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‘Surely You Can't Be Serious’: How ‘Airplane!’ Crashed onto Movie Screens in 1980
PJ Media ^ | 7 Ja 2024 | Ed driscoll

Posted on 01/08/2024 7:57:38 PM PST by Rummyfan

and trapped in Tehran. Unemployment was at 7.2%. Inflation stood at 12.5%. Thanks to a decade of the aforementioned out-of-control inflation, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at an anemic 876.02, only about a hundred points higher than it was in 1970. The Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan. A feckless Jimmy Carter saw his second term hopes being challenged on the left by Ted Kennedy and on the right by Ronald Reagan.

As always when the nightly news is grim, Americans need something to laugh about at the movies. As former Cheers producer Rob Long wrote at Commentary last month, show business “is at its most successful when it counter-programs against a world that’s falling to pieces.” However, audiences had no idea that the hip comedy of that summer would change Hollywood forever. Or at least for the next several decades.

Airplane! was Paramount’s low-budget sleeper hit that dominated the summer box office in 1980. Today, the lines from the movie are indelible. “Surely, you can’t be serious. I am serious – and don’t call me Shirley.” Cream for your coffee? “No, thank you, I take it black, like my men.” “A hospital? What is it? It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.” “Excuse me stewardess, I speak jive.”

(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...


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KEYWORDS: hollywood; movies
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To: Kenny Bania

That’s it! We died in the theater laughing at that scene. Also Johnny and Lloyd Bridges scenes were hilarious.


21 posted on 01/08/2024 8:40:13 PM PST by Macho MAGA Man (The last two weren't balloons. One was a cylindrical objects Trump is being given the Alex Jones tr)
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To: Rummyfan

Also the Airport office sounded like a newspaper office with all the typewriter noises in the background.


22 posted on 01/08/2024 8:41:31 PM PST by Macho MAGA Man (The last two weren't balloons. One was a cylindrical objects Trump is being given the Alex Jones tr)
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To: lightman

I’ll see your negatory and raise you one. This one was the best: https://youtu.be/jiYbIyOYCG0?si=vv3hd2N8ofXMxKd5


23 posted on 01/08/2024 8:42:01 PM PST by mmichaels1970
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To: Macho MAGA Man

Yep. Best scene in the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G80qimFAgQA


24 posted on 01/08/2024 8:47:18 PM PST by FLT-bird
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To: Rummyfan

There is NO WAY a movie like this could be made today; snowflakes be offended.


25 posted on 01/08/2024 8:49:35 PM PST by KC_Conspirator
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To: Lurker

We got the rundown from a kid in 1980.

Electronics class in high school.

He said it was the funniest show ever.

Theater of course.


26 posted on 01/08/2024 8:51:27 PM PST by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
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To: KC_Conspirator

There’s a thread nearly every week on this site about some movie that offends people for one reason or another.


27 posted on 01/08/2024 8:51:45 PM PST by Fuzz (. )
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To: mmichaels1970

This one was really good too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5sJUGuzh6g


28 posted on 01/08/2024 8:55:00 PM PST by FLT-bird
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To: Rummyfan

Airplane was directly based on a serious movie called Zero Hour. The dialog is almost verbatim, only delivered with comedic talent.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051221/trivia/


29 posted on 01/08/2024 9:09:33 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: Jonty30

I cannot disagree....


30 posted on 01/08/2024 9:28:14 PM PST by doorgunner69 (When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty)
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To: Raycpa

Also based on “The High and Mighty”. Robert Stack was the pilot. John Wayne was in that one also. And the start of the movie, the producers were the ones directing the airplane that crashed into the terminal.


31 posted on 01/08/2024 9:47:01 PM PST by Texas resident (Biden=Obama=Jarrett=Soros)
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To: Rummyfan
Airplane II was funny too. Not many sequels succeed as well.


32 posted on 01/09/2024 3:55:06 AM PST by DeplorablePaul
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To: Rummyfan

- Well, we had a choice. Steak or fish.

- Yes, yes, I remember. I had lasagna. What did he have?

- He had fish.


33 posted on 01/09/2024 4:40:41 AM PST by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you. )
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To: Rummyfan

Whenever I hear the song “Stayin’ Alive”, I immediately think of the scene in the bar where Ted first met Elaine.


34 posted on 01/09/2024 4:48:45 AM PST by GreenHornet
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To: Rummyfan

Watched it again the other day. It’s been years and still great. The actress WH played Randy is so hot.


35 posted on 01/09/2024 5:38:36 AM PST by DownInFlames (p)
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To: Kenny Bania

LOL! That was at the time when the Hairi Kirshnas cult were infesting airports trying to give out pamphlets in hopes of a donation.


36 posted on 01/09/2024 6:55:34 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: KarlInOhio

***I knew about Zero Hour!, ***

I saw this movie years before AIRPLANE! I immediately recognized the story line when people started getting sick of eating the FISH!

Enjoyed this movie as much as “It’s a Mad*****World” and “BLAZING SADDLES”.


37 posted on 01/09/2024 6:59:45 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Rummyfan

I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this movie.....but I’d probably start to bore you.


38 posted on 01/09/2024 7:31:24 AM PST by GreenHornet
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To: John Milner; dfwgator

Tell your old man to try dragging Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes

(who remembers when the quarters were 12 minutes?)


39 posted on 01/09/2024 8:23:25 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: SaveFerris

They still are


40 posted on 01/13/2024 1:58:38 PM PST by newbie 10-21-00
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