So I confess that I have a love for disaster films, no matter what other people think of them. Thank heavens for movie subjectivity! Anyhow, Airport is a movie that is the pioneer for modern disaster movies, but I really enjoyed it. There are undeniably many flaws, but my gosh I had a blast watching the film and the campy tone gave the film spirit. My biggest flaw I had with the film is the scenes involving the personal lives of the manager. I mean, his pending divorce has nothing to do with the rest of the plot, including trying to save the plane. Other than that plot issue, I really had fun watching the granddaddy of all disaster films.
This film is about this airport that is stricken due to a blizzard. But even more serious problems arise when a bomb-damaged plane needs an emergency landing in order to save the people on the plane. The manager of the Lincoln Airport, Mel Bakersfield, has his hands full in trying to combat the weather and personnel in order to save the plane.
The film has a stacked cast full of Oscar nominees. Now while no one truly gives Oscar-worthy performances, there is no denying that they were solid performances. Burt Lancaster did a good job as Mel and Dean Martin as the head pilot, Vernon. Those performances came across as serious despite the campy tone, but they were still good. However, I felt the best performance came from Helen Hayes, a 70-year-old woman who makes a fuss about plane tickets which causes her to hitch airplane rides while avoiding authorities. Her comic relief was excellent, and maybe she did deserve that Oscar.
Overall, Airport is a fun disaster movie and in hindsight, it set the tone for the major disaster movies that will come in the future. It is a great movie? Not really. Is it a fun, entertaining movie? You bet it is! I am very amazed how this film achieved ten Oscar nominations. If this same film was released in 2015, it more likely would have received ten Razzie nominations. Oh how the time change! But on the whole, a really fun movie with some cool sequences including my favorite which was the bomb going off in the plane.
My Grade: B+/A-
This film is about this airport that is stricken due to a blizzard. But even more serious problems arise when a bomb-damaged plane needs an emergency landing in order to save the people on the plane. The manager of the Lincoln Airport, Mel Bakersfield, has his hands full in trying to combat the weather and personnel in order to save the plane.
The film has a stacked cast full of Oscar nominees. Now while no one truly gives Oscar-worthy performances, there is no denying that they were solid performances. Burt Lancaster did a good job as Mel and Dean Martin as the head pilot, Vernon. Those performances came across as serious despite the campy tone, but they were still good. However, I felt the best performance came from Helen Hayes, a 70-year-old woman who makes a fuss about plane tickets which causes her to hitch airplane rides while avoiding authorities. Her comic relief was excellent, and maybe she did deserve that Oscar.
Overall, Airport is a fun disaster movie and in hindsight, it set the tone for the major disaster movies that will come in the future. It is a great movie? Not really. Is it a fun, entertaining movie? You bet it is! I am very amazed how this film achieved ten Oscar nominations. If this same film was released in 2015, it more likely would have received ten Razzie nominations. Oh how the time change! But on the whole, a really fun movie with some cool sequences including my favorite which was the bomb going off in the plane.
My Grade: B+/A-