Airplane
Elmer Bernstein
" Steve McCroskey: It's coming right at us! [he then jumps out of a window] "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
Male announcer: The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the red zone.
Female announcer: The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the red zone.
Male announcer: The red zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the white zone.
Female announcer: No, the white zone is for loading of passengers and there is no stopping in a RED zone.
Male announcer: The red zone has always been for loading and unloading of passengers. There's never stopping in a white zone.
Female announcer: Don't you tell me which zone is for loading, and which zone is for stopping!
Male announcer: Listen Betty, don't start up with your white zone shit again.
Male announcer: There's just no stopping in a white zone.
Female announcer: Oh really, Vernon? Why pretend, we both know perfectly well what this is about. You want me to have an abortion.
Male announcer: It's really the only sensible thing to do, if its done safely. Therapeutically there's no danger involved.
I believe anyone has seen by now the absolutely ridiculous and one of the most hilarious movies ever made, namely Airplane. Airplane was the debut movie of David Zucker, Jerry Zucker & Jim Abrahams, and it made us be ready for the priceless gems that would follow later on. Think of the hilarious The Police Squad series and inevitable movies The Naked Gun, think of Hot Shots, think of the latter Scary Movie reprisals. These men have given humor another witty meaning and today, it is fair to say that Airplane ranks as one of the best comedies ever made.
Rumack: You'd better tell the Captain we've got to land as soon as we can. This woman has to be gotten to a hospital.
Elaine Dickinson: A hospital? What is it?
Rumack: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.
Airplane also became one of Elmer Bernstein's most beloved spoofs. At the time of the release of the movie, an LP was released featuring the many songs of the movie and snippets of dialogue layered over Elmer Bernstein's score. Never was there a release of the entire musical score of the late Elmer Bernstein, until now. And while the score is a soundtrack nightmare of multiple short score cues after another, you can't help but marvel at the basic fact it actually works to please you once you've started listening.
Rumack: I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.
The score by Elmer Bernstein was one of those many serious tongue in cheek scores he did for ridiculous comedies. Just think back at the successful scores he did for Animal House, Top Secret & Three Amigos. But Airplane is surely his most beloved alongside Animal House. As it opens with the famous Jaws theme of John Williams in "Main Title", you know you're in for a flight of your life.
Rumack: Can you fly this plane, and land it?
Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.
Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.
Opening with the Jaws theme, we are immediately drawn to the serious fanfare that ignites the passion, the romance, the action. For instance Elaine and Ted's love theme is heard many times throughout the score, most notably in "Kick Off", followed after a wonderful unused cue in "Lisa / Farewell / Take Off / Another Meeting", jazzy in "Love Theme from Airplane" and with lovely vocals over "From Here to There" and "Resolution / Tag".
Captain Oveur: You ever been in a cockpit before?
Joey: No sir, I've never been up in a plane before.
Captain Oveur: You ever seen a grown man naked?
The action of Elmer Bernstein isn't to be taken lightly as well. You would be seriously mistaken if you think "Fighting Girls" wouldn't fit in a western classic like that, because this is thrilling suspenseful stuff. The same for the fanfare use in "Zip / Eggs / Roger, Take Over" or the combination of suspense and lovely emotional material in "Wild Violins / Sickness / Idea". The strings in "Thar She Blows! / Flash / Panel" give you an all out whopper finish as well.
Rumack: I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.
The fanfares during "Mayday", the amazing combination of emotion, joy and suspense during "Dog Fight / Failure / Pep Talk / Notre Dame Victory March / Master", the main theme during "News" and the fanfareferrific end of "Crasher", Bernstein's score is a testament of serious music for a totally un(serious) movie. The amazing combination of the love theme and Tchaikovsky's rousing 1812 overture is present to make it sign off as good as it began.
Jack Kirkpatrick: Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash.
And after 23 tracks comes another batch of bonus cues. Most contain music or snippets of music not used in the film, and it isn't really music that's necessary at first. But that doesn't change the fact I always like more music than less.
Ted Striker: My orders came through. My squadron ships out tomorrow. We're bombing the storage depots at Daiquiri at 1800 hours. We're coming in from the north, below their radar.
Elaine Dickinson: When will you be back?
Ted Striker: I can't tell you that. It's classified
I must admit that I was horrified when seeing so many short tracks combined together, and having had the (dis)pleasure to hear the bootleg of god know how many tracks before it. But once I knew Dan Goldwasser was on board, I had faith and reassurance that it would work out in the end. And Airplane is a testament that you can make something of a score alright, if you know how to treat music. And it helps of course if a certain genius like Elmer Bernstein wrote the score in the first place. Airplane is definitely a score that listens better than it would present itself, and Bernstein's tongue in cheek music, together with a label who knows how to present its music is a delightful score from begin to end.
Rumack: I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.
Tracklisting
1. Main Title + (1.54)
2. Kiss Off (0.48)
3. Ambulance Arrives * (0.32)
4. Hari Krishna / Ticket / Nervous ** (2.45)
5. Lisa / Farewell / Take Off ** / Another Meeting (3.18) Excellent track
6. Fighting Girls (0.47)
7. Love Theme from AIRPLANE! (1.07)
8. From Here to There (2.08)
9. Head / Memory (1.14)
10. Shimmer / Molumbo (1.02)
11. Zip / Eggs / Roger, Take Over (2.34)
12. Wild Violins / Sickness / Idea (2.26) Excellent track
13. Thar She Blows! / Flash / Panel (2.23)
14. "Where the Hell is Kramer?" * / Trouble (1.02)
15. Mayday (0.56)
16. Punch-Up / Kramer (1.14)
17. Clumsy (0.56)
18. Dog Fight / Failure / Pep Talk / Notre Dame Victory March / Master ++ (3.45)
19. News (0.56)
20. "Runway is Niner" * / "The Gear is Down and We're Ready to Land" ** (1.03)
21. Crasher (4.02)
22. Resolution / Tag +++ (1.52) Excellent track
23. Notre Dame Victory March ++ (2.01)
Bonus Tracks
24. Tavern (0.35)
25. Everything's Coming Up Roses * (0.20)
26. Instruments (0.13)
27. Disco ** (0.31)
28. Kiss Off (Alternate) * (0.47)
29. Fighting Girls (Alternate) * (0.44)
30. From Here to There (Instrumental) (2.08)
31. Molumbo (Alternate) * (0.52)
32. Zip (Original Version) (0.32)
33. News (Alternates) * (1.49)
34. Dog Fight (Short Version) (0.37)
35. "Runway is Niner" (Alternate) * (0.31)
36. "The Gear is Down and We’re Ready to Land" (Alternate) * (0.30)
37. Tag (Instrumental) +++ (1.15)
* track not contained in film
** contains music not used in film
+ Contains "Theme from Jaws" by John Williams
++ Contains "Notre Dame Victory March" by Michael J. Shea, J.H. O'Donnell & John F. Shea, Edwin H. Morris & Co
+++ Contains "1812 Overture, Op. 49" by Peter Tchaikovsky
Total Length: 52.09
Female announcer: The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the red zone.
Male announcer: The red zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the white zone.
Female announcer: No, the white zone is for loading of passengers and there is no stopping in a RED zone.
Male announcer: The red zone has always been for loading and unloading of passengers. There's never stopping in a white zone.
Female announcer: Don't you tell me which zone is for loading, and which zone is for stopping!
Male announcer: Listen Betty, don't start up with your white zone shit again.
Male announcer: There's just no stopping in a white zone.
Female announcer: Oh really, Vernon? Why pretend, we both know perfectly well what this is about. You want me to have an abortion.
Male announcer: It's really the only sensible thing to do, if its done safely. Therapeutically there's no danger involved.
I believe anyone has seen by now the absolutely ridiculous and one of the most hilarious movies ever made, namely Airplane. Airplane was the debut movie of David Zucker, Jerry Zucker & Jim Abrahams, and it made us be ready for the priceless gems that would follow later on. Think of the hilarious The Police Squad series and inevitable movies The Naked Gun, think of Hot Shots, think of the latter Scary Movie reprisals. These men have given humor another witty meaning and today, it is fair to say that Airplane ranks as one of the best comedies ever made.
Rumack: You'd better tell the Captain we've got to land as soon as we can. This woman has to be gotten to a hospital.
Elaine Dickinson: A hospital? What is it?
Rumack: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.
Airplane also became one of Elmer Bernstein's most beloved spoofs. At the time of the release of the movie, an LP was released featuring the many songs of the movie and snippets of dialogue layered over Elmer Bernstein's score. Never was there a release of the entire musical score of the late Elmer Bernstein, until now. And while the score is a soundtrack nightmare of multiple short score cues after another, you can't help but marvel at the basic fact it actually works to please you once you've started listening.
Rumack: I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.
The score by Elmer Bernstein was one of those many serious tongue in cheek scores he did for ridiculous comedies. Just think back at the successful scores he did for Animal House, Top Secret & Three Amigos. But Airplane is surely his most beloved alongside Animal House. As it opens with the famous Jaws theme of John Williams in "Main Title", you know you're in for a flight of your life.
Rumack: Can you fly this plane, and land it?
Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.
Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.
Opening with the Jaws theme, we are immediately drawn to the serious fanfare that ignites the passion, the romance, the action. For instance Elaine and Ted's love theme is heard many times throughout the score, most notably in "Kick Off", followed after a wonderful unused cue in "Lisa / Farewell / Take Off / Another Meeting", jazzy in "Love Theme from Airplane" and with lovely vocals over "From Here to There" and "Resolution / Tag".
Captain Oveur: You ever been in a cockpit before?
Joey: No sir, I've never been up in a plane before.
Captain Oveur: You ever seen a grown man naked?
The action of Elmer Bernstein isn't to be taken lightly as well. You would be seriously mistaken if you think "Fighting Girls" wouldn't fit in a western classic like that, because this is thrilling suspenseful stuff. The same for the fanfare use in "Zip / Eggs / Roger, Take Over" or the combination of suspense and lovely emotional material in "Wild Violins / Sickness / Idea". The strings in "Thar She Blows! / Flash / Panel" give you an all out whopper finish as well.
Rumack: I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.
The fanfares during "Mayday", the amazing combination of emotion, joy and suspense during "Dog Fight / Failure / Pep Talk / Notre Dame Victory March / Master", the main theme during "News" and the fanfareferrific end of "Crasher", Bernstein's score is a testament of serious music for a totally un(serious) movie. The amazing combination of the love theme and Tchaikovsky's rousing 1812 overture is present to make it sign off as good as it began.
Jack Kirkpatrick: Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash.
And after 23 tracks comes another batch of bonus cues. Most contain music or snippets of music not used in the film, and it isn't really music that's necessary at first. But that doesn't change the fact I always like more music than less.
Ted Striker: My orders came through. My squadron ships out tomorrow. We're bombing the storage depots at Daiquiri at 1800 hours. We're coming in from the north, below their radar.
Elaine Dickinson: When will you be back?
Ted Striker: I can't tell you that. It's classified
I must admit that I was horrified when seeing so many short tracks combined together, and having had the (dis)pleasure to hear the bootleg of god know how many tracks before it. But once I knew Dan Goldwasser was on board, I had faith and reassurance that it would work out in the end. And Airplane is a testament that you can make something of a score alright, if you know how to treat music. And it helps of course if a certain genius like Elmer Bernstein wrote the score in the first place. Airplane is definitely a score that listens better than it would present itself, and Bernstein's tongue in cheek music, together with a label who knows how to present its music is a delightful score from begin to end.
Rumack: I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.
Tracklisting
1. Main Title + (1.54)
2. Kiss Off (0.48)
3. Ambulance Arrives * (0.32)
4. Hari Krishna / Ticket / Nervous ** (2.45)
5. Lisa / Farewell / Take Off ** / Another Meeting (3.18) Excellent track
6. Fighting Girls (0.47)
7. Love Theme from AIRPLANE! (1.07)
8. From Here to There (2.08)
9. Head / Memory (1.14)
10. Shimmer / Molumbo (1.02)
11. Zip / Eggs / Roger, Take Over (2.34)
12. Wild Violins / Sickness / Idea (2.26) Excellent track
13. Thar She Blows! / Flash / Panel (2.23)
14. "Where the Hell is Kramer?" * / Trouble (1.02)
15. Mayday (0.56)
16. Punch-Up / Kramer (1.14)
17. Clumsy (0.56)
18. Dog Fight / Failure / Pep Talk / Notre Dame Victory March / Master ++ (3.45)
19. News (0.56)
20. "Runway is Niner" * / "The Gear is Down and We're Ready to Land" ** (1.03)
21. Crasher (4.02)
22. Resolution / Tag +++ (1.52) Excellent track
23. Notre Dame Victory March ++ (2.01)
Bonus Tracks
24. Tavern (0.35)
25. Everything's Coming Up Roses * (0.20)
26. Instruments (0.13)
27. Disco ** (0.31)
28. Kiss Off (Alternate) * (0.47)
29. Fighting Girls (Alternate) * (0.44)
30. From Here to There (Instrumental) (2.08)
31. Molumbo (Alternate) * (0.52)
32. Zip (Original Version) (0.32)
33. News (Alternates) * (1.49)
34. Dog Fight (Short Version) (0.37)
35. "Runway is Niner" (Alternate) * (0.31)
36. "The Gear is Down and We’re Ready to Land" (Alternate) * (0.30)
37. Tag (Instrumental) +++ (1.15)
* track not contained in film
** contains music not used in film
+ Contains "Theme from Jaws" by John Williams
++ Contains "Notre Dame Victory March" by Michael J. Shea, J.H. O'Donnell & John F. Shea, Edwin H. Morris & Co
+++ Contains "1812 Overture, Op. 49" by Peter Tchaikovsky
Total Length: 52.09