Directed By: David Zucker
Written By: David Zucker, Jim Abrahms, David Zucker & Pat Proft
Cinematography By: Robert M. Stevens
Editor: Michael Jablow
CAST: Leslie Nielsen, Pricilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban, George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson, Nancy Marchand, Weird Al Yankovich, Lawrence Tierney, Reggie Jackson, John Houseman
The strange thing is that I originally wrote this review Monday November 22nd. Seven days before Leslie Nielsen’s death. So this review is in honor of the man.
This was the first in a series of films based off a short-lived TV series by the makers of AIRPLANE. This is the jewel in the crown of the trilogy. The sequels are funny but they are of diminishing quality. Which happens with most sequels. You know what to expect with them and they feel a need to out-shock the previous entry. Which actually takes away from the comedy. Especially when you know what to expect, Since you are waiting for it. There ends up being little to shock. Since this is the first in the series it catches you off guard.
In all honesty this film was one of my introductions to pun’s and one-liners. Which partially shaped my sense of humor for the future in addition to AIRPLANE.
It works as a partial spoof but I still look at is more of a comedy. It is a classic that has been neglected over the years (Maybe from the overkill when it first came out) playing second fiddle to the AIRPLANE films, But it earns it’s own right to stand side by side with them.
It has many memorable scenes and one-liners. It basically breaks down as detective Frank Dreben tries to uncover a conspiracy to assassinate the queen of England. Much hilarity along the way leads to outrageous situations. The film will always be noted by the fact of O.J. Simpson playing the accident prone Nordberg. Before the tragedy that later came into his life and cloud many peoples opinion of him.
The reason the movie works so well as opposed to the movies That have come to copy it’s formula of over the top spoof films and even it’s own sequels. Is that the movie actually has a follow through story line that works in addition to it’s broad comedy. It’s jokes are more genuine then just cultural jokes that only make sense when it is set. The jokes are timeless and just funny. Instead of tired spoofs that feel like there is little to no effort put into it like DISASTER MOVIE
It is also the beginning of when Leslie Nielsen started appearing in what seemed like strictly movies of this type, So it was before he got to a point of being annoying or knowing what you were going to get when you watched a movie starring him. This film began the resurgence of a career for Leslie Nielsen as his early career had mainly been supporting roles in dramas. After this film he became the king of spoofs. A title he deserved even if most of the films he choose outside of this series Didn’t recall the greatness of this film. Nor did they truly utilize his talents more then Exploit them with bad set-ups and writing.
This film also is the last film appearance of famed Classic actor John Houseman.
Definite Add to the film library.
GRADE: B+
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