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Blu-Ray : Recommended
Ranking:
Sale Price: $21.98 Last Price: $24.99 Buy now! 3rd Party 15.23 In Stock
Release Date: July 21st, 2020 Movie Release Year: 1980

Airplane! (Paramount Presents)

Overview -

Airplane! celebrates its 40th Anniversary as a member of the Paramount Presents line of catalog releases. The classic comedy offers tons of laughs that hold up after multiple viewings. Sourced from a new 4K restoration, this disc is exactly the same as the Airplane! 40th Anniversary SteelBook. Same video transfer, audio, and bonus feature package. The difference here is packaging and this release doesn't come with a digital copy. Still, this one comes Recommended

Read the Airplane!: 40th Anniversary SteelBook Review HERE

Airplane! overview

Voted “one of the 10 funniest movies ever made” by the American Film Institute, Airplane! celebrates 40 years of off-the-wall laughs. This limited edition Blu-ray features all-new special features and a remastered feature film, from a 4K film transfer supervised by the directors. Robert Hays is an ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning, Julie Hagerty as his girlfriend/stewardess/co-pilot, and a cast of all-stars including Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Leslie Nielsen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar... and more! Their hilarious high jinks spoof airplane disaster flicks, religious zealots, television commercials, romantic love... the list whirls by in rapid succession.

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
Blu-ray Disc
Video Resolution/Codec:
1080p AVC/MPEG-4
Length:
87
Aspect Ratio(s):
1.78:1
Audio Formats:
English: DTS-HD MA 5.1
Subtitles/Captions:
English, English SDH, French
Special Features:
• New Q&A with Directors
Release Date:
July 21st, 2020

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

Read our original Blu-ray review from 2012

For a full breakdown of this 40th Anniversary celebration of Airplane! - check out our review for Airplane!: 40th Anniversary SteelBook

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray

Why celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Airplane! with one new release when you could have two? In addition to the SteelBook option, Paramount Pictures added Airplane! to their prestige Paramount Presents label. Both discs are exactly the same. This time the disc is housed in a clear plastic case with cardboard slipcover that opens to reveal the film's original theatrical poster artwork. Spine number for this release is 7. The disc loads to a static image main menu with traditional navigation options. 

Video Review

Ranking:

From the 40th Anniversary SteelBook Review

"Reportedly coming a very recent 4K remaster of the original elements, this fresh transfer may not show a night-and-day difference over its predecessor. But this HD presentation nonetheless offers a notable improvement in contrast and brightness balance, boasting brighter, crisper whites and better visibility within the hottest spots. Likewise, black levels are inkier and silkier without sacrificing the finer details in the darkest, blackest sections and shadows, providing the 1.85:1 image with a lovely cinematic appeal and depth. The earth-tone palette is also a tad more vibrant and full-bodied, making all the browns and yellows seem more spirited and full of pep while primaries, especially reds, look richer and more animated."
(Video Rating: 82/100)

Audio Review

Ranking:

Disaster crashes into home theaters with the same DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack enjoyed on its previous Blu-ray counterpart. For a more in-depth take on the audio quality, you can read our review HERE. (Audio Rating: 74/100)

Special Features

Ranking:

From the 40th Anniversary SteelBook Review

  • Audio Commentary 
  • Q&A with the Directors (HD, 35 min): Recorded on 10 January 2020 at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, writers/directors Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams and David Zucker chat with the audience after a screening, share anecdotes and answer questions about the production.
  • Filmmaker Focus (HD, 9 min): A new interview piece with the filmmakers discussing the production while reminiscing on their favorite moments and sharing various other memories. 
  • Isolated Score (HD)

Often mentioned as possibly the funniest movie ever made, Airplane! still delivers a barrel full of gut-busting laughs, but several jokes are starting to wane into hearty chuckles. The wild, zany spoof on disaster films transformed ZAZ comedy (Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker) into a brand of satirical humor, one which can clearly be seen in many movies today. Arriving day and date as the 40th Anniversary SteelBook Blu-ray is this release as a part of the Paramount Presents line. This disc is identical in everyway to that release so it comes down to packaging preference. If you're not numerically bound to organizing your home video collection - the SteelBook may be the better package as it comes with a digital copy. Consider all options - but this release is Recommended.