# Airplane! and Zero Hour **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460 "2010-03-05T19:39:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/41 "2010-03-07T16:42:34Z")
For those who did miss it, I found a Youtube video that someone made comparing some highlights of Zero Hour with Airplane! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q__vuyH1JEI/hqdefault.jpg "Airplane! vs. Zero Hour!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q__vuyH1JEI) > [@](#): > > Ted Striker: Sluggish, like a wet sponge! > > Elaine Dickinson: “Sluggish, like a wet sponge!” > > [Elaine is relaying what Ted is saying to Kramer] > > Ted Striker: It’s a damn good thing he doesn’t know how much I hate his guts. > > Elaine Dickinson: It’s a damn good thing you don’t know how much he hates your guts. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/42 "2010-03-07T17:00:58Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > _Zero Hour!_ was in turn a remake of [_Flight Into Dange_r](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_into_danger), a Canadian TV production, written by Arthur Hailey (later of _Airport_), with a young James Doohan. There was a play version of _Flight into Danger_ in my Grade Seven reader, _High Flight_, back in the early 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/43 "2010-03-09T16:08:17Z")
I think my favourite gag in Airplane is also one of the subtlest. Every time the camera cuts to an outside shot of the plane, it has propeller sound effects, not jets. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/44 "2010-03-09T16:28:22Z")
My favorite, although not as subtle, is also strictly visual. “Everyone, assume the crash position!” ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/45 "2010-03-09T16:37:22Z")
I have never heard of Zero Hour either. I just glanced through the transscript provided by **E-Sabbath** and am amazed. It’s the same movie! _Airplane!_ is definitely one of my all-time favourites. Striker: One ticket to Chicago, no luggage. Ticket Lady: Smoking, or non-smoking. Striker: Smoking. Ticket Lady: (Hands over a _smoking_ ticket.) (And I swear Robert Hayes is trying desperately not to crack up at this point.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/46 "2010-03-09T16:43:28Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > I think my favourite gag in Airplane is also one of the subtlest. Every time the camera cuts to an outside shot of the plane, it has propeller sound effects, not jets. Which I think came straight from Zero Hour. BTW - my advice is to not listen to the Airplane commentary track. It pretty much consists of Zucker and Abrams saying how lame the jokes are. The Police Squad commentary is similar. They are real downers. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/47 "2010-03-09T16:47:18Z")
Trouble in the cockpit? What is it? ---
**Author:** ![MentalGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MentalGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MentalGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/48 "2010-03-09T17:02:27Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Trouble in the cockpit? What is it? It’s a place up front where the captain sits, but that’s not important now. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/49 "2010-03-09T17:05:03Z")
Does the underling in _Zero Hour_ ever actually get coffee for the airport manager? He’s asked repeatedly but I never saw him do anything about it. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/50 "2010-03-09T17:09:43Z")
JUST remembered this thread, but couldn’t find Zero Hour on my DVR. That’s what I get for asking my husband to set the timer. ☹ Anybody have any idea when I might catch this gem again? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/51 "2010-03-09T17:11:32Z")
I so love that movie. One of my favorite characters is Johnny, the crazy guy in the tower. “Johnny, what can you make out of this?” “This? Why I can make a hat, or a brooch, or a pterodactyl!” “Bad news…the fog’s getting thicker.” “And Leon is getting laaaaarger!” “What kind of plane is it?” “Oh, it’s a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels, and it looks like a big Tylenol.” ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/52 "2010-03-09T17:19:10Z")
Last week my husband and I were flying and the plane hit some turbulance. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Assume the crash position.” and coffee flew out my nose! Every time I feel sheepish about enjoying this movie I remind myself that nonsense humor is a favorite of smart folks everywhere. Did anyone ever stop to think why many can laugh at all the politically incorrect gags in this movie which would raise a riot if verbalized out of context on a forum? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/53 "2010-03-10T03:07:40Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > I think my favourite gag in Airplane is also one of the subtlest. Every time the camera cuts to an outside shot of the plane, it has propeller sound effects, not jets. … I can’t believe I never noticed that. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/54 "2010-03-10T03:46:36Z")
I must be the only person in the world who read Arthur Hailey’s novel “Runway Zero-Eight”, which was based on his script for “Zero Hour”, years before the movie “Airplane” came out. When I saw the latter, I immediately remembered the book. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/55 "2010-03-10T05:09:18Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I must be the only person in the world who read Arthur Hailey’s novel “Runway Zero-Eight”, which was based on his script for “Zero Hour”, years before the movie “Airplane” came out. When I saw the latter, I immediately remembered the book. Make that two of us. When I first heard about Zero Hour, I thought Huh? Airplane is from Runway Zero-Eight. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460/56 "2010-03-10T05:24:20Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > … > > I can’t believe I never noticed that. I didn’t notice it at first, either, but a neighbor who is a pilot pointed it out. Pilots, flight attendants, and ground crew must have a blast with this movie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-and-zero-hour/531460.md?page=2)