Editing Airplane! (section)

{{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          = File: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. 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=http://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 #1 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>