category:Films directed by David Zucker]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jerry Zucker]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jim Abrahams]]
[[Category:Films produced by Jon Davison (film producer)]]
[[Category:Films scored by Elmer Bernstein]]
[[Category:Films set in airports]]
[[Category:Films set in Chicago]]
[[Category:Films set in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Films set on airplanes]]
[[Category:Films shot in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Films shot in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Films using stop-motion animation]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by David Zucker]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Jerry Zucker]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Jim Abrahams]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:Surreal comedy films]]
[[Category:United States National Film Registry films]]