Airplane! Details

This is the first, and still the best, of Zucker, Zucker and Abrahams's wonderful movie send-ups. There's hardly a second that passes without an assault by a wickedly accurate spoof, cringe-inducing pun or inspired sight gag, and the years have not diminished its dumb appeal. Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty are the nominal stars, but the most fun is had by the distinguished supporting cast. It's the film that made a comedy star out of Leslie (“don't call me Shirley”) Nielsen, but a whole troupe of veteran character actors — Peter Graves, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges — also have a hugely enjoyable time sending up their screen personae. And, best of all, it drove a large nail into the coffin of what was becoming a very tired Hollywood institution, the Airport series.

Zapping every disaster movie cliché with the cartoon subtlety of Mad magazine may be nothing more than cannibal glee,... read more on Time Out