cult film freak: ROBERT HAYS & JULIE HAGERTY IN AIRPLANE!

Written by James M. Tate / 9/05/2015 / No comments / comedy , eighties , julie hagerty , peter graves , robert hays , robert stack

ROBERT HAYS & JULIE HAGERTY IN AIRPLANE!

9/05/2015 | No comment

year: 1980

Like any Mel Brooks vehicle and especially those "early, funny" films of Woody Allen, where there's a joke a minute encapsulated by and parodying a specific theme or genre, and being an outright spoof of the AIRPORT films while intentionally mirroring the names and plot of the 1950's Sterling Hayden melodrama ZERO HOUR, the classic, groundbreaking, joke-loaded AIRPLANE!, written and directed by the team of Jerry Zucker, David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, still holds up, and with a barrage of famous veteran character-actors playing their usual ultra-serious roles within (and despite of) the constant zaniness, the real stars are Robert Hays as Ted Stryker and Julie Hagerty as Elaine Dickinson, alleviating the hilarious parts by actually moving the story along: Ted is lovestruck, intentionally stuck on the same plane as Elaine's stewardess and, suffering flashbacks from the Second World War, might have to fly the damn thing to save all the passengers, and himself, while attempting to rekindle his former flame... Sound serious?

Well what makes AIRPLANE! work aren't just the perpetual jokes but the fact the real story carries everything else, without getting in the way and still, in itself, delivering genuine laughs. Standout characters include Peter Graves as a pilot who gives a little boy very shady advice, Robert Stack as Kramer, the stern chief inside the Tower along with Lloyd Bridges keeping the nervy pace moving and especially Stephen Stucker, stealing every scene as the flamboyant Johnny while the titular vessel remains hilariously grounded by Leslie Neilson's Dr. Rumack, Lorna Patterson's patient stewardess Randi, and with oh so many hilarious gags (some better than others) there's nothing left but to but highly recommending this flight be your next one...

Rating: ****1/2

Share This Post :

Tags : comedy , eighties , julie hagerty , peter graves , robert hays , robert stack

James M. Tate

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

FAVORITES SHORTLIST

1)THE CROWDED SKY 2)THE FEARMAKERS 3)JAWS 4)RAIDERS FROM BENEATH THE SEA 5)ANATOMY OF A MURDER 6)HOT CARS 7)VIOLENT SATURDAY 8)CANYON PASSAGE 9)THE MAN FROM LARAMIE 10)HARDCORE 11)CURSE OF THE DEMON 12)THE DEFECTOR 13)SHARKS' TREASURE 14)ROYAL FLASH 15)DUEL IN THE JUNGLE 16)OTLEY 17)ASH WEDNESDAY 18)THE SERGEANT 19)SWEENEY TWO 20)THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN 21)THE ROARING TWENTIES 22)FALLEN ANGEL 23)AL CAPONE 24)THE ASPHALT JUNGLE 25)AIR PATROL 26)KILLER FISH 27)THE SYSTEM 28)WHITE HEAT 29)EASY LIVING 30)COMPULSION 31)ATLANTIC CITY 32)WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS 33)JUNGLE STREET 34)MADISON AVENUE 35)THE SHARKFIGHTERS 36)DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS 37)MY BLOOD RUNS COLD 38)THE LINEUP 39)SWAMP WATER 40)THE DAY THEY ROBBED THE BANK OF ENGLAND 41)RUMBLE FISH 42)CANYON RIVER 43)THE HEARSE 44)WILLIAM CONRAD'S BRAINSTORM 45)CORVETTE SUMMER 46)THE DRIVER 47)FRENZY 48)HOUSE OF STRANGERS 49)THE KILLING 50)FORCE TEN FROM NARAVONE 51)BULLITT 52)ROBBERY 53)THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE 54)KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE 55)HOTEL 56)THE BREAK 57)CRIME WAVE 58)BRANNIGAN 59)THE STONE KILLER 60)BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA

ACTORS 1)DANA ANDREWS 2)JAMES CAGNEY 3)MARLON BRANDO 4)JACK NICHOLSON 5)ORSON WELLES 6)PETER O'TOOLE 7)TOM COURTENAY 8)CHARLES BRONSON 9)GENE HACKMAN 10)VICTOR MATURE ACTRESSES 1)VIRGINIA MAYO 2)SUE LYON 3)GENE TIERNEY 4)MERRY ANDERS 5)FAYE DUNAWAY DIRECTORS 1)JACQUES TOURNEUR 2)RICHARD FLEISCHER 3)STANLEY KUBRICK 4)ORSON WELLES 5)OTTO PREMINGER 6)JOHN CARPENTER 7)MAURY DEXTER 8)JOHN LANDIS 9)MICHAEL WINNER 10)SAM PECKINPAH