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| Copacabana Palace - reprodução de cartaz do filme " Flying down to Rio" (Photo credit: monicaewagner) |
The films that I'll be listing in my April postings will not necessarily be films that I'd call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I'll be naming. The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.
Flying Films
I realize there are tons of movies that can fit into this category, but I'm only going to list four. You can give me more in the comments.
Flying is such an iconic concept of our age that it has captured the creative imaginations of many from the beginning of cinema history. Seeing planes and airships is thrilling and offers some great viewing for moviegoers. Even now with most of us having flown at some time in our lives, flying offers excitement for a movie audience and opportunities for some amazing stunts.
Flying is such an iconic concept of our age that it has captured the creative imaginations of many from the beginning of cinema history. Seeing planes and airships is thrilling and offers some great viewing for moviegoers. Even now with most of us having flown at some time in our lives, flying offers excitement for a movie audience and opportunities for some amazing stunts.
Con Air (1997) -- I will shamelessly admit to being a big Nicolas Cage fan so that's the first point for me in favor of this film and maybe a black mark for some of you. I like the concept of the story, the characters, and the action. The premise here is a planeload of prisoners being transferred aboard a plane called the Jailbird (how clever is that) and the plane getting hijacked. And that scene with the body dumped from the plane and landing on the old couples' car is priceless.
Airplane! (1980)-- An insanely fun parody of those star laden disaster films, this is one of the funniest films I've seen. I'm sure some of you will agree with that assessment.
Flightplan (2005) -- One of those Jody Foster thrillers in which this time she loses her daughter on a really big plane. I was sufficiently entertained and the movie held my attention. Not a great film, but a fine way to spend a Friday night with a movie at home.
Flying Down to Rio (1933) -- This film is the main reason why I picked the genre of flying. It has some very weird things in it, the primary one being a dance number done in the air on wings of old planes--you know, the kind with open cockpits. It's a very strange and entertaining sequence in my book. The film features one of my favorites, Fred Astaire, in his first onscreen pairing with Ginger Rogers. Good music, good dancing, and an utterly silly but fun story.
What are some flying movies that you enjoy? Have you seen any of my picks? Are there many movies funnier than Airplane!?
What are some flying movies that you enjoy? Have you seen any of my picks? Are there many movies funnier than Airplane!?
I love Airplane... all of them! Even snakes on a plane wasn't as good. :-)
ReplyDeleteAirplane is my favorite movie on your list. I think it was the first movie that established Leslie Nielsen as a leading comic actor. I would Shirley see it again! Thanks for a fabulous first week Lee!
ReplyDeleteJulie
I saw Flying Down To Rio and one of the Airplane films with the great Leslie Nielson. Most enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
"Airplane" is a classic. I was only six or seven the first time I saw it but I remember thinking it was hilarious.
ReplyDeleteCon Air was the first one I thought of when I read your title!
ReplyDeleteAirplane is so funny, one of the few movies I can watch over and over.
I only saw flightplan which I loved. Airplane seems grt
ReplyDeleteSnakes in the plane couple of years ago was kind of popular among my younger coworkers.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many movies with airplanes. I grew up in Queens and my sister and I would watch Million Dollar Movie which aired the same movie over and over again for a week.
ReplyDeleteWe would watch it over and over all week. Many were 1940 war movies with lots of planes.
Came by from
http://talesofthereborncrafter.blogspot.com/
They've tried to make other parodies like Airplane, but few even come close.
ReplyDeleteAirplane - hilarious. I tried to get my teenage daughters to watch it recently but they just didn't get it and thought I was 'weird' to be laughing so much at it.
ReplyDeleteAirplane is hilarious! In a similar vein, I really liked the Hot Shots movies as a kid.
ReplyDeleteI saw Flying Down to Rio on TV, I remember the dance number on the wings, very odd.
ReplyDeleteConair is a favourite of mine too.
JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE
Airplane is still hilarious and one we land on if we're channel surfing and see it playing. Con Air got pretty unbelievable at the end, but I still liked it.
ReplyDeleteAir Force One with Harrison Ford?
One of my all time favorite movies is North by Northwest and that scene where he's being chased by the airplane is so good.
I liked ConAir and Airplane. I think if there is a movie that is as funny or maybe, just possibly funnier than Airplane would be either The Whole Nine Yards or Pure Luck.
ReplyDeleteAirplane is a classic. I usually won't watch a film twice, especially comedy, but for this film I make an exception. Visiting from A-Z.
ReplyDeleteAirplane was a funny movie. There was a thriller called Redeye that might qualify.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was so inspired by your Circus post that we had to watch Madagascar III the other night!
Great to start of the morning with so many wonderful comments. I can see I nailed it with Airplane! but I knew that one would have a lot of fans. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many fans of Con Air--it's a fun film in this genre. War movies especially from the first two World Wars frequently have lots of planes. Some great additions to my list in your comments so far. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLee
For me the only selection that holds the test of time is Airplane. I still laugh out loud at that film! :)
ReplyDeleteSo YOU'RE the Nicolas Cage fan!!
ReplyDeleteJust kidding :)
I do like Con Air.
(and Face Off since we're on Cage)
Hi Lee - a very British film: "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines" .. incredible stunts at that time ..
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
I recently showed 'Airplane!' to my kids (now teenagers). My son loved it, while I got an indifferent sigh from my daughter. Oh, well. BTW, in three weeks the TCM film fest will be showing that film, with a discussion with Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Robert Hays. Don't know why Julie Hagerty isn't there, but I did she her spoofing that stewardess role on an Old Navy spot.
ReplyDeletei remember seeing "airplane" with my mother... they looks on her face with some of the stuff in that movie... was funnier than the movie... and the lesson she learned about me and my eyes...
ReplyDeleteI love Con Air, too! Not too proud to admit that. I enjoyed its soundtrack.. Funny ... My topic for F is Forrest Gump, who sorta flew cross-country in his own unique running way!
ReplyDeleteIsn't there an Airforce One movie with Harrison Ford and Gary Oldham? I liked that :)
ReplyDeleteI was going to add "Flightplan" if you didn't have it. I found it riveting. Had to watch it twice to catch all the nuances.
ReplyDeleteAirplane is certainly a classic, and so funny.
I'm shamelessly a Nicolas Cage fan. I'd consider any movie where a flying Elvis skydives out of a plane an airplane movie, so there's my contribution ;-)
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
I have simply got to check out Flightplan Lee, I remember seeing it advertised back when it was released and thinking just how intense and awesome it'd be. Flying films are generally filled with tension due to the fact that if you crash you tend to die and make for some great drama, I noticed that "Snakes on a Plane," isn't included although I'd take a bet that there's a good reason for that.
ReplyDeleteAw Con Air. One of Nicolas Cage's best movies.
ReplyDeleteI like Cage, too, and I almost always enjoy him even when he's in a crappy movie (he sure doesn't have a very good ability to choose what movies to be in). The fact that Cusack was in Con Air was a mega bonus.
ReplyDeleteI should be watching Flight, tonight, which, from the looks of it, may be one that should be on your list.
LEE ~
ReplyDeleteMy own list of favorite "Flying" movies would also certainly include 'AIRPLANE!' There are a few lines from that movie that I still use semi-regularly, such as: "It looks like I picked the wrong week to give up _____" and "What a pisser!"
Another one that would absolutely be on my list is 'FLYING DEUCES' with Laurel and Hardy. That is unquestionably one of their very funniest movies, and the ending is hysterical. Hardy actually dies at the end, and that's all I'm gonna say about it. But anyone who loves L & H should make certain they don't miss 'Flying Deuces'.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
"Flying Down to Rio" sounds like a great movie! I will absolutely have to check that one out. I like the movie "Air Force One" with Harrison Ford. There aren't a lot of other "flying" movies I've watched. This is a great list!
ReplyDeleteJaimie
Living in the Light
A to Z Ambassador
I have actually seen most of these, Arlee:) I probably liked Con Air the best of all of your choices. That was an action packed film!
ReplyDeleteI would add Die Hard 2 and Denzel Washington's Flight. Seems like there was a Harrison Ford movie on Air Force One. I don't know if that was the name of the movie or not. My memory is failing me. And you could add Flight of The Pheonix. I have only seen the Dennis Quaid version, but I think it was a remake of an older movie.
Wait! How could you leave off Snakes on a Plane?!
ReplyDeleteI have the NEED FOR SPEED !
ReplyDeleteTop Gun is my favorite Flying movie!!!
www.wearinglemon.blogspot.com
I liked Flying Down to Rio but, then again, I like almost every Astaire/Rogers film.
ReplyDeleteI remember laughing like a hyena at Airplane, the first time I saw it. To this day, it still gives me a laugh.
Lee-
ReplyDeleteSnakes On A Plane is not on your list?
Surely, you can't be serious!
It was so bad it was great!
But I guess I'll never get over Macho Grande...
LC
That's quite a selection of Flying Films. I'm a Nicolas Cage fan also. Must be our name.
ReplyDeleteI think Airplane was extremely cool and about Snakes on a Plane? I never got to watch it but my friends spoke a lot about it
ReplyDeleteOkay, so to clear the record, my wife is terrified of even pictures of snakes so she'd never speak to me again if I tried to sneak that Snakes movie on her. Therefore, I will probably never see this unless I watch it on my own and I'm not overly excited to do so.
ReplyDeleteMany mentions of Air Force One. I did see it but sadly this is one of those movies I do not remember at all.
Glad to see all of the Nic Cage fans out there. I'm not sure that I've ever seen a film of his that I didn't like. They actually usually have some pretty cool premises.
Keep those comments coming!
Thanks to all!
Lee
I love Con Air and think it might be Cage's best movie. I found Flight Plan to be better than I expected. Didn't see the other two.
ReplyDeleteSnakes on a Plane. Period.
ReplyDeleteFun post! I don't have a favorite flying movie, but I do have a favorite flying scene! In the Wizard of Oz, I love when Dorothy is looking out the window of her home while she twirls around in the tornado and she sees several scenes from her life go by! It's truly a magical moment for such an old movie! Happy A-to-Z 2013! ~Angela, Whole Foods Living, http://www.wholefoodsliving.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThe Birds . . . . . . . . HA HAHHAH HAH AH HA hah ah ah ha hah ah hahah ah ha hahah ha hhah ah hah ha ha ha ...
ReplyDeleteRob Z Tobor
Haha, I'll confess to being a Nick Cage fan as well. :) And Airplane! Oh, so glad you put that one on there. Soooo funny!
ReplyDeleteFrom A to Z, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com
I too like Nick Cage. I'll watch anything with him in it. Con Air was a good action movie.
ReplyDeleteAirplane...I love this movie! I still quote from at least two or three times a week. Nielsen was at his comedic best.
I like Jodie Foster so I will need to queue up Flight Plan.
Chuck at Apocalypse Now
I don't think anything can beat Airplane! for a flying comedy movie. :D Interesting movies in your post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for creating this activity! I'm gaining skill, having fun, learning a lot.
ReplyDeleteI worked with Cleveland International Film Festival for 7 years but moved away - miss it. Love Cage, admire his versatility. Favorite is still Moon Struck, also an all-time general favorite of mine.
But there are so many good and interesting films I don't pick. I just enjoy, ponder, discuss and love inhabiting different worlds that speak to different parts of me.
Mary at Mary A to Z
Flying Down to Rio is a classic. I like Astaire and Rogers, too!
ReplyDeleteCon Air is one of those movies I could watch over and over.
ReplyDeleteAirplane I liked but haven't seen it in years. I think about it and I remember "Stryker? Stryker? Stryker?" and then he knocks out the woman.
I recently saw Con Air on cable for the first time in years. I love big, dumb action movies, and Steve Buscemi is one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteBut Nic Cage lands in Holy Terror of Accents land with his cringe-inducing southern twang. It was SO awful. Like Kevin Costner in Robin Hood awful. Which is why Nic Cage is kind of awesome, because he did that movie with a straight face and lived to tell.
I freely admit, I love the National Treasure movies.
New to your blog from A to Z!
I suppose you could call it a flying movie but "Apollo 13" ranks pretty close to the top of my list. Exceedingly well executed and just a thrill to watch. Thank you, Arlee, for your delightful workshop last Saturday. I've written for years but never considered blogging before. Thanks to you, on Monday I signed up at the last minute for the A to Z Challenge and started my first blog. Absorbing a lot and hungry to learn more. Muchos grape nuts!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to all my new visitors. Hope you will come back often.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear from so many Nicolas Cage fans as well. He often unfairly gets a bad rap, but he must be doing something right.
Nouveau -- Thanks for letting me know about the blog. That's three from the workshop I've heard about. I'll be over to check yours out.
Lee
The first movie that came to mind was "Top Gun" *albeit not the best example of cinema flight-magic* I think the soundtrack rated better than the actual flight-time!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
WriterlySam
'Airplane' is the all time classic. But I have to add 'French Kiss' with Meg Ryan, whose character was afraid to fly. Hi...Just stopping by in the big A-Z--my first visit here!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about Nicholas Cage, he's so under-rated. I think his craziness worries people, I love it,
ReplyDeleteFlightplan scared me, we were flying a lot at the time, the thought of losing my son was bad enough but no believing me, I'd have flipped big time.
I love Flight of the Phoenix (both of them)It is my favourite - desert based flight movie ;)
ReplyDeleteBig fan of CON AIR! Every time I catch it on TV, I have to watch at least a little of it. (Also a fan of THE ROCK, with Cage and Connery.)
ReplyDeleteAnd my husband walks around quoting lines from AIRPLANE. :)
Who doesn't love Airplane what a hoot?!
ReplyDeleteI like all of the ones you mentioned . I recently saw Flight with Denzel Wahington on demand , and while I know it did not get great reviews, I loved it. I liked the character transformation of Wahington's character .
ReplyDeleteThe only ones I remember are those from WW2 era, but I can't think of their names. Thanks for being willing to host the A to Z Challenge, Arlee!
ReplyDeleteMakingtheWriteConnections
Con Air was one of my favorite movies. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteDenzel's recent Flight is one I have not seen yet, but want to.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying all the comments from everybody. Thank you!
Lee
I still laugh my head off when I see Airplane. Leslie Nielsen is such a great straight man. I remember seeing a clip where he was brought a whoopee cushion with him while being interviewed by Johnny Carson - so silly!
ReplyDeleteTui
visiting from the #AtoZChallenge
Twitter: @mentalmosaic
Blog: http://www.mentalmosaic.com/blog
Well, there were quite a few additions to "Flying Movies" in your comments...this is my first comment here, since I have discovered you during the A to Z CHallenge! I loved ConAir (I do think Nicholas Cage is a bit underrated overall!), Air Force One was pretty awesome, and Apollo 13...How about The Terminal...sort of about flying (well, landing and taking off!) That was great too!
ReplyDeleteI'll be back (ok..that sounded a little like Arnold!)
Shannon
THe Other Side of the Equation
Airplane is still one of the greatest comedy madcap films they ever did. I've yet to see a movie match it...so many moments there that you had to watch a few times to catch all the jokes you'd been laughing through the first time.
ReplyDeletePatrick-- I agree with you!
ReplyDeleteLee
<3 Nick Cage films too!
ReplyDeleteI love how you're taking on the films for your A to Z theme. I've not seen a lot of them as time is one thing I don't have abundance of! :)
Jamie Dement (LadyJai)
WriteBackwards
Loved Airplane!!! My children know it almost word for word. Have to admit Battle of Britain was a great flying movie, and the Red Baron. Amazing flying in that one...
ReplyDelete