Airplane!

Plot

Drowning his sorrows after that botched mission during WWII, the traumatised former fighter pilot with a fear of flying, Ted Striker, still hasn't got over his old flame and flight attendant, Elaine Dickinson. Determined to win her back, Ted boards a domestic flight from Los Angeles to Chicago, only to come face-to-face with a severe case of in-flight food poisoning that is threatening everyone's lives. Now, with most of the passengers and the entire cockpit crew down with the food-borne illness, Striker has no other choice but to confront his inner demons and take over the control of the ungovernable aircraft with the help of a gruff air-traffic controller and his former commander. Can Ted land the plane and save them all?

Why watch

"Airplane! is a riotous blend of slapstick and satire, where love and heroism collide in the most absurd of circumstances. This iconic comedy not only redefined the genre but also serves as a timeless reminder that even in chaos, redemption is possible."

Talking points

• the evolution of comedy in cinema
• the impact of parody on genre films
• the portrayal of masculinity and vulnerability
• the role of absurdity in storytelling

Cultural context

If you liked this