Saturday, March 01, 2008

Airplane!: A Classic That Could Not Be Made Today


So as I sit on my lazy ass this fine Saturday afternoon, I see that Airplane! is on Comedy Central. I freakin’ LOVE this movie! When I was a kid, my brother and I watched it so many times on tape that we actually wore it out. We actually stretched the VHS tape. Every time we had it on my father would roll his eyes. He thought it was funny, but I think it lost its comedic value to him after seeing it 100 times. Maybe, but I still loved it.

It got me thinking, could a movie like Airplane! or Blazing Saddles or Caddy Shack be made in this day of political correctness and intellectual fear mongering? Could someone make a move that satirized race, gender and culture without the fear of being forced to answer to special interests groups? I say no.

Comedies like Airplane! did not offend. They served as satirical commentary about what makes us different and what makes us the same. Sadly, comedy genius like this is rare. Hell, Saturday Night Live can not do a skit about Obama without being attacked... not for the content, but because a Caucasian-Asian actor, Fred Armisen, played the part of Obama. (read about this Politically Correct BS of the day here and here).

UnFreakin’ believable.

1 comment:

Ben said...

you are right, no way it could be made today