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.
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.
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!!!
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).
The music, the gag with the taxi, the typography...
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
May 26th, 2010 at 8:32 am
Surely you can't be serious.
I am serious... and don't call me Shirley!
A: A Lot More than you'd think.
This YouTube video reveals stunning similarities!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ry4ArfMSLg
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.
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.
those lazy writers ripped every word from the Zero Hour script
imagine if they tried that crap today ..LOL
I thought that was the ONLY way Hollywood worked. Hell knows they haven't entertained anyone in eons.