Photos By Jakub Mosur
I have no idea how old I was when I first saw Airplane!. All I knew was that it was likely far too young, but it’s been a significant part of my entire life. Which makes sense since I’m 45, and it turns 45 this year. Who is to blame for this movie following me my entire life? You guessed it. My own father is the one who showed me this piece of chaotic art at far too young an age.
So, when SF Sketchfest announced that they were bringing the original writer/directors David & Jerry Zucker, as well as the original stars Julie Hagerty and Robert Hays, to do a live read of the original film, it felt like a good time to really shine a light on how wrong it was for my Father to show me this movie at such a young and impressionable age. So I brought him to the show.
Sadly, the LA fires forced Hagerty to stay at home, and COVID-19 forced Jerry Zucker to sit this one out. Happily, my Dad was able to make it. And we were treated to a superstar cast fleshing out the show, including Jennifer Tilly perfectly sitting in for Hagerty, as well as James Murray “narrating” the event alongside David Zucker. Who else was on stage? A slew of people playing a slew of roles… It opened with Laraine Newman and Richard Kind recreating the opening dialogue of the film- the airport PA voices arguing about what to do with an unwanted pregnancy. My father and I lip-synced it perfectly, but we couldn’t help but laugh hysterically at how weird it was to see humans doing this part.
Everyone in the audience knew the movie by heart. That didn’t take away the joy, and it was fun and fascinating seeing how they pulled it all off. Gary Anthony Williams and Phil LaMarr handled dual roles of jive talkers (live subtitled, of course) and the flight crew, although Ralph Macchio (!) played Captain Oveur. Somehow, Pamela Adlon played both Steve McCroskey and Little Joey, probably the two most different characters in the film, and I was truly impressed by how easily she moved between the two.
But the real star of the show? They brought Otto, the autopilot, who hadn’t aged a day since 1980. And did they recreate the triumphant scene where Elaine reinflates the autopilot, saving the day?
YES. SHE. DID.
Overall, it was a stupid, fun experience that kept the heart and soul of the greatest movie ever made. In the end, my Dad and I met two of the primary creative minds behind this piece of art. Otto, the diva that he is, refused to meet the fans, which was uncool.
