Which was the best Airport movie?

Die Hard 2

'75, hands down. "The stewardess is flying the plane!"

Don't call me Shirley.

The stewardess is flying the plane!

'75 of course! Jack Smight was a genius in the director's chair. An intelligent study of human nature using the microcosm of a 747 as an insight into class warfare and misogyny. Karen Black deserved the Oscar that year. Plus, Erik Estrada's supporting role as Julio the co-pilot is underrated to say the least.

R5 😆

Let's face it -'75 is a camp classic. Karen Black, Erik Estrada, Charlton Heston, George Kennedy, along with a sick orphan and a singing nun! Throw in Gloria-Fucking-Swanson and Myrna Loy, and you are so busy you might miss Sharon Gless.

And who here noticed that Heston snuck his Planet-of-the-Apes-galpal Linda Harrison as Swanson's secretary?

The original with Dean Martin and Maureen Stapleton.

Airplane is better -

Capt. Oveur: Joey, have you ever been in a turkish prison?

Capt. Oveur: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

Capt. Oveur: You ever been in a cockpit before? Joey: No sir, I've never been up in a plane before. Capt. Oveur: You ever seen a grown man naked?

I always liked ‘77 the best. It had the best action sequences, biggest all-star cast and I liked the twist that the plane was at the bottom of the ocean. Plus, navy seals in wet shorts!

R10 All that art, too. I made my mom take me to see it because I was 10 and my favorite actor was Chris Lee / Count Dracula.

I love the first three AIRPORT movies. The Concorde movie was so awful. With Cicely Tyson carrying her child’s donor organs when the plane crashes. And I think that George Kennedy’s character along with the other pilots stop by a brothel during a layover. Completely ridiculous.

The first one. It was believable and Maureen Stapleton was sensational. Helen Hayes's comedic ability shone through. I think it was well directed and none of the actors hammed it up (except for the damned 707 that inSISted on stealing the screen!).

I prefer the V.I.P.s with Burton & Taylor grounded by fog at an airport. Margaret Rutherford won a Best Supporting Oscar for her turn as the doughty Duchess of Brighton trying to save her ancestral home.

Probably ’77. It was a microcosm of all my childhood favorites: 747s, millionaires, art, luxury (!!!), the ocean, the Bermuda Triangle (and other such supernatural/sci fi tangents), and disaster genre cinema. I was loving that shit.

The first one is the best. It balances the action and soap opera with good performances. It was also the very first (?) of the 70s classic disaster movies. The second one, however, is very entertainingly bad. 77 and 79 were just awful.

It's a battle between '75 and '77.

I love the extra in '75 who holds on to the back of the seat in front of her for dear life and screams as if this is going to get her A-list parts. Helen Reddy as the saccharine nun who really only want to play folk music for the sick girl so that she can weasel her way into First Class. Good con, Sister!

I love '77 for Lee Grant boozing it up and camping it up. Her character is a lush and I love that Grant doesn't try to make her all soft and vulnerable. She's a bitch up until the end. And I love it when the only way to treat her when her character becomes despondent is to fill her up with liquor! She's a true DLer!

Here's the trailer for '75. So great.

the scene in the first one where they try to take the briefcase away from the bomber is really riveting (and Dean Martin's speech about how he'll bring shame to his family is still relevant today)

and Maureen Stapleton is heartbreaking at the end

Final Destination

Alive

Airplane II: The Sequel

Before Airport and '75, there was 1972's Skyjacked, starring Charlton Heston, Yvette Mimieux, James Brolin, Leslie Uggams . . .

And Susan Dey!

I had no idea Susan Dey was in "Skyjacked." I think I have to rent it now.

Not until she comments on it r24.

Salt Lake! Salt Lake! This is Nancy the senior stewardess. Something hit us. All the flight crew is dead or seriously injured. THERE'S NO ONE LEFT TO FLY THE PLANE.

How did Gloria Swanson NOT get nominated for playing herself? It was an iconic and legendary performance.

She was so believable as Gloria Swanson.

Swanson must have only agreed to film a limited amount of days. There are moments you can see another actress in the part pulling her headressthingy together to hide her face.

I am French and might have had a thick accent back then or not but each time I'd say "surely" that village idiot in my entourage would keep uttering: "don't call me Shirley". Times and times again. It took me years to actually understand he was referring to that Airplane movie. I then realized that not only was he not the village idiot, but that he was a perfectly fine guy and had great taste!

With Helen Reddy as the singing nun!!!

(We'll make it, I know we will)----the way she says that line in 75 always bugs me

Hate them all.

Boring as fuck and terribly silly, though at least Concorde '79 was laugh out loud in places.

[quote] "How did Gloria Swanson NOT get nominated for playing herself? It was an iconic and legendary performance."

I'd have preferred if she'd given it a little more depth, R27: Swanson as Carol Burnett as Swanson. It would've been very timely. And think of the Mackie wardrobe!

Agree with R9.

That’s not Led Grant. That’s Terry Louise of LA Law fame…. I saw it in her NYT obit

Lee *

Airport 1975. While Karen Black is a must in this camp fest, the old woman in the blue dress that stands up and just starts screaming during the collision is most awesome, as is the gentleman to her right that jumps keep jumping up and down in his seat.

I loved Robert Wagner's over the top creepy performance in Airport 79.

Susan Blakelly peaked early on RM, PM.

What a cast !