airplane!

It's definitely a bittersweet realization when the iconic films of ones tortured teenage years show up in a retrospective series, so I didn't know whether to be thrilled or angst ridden when the Thirtieth Anniversary of Airplane! was celebrated at my beloved Aero Theatre in Santa Monica on Friday. Does this mean a "Smokey and the Bandit" film series is imminent?

Although I have the DVD version, the appeal of the silver screen and live audience was irresistible, so we met as a gang of six for what surely would be a memorable evening.

And don't call me Shirley.

And it was fabulous. Probably the most literal comedy ever made, the delightful zany bitchy comedy of my youth has lost nothing to age. Stephen Stucker's delightfully flamboyant and irreverent Johnny made us all howl with laughter. I realized that I've been quoting him for thirty years.

"WHERE did you get that DRESS? It's AWFUL..."

If I quote any more lines, I'll do the whole script. So instead, here is the original trailer for your enjoyment:



And don't call me Shirley.