Airplane! is a Remake of an Old Fifties Flick

If you've ever wondered where Jim Abrahams and David Zucker came up with those hilarious jokes in Airplane!, the answer isn't strictly their warped minds. Many of the scenes set up for the gags were directly cribbed from 1957's Zero Hour! It's a movie about an ex fighter pilot named Stryker, who... well, see for yourself.



(YouTube Link)

And I'd always thought it was a spoof of the Airport movies. Of course, the writers did have warped minds, and saw this classic movie, replete with so many unfunny-yet- ripe-for-the-funny lines, as a perfect structure for the brilliant comedy it ultimately became.


Wow, thanks for that post.

In the few years I have been reading from Neatorama that has to be the best post I have seen so far. (Second best was the post about how Disney faked all the Lemming suicides for a documentary they made.)

I love the movie Airplane!, and now I have to see Zero Hour! .

Great post Johnny Cat!!!
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From IMDB trivia:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080339/trivia

The film is mostly a parody of Zero Hour! (1957), a film that had a main character named Ted Stryker and such famous "not meant to be funny" lines like "We have to find someone who can not only fly this plane, but who didn't have fish for dinner."

The producers bought the rights to the movie Zero Hour! (1957), the film that this movie is based on.

To get inspiration for the ZAZ Kentucky Fried Theatre skits, the Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams would leave a videotape running all night, recording late night television with the aim of spoofing the commercials. One night they recorded the film Zero Hour! (1957), which ultimately acted as the main inspiration for Airplane! (1980).
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Where the Internet is failing me is where I can't track down the original commercial that became the joke about "The fog is getting THICKER!" "…and Leon's getting LAAAAAAAARGER!!"

It was a commercial that was on right around the time Airplane! came out, and I remember as a kid laughing because I recognized it, but for the life of me I can't recall what it was or ever what it was for. Now everyone knows the line, but no one remembers why it was originally funny.

-T
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Q: How Much Did The Lord Of The Rings Swipe from The Wizard of Oz?

A: A Lot More than you'd think.

This YouTube video reveals stunning similarities!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ry4ArfMSLg
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I realize where you're coming from with the parody thing. I mentioned Airport for that reason. I see a parody as something spoofing some other work, but it has to be well-known. Many people have never heard of Zero Hour! so never made the connection.

And since Zucker/Abrahams clearly bought the rights to the film, wouldn't it be more veritable to say it's a remake?

Thanks for the comment, Timm. This is just me sharing, not trying to win any awards, but hearing someone say something like that made my day. It's always great to discover something and share it with this community.

@ted: There will be a test.
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I wouldn't call it a remake. I see why you wouldn't call it a parody, but they did parody other movies, such as Jaws, From Here to Eternity, and Saturday Night Fever. Thus, I wouldn't call it a remake.

Would you settle for "parroty"? They copied a lot of stuff, but made fun of it at the same time.

The similarities between the two Billies is eerie.
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What, you mean there are people in Hollywood who "borrow" from previous projects and earlier films?! WHAT?!??!?! I'm...I'm shocked. Shocked and appalled.

I thought that was the ONLY way Hollywood worked. Hell knows they haven't entertained anyone in eons.
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