A classic film, often hailed by fans as ‘one of the funniest ever made’, is set to air on TV tonight (January 5) and is also available for free streaming.
This film is widely recognised as a pivotal release that helped popularise parody movies in mainstream cinema and is considered a must-watch for comedy film enthusiasts.
Now, those who have yet to experience Airplane! can catch it for free as it will be broadcast on Sunday night at 9pm on ITV4. For those who can’t wait or might miss the start time, the film is also available for streaming on the ITVX platform.
The Daily Record reports the film can be streamed via subscription services like Paramount+ or NOW Cinema, which is also accessible through a Sky TV package.
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Airplane! is a classic comedy movie from 1980
(Image: Paramount)
First released in 1980, Airplane! humorously parodies the air disaster movies that dominated the 1970s. The film catapulted Leslie Nielsen to stardom, leading him to feature in numerous comedic roles thereafter.
Nielsen’s subsequent parody roles include the Naked Gun series, Police Squad and Scary Movie 3.
The film focuses on Ted Striker, a former war pilot turned taxi driver desperately trying to win back his flight attendant girlfriend. To do this, he books himself onto the same plane she’s working, despite suffering with a newfound fear of flying and what’s dubbed a “drinking problem” (not what you’d expect, but we’ll leave the punchline for you to discover).
His moment to shine comes when food poisoning incapacitates the flight’s crew, thrusting Ted into the role of an unlikely hero as he’s called upon to help land the plane and confront his phobias.
Empire celebrated the movie as one of the “500 Greatest Movies of All Time”, while The New York Times included it in a similar roundup.
With an impressive 97% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, the comedy remains endeared by audiences even after four decades. One fan states that it’s “the funniest and most rewatchable movie ever.”
Classic comedy film Airplane! is a parody of diaster movies in the 1970s
(Image: Wenn)
Another fan recommended online: “Must see for anyone with a sense of humour. If you have not seen it, see it immediately and when you’re done, you’re probably gonna wanna watch it again.”
That said, new viewers be warned – some humour might be lost on younger generations, so the advice was to watch with an ‘older’ viewer who can help explain the jokes if needed, but there’s confidence that the classic still resonates today.
Another wrote: “Some of the youngsters may not get some of the jokes so make sure you have an older person there with you to explain it if you don’t get it, but I believe this film still holds up today. Completely irreverent. Just a joy to behold.”
One fan praised the film: “One of the two best film spoofs ever made (the other being Spaceballs), Airplane! is a masterpiece in comedy, with slapstick, dark humour and all other kinds of comedy mixed together, creating one of (if not) the funniest film(s) ever made.”