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The quintessential movie spoof that spawned an entire genre of parody films, the original Airplane! still holds up as one of the brightest comedic gems of the '80s, not to mention of cinema itself (it ranked in the top 5 of Entertainment Weekly's list of the 100 funniest movies ever made). The humor may be low and obvious at times, but the jokes keep coming at a rapid-fire clip and its targets--primarily the lesser lights of '70s cinema, from disco films to star-studded disaster epics--are more than worthy for send-up. If you've seen even one of the overblown Airport movies then you know the plot: the crew of a filled-to-capacity jetliner is wiped out and it's up to a plucky stewardess and a shell-shocked fighter pilot to land the plane. Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty are the heroes who have a history that includes a meet-cute à la Saturday Night Fever, a surf scene right out of From Here to Eternity, a Peace Corps trip to Africa to teach the natives the benefits of Tupperware and basketball, a war-ravaged recovery room with a G.I. who thinks he's Ethel Merman (a hilarious cameo)--and those are just the flashbacks! The jokes gleefully skirt the boundaries of bad taste (pilot Peter Graves to a juvenile cockpit visitor: "Joey, have you ever seen a grown man naked?"), with the high (low?) point being Hagerty's intimate involvement with the blow-up automatic pilot doll, but they'll have you rolling on the floor. The film launched the careers of collaborators Jim Abrahams (Big Business), David Zucker (Ruthless People), and Jerry Zucker (Ghost), as well as revitalized such B-movie actors as Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Robert Stack, and Leslie Nielsen, who built a second career on films like this. A vital part of any video collection. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (155)

An Overdose of Comedy
In the 1970's, Hollywood created an endless stream of disaster movies. Having found a "winning formula" they latched onto it and milked it for every penny producing disaster flick after disaster flick until it all became a joke onto itself. Enter Airplane. The result of a couple of guys who, seeing all these airplane disaster movies thought it had all gotten so ridiculous that the entire genre was a joke, a brilliant idea was born. Enter the era of the spoof.

Today we take spoofs for granted but back then the idea was brand new, and thats what makes Airplane such a brilliant masterpeice, it literally spawned a whole new genre of movies that is being copied this very day. Naked gun, or Scary movie would not exist today without Airplane, and yet, Airplane is funnier than every other spoof ever made even all these years later.

Put simply, this movie is non stop rapidfire comedy. It's saturday night live on qualudes. It's nonstop wisecracks and jokes and gags. If you like intelligent critical movies, run away...quickly. This is not your movie.
If however you enjoy pure slapstick a la three stooges, just pure bumbling humour. Totally idiotic side gags. This is your dream come true. This is more than likely the most hillarious movie ever made. It's become a classic like Gone with the wind or the godfather, but for Comedies, and with good reason. The jokes simply are nonstop beggining to end. Right from the opening scene with the Hare Krishna's at the airport until the autopilot waving goodbye in the end scene. The movie simply does not stop for even an instant. At certain points you literally have to stop laughing even if you think a joke is funny just to breath. Don't expect brilliant writting here, it's all slapstick but it REALLY is hillarious stuff. The guys who did this by the way have gone on to write many of hollywoods great comedic scenes and we can see their raw talent to great effect here, completely unrestrained. This is the granddaddy of the Spoof Genre. If you love slapstick, by all means, Get this movie. You won't regret it.

I AM serious, and don't call me Shirley!
The greatest movie spoof and funniest film of all time is on DVD! Directed by the Zucker Brothers, AIRPLANE is the king of all spoofs, putting lame attempts like SCARY MOVIE to shame. The relentless number of gags is the key here, with so many jokes it takes several viewings to catch them all. My favourite gags are the Saturday Night Fever disco mock, the mayhem jokes on the plane (crash postions etc), Stephen Stucker as Johnny ("The tower! Rapunzel!) and the very patient cab driver! And of course, one of the best lines, "Surely you can't be serious!" "I AM serious, and don't call me Shirley!" and "Joey, do you like movies about Gladiators?" Classic! The jokes come fast and frequently, providing enough weird humour to satisfy fans of this genre. Great fun. The DVD extras consist of a terrific Commenatary from the directors and a trailer. More extra stuff would be nice, but the commentary alone is worth it.

Outrageously funny!
God this movie is so incredibly hilarious! Few movies have such witty and original jokes as 1980's Airplane! does. This is one of the best comedy movies of all time and is strongly recommended for those struggling with depression or just want a good laugh.

A jetliner is bound for Chicago but when contaminated fish spreads illnesses on most of it's passengers and incapacitates both of it's pilots, it's up to a war veteran to fly and land the airliner and save the passengers before the illness claims their lives.

This movie is so incredibly funny and is highly recommended for comedy audiences. They sure don't make comedy movies like they used to.

Outrageous Comedy About 70's Disaster Films
Airplane was released in theatres in 1980 and was in production in 1979. Evidently, "Airplane" was a spoof of the 70's disaster film "Airport." This movie was an original concept in comedy at the time that made way for future spoof movies as the Scary Movie series in recent years and the Naked Gun movies in the 90's. Stars Robert Hays, Julia Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen and Peter Graves with a special appearance by Lakers player Kareem Abdul Jabaar. Leslie Nielsen would move on to doing other such comic films, particularily at home with the Nake Gun series and Spy Hard.

The movie was a comic farewell to the 70's, a milieu which this movie holds on to visually- disco music, including a scene ripped off from Saturday Night Fever in which Robert Hays and Julia Hagerty dance while two women fight each other at a disco/bar. The comedy is non-stop and everything is a gag or joke, written into the script. Highlights include an elderly white lady who can speak Jibe or black street slang, Ted and Elaine in an African village as part of a peace corps mission. Ted is teaching the native men how to play basketball while Elaine demonstrates Tupperware to the village women. The movie is cartoonish, over-the-top, silly but lots of fun. Look also for the film's sequel, released in 1982.

One of the all-time great comedies!
Airplane! is most definitely one of the ten greatest comedies of all time, and it's held up well over the past 24 years or so. Normally, this type of parody/slapstick comedy bores me to tears, but I think it's the dry delivery in Airplane! that makes everything work. A classic performance from Leslie Nielsen doesn't hurt, either. Even though this movie spoofed some of the biggest movies of its time period, the fact that Airplane! is remembered just as fondly (if not "fondlier") is testament to how great this film is. Anyone that enjoys comedies must A)Watch this movie, B)Own this movie, and C)Repeat lines from this movie as often as possible. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Pure genious
These are the first three episodes of Police Squad, the program that laid out the ground works for the Naked Gun series and a lot of other parodies out there (stuff like chalk outline jokes and name puns). I personally consider Police Squad to be better than the Naked Gun series, and all other parodies made by the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team. Too bad there were only six episodes made, as this is just pure gold in my humble opinion.

The Naked Truth
This is an extremely hilarious tape. It is just as funny, if not more, than the NAked Gun movies. Watch it a few times and you'll realize all the jokes you've missed.

POLICE SQUAD forever and ever and...
What, only 6 stinkin' episodes is all this show has? Shows you what Hollywood thinks is and isn't funny. The cast is great and the Jokes...Sight Gags that really make you feel good about Vision! A Must Have- What No DVDs?

The original television series is funnier than the movies
"Police Squad," which aired in 1982, starred Leslie Nielsen as Detective Frank Drebin, Alan North as Captain Ed Hocken, Ed Williams as scientist Ted Olson, William Duell as Johnny the Snitch, and Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln. The first three episodes from the short-lived but well-remembered comedy created by the Zucker Brothers are preserved on this tape. I have included both the title that appeared on the screen and the one intoned by the narrator (in that order). Oh, and please remember that the "guest star" for each episode is always killed during the title credits. Now, back to the episodes:

(1) "A Substantial Gift"/"The Broken Promise," the March 4, 1982 series premier with guest star Lorne Greene (dumped out of a car with a knife buried in his chest), finds Frank investigating the murder of a teller at the bank. His girlfriend Sally says it was a recently fired employee, but Frank has his doubts. There is a great scene involving Frank trying to get clear about "Jim Fell" and an equally funny visit to the Dentist. (2) "Ring of Fear"/"A Dangerous Assignment," with guest star Georg Stanford Brown" (crushed by a falling safe), has Frank working the case of a boxer who is murdered after refusing to take a dive. This means a visit to Jim's Gym for Frank, who ends up working with a real dog. (3) "Rendevouz at Big Gulch"/"Terror in the Neighborhood" takes out guest star Florence Henderson (gunned down in her kitchen while making a meal and singing) before Frank and Norberg go undercover at a dance studio to crack down on a protection racket. I really like the fight at the studio.

Why on earth did this hysterical show not succeed? Well, apparently there were so many sight gags (e.g., the Japanese Garden consisting of Japanese people standing in large flower pots), that people actually had to WATCH the show, which, it seems, they did not like to do. Now they have to pay to watch Frank Drebin in the movies. Go figure.

A six-episode comedy classic!
Perhaps, in some wonderful alternate time-band, "Police Squad!" lasted beyond six episodes to survive for, say, two seasons. Or three. Surely, true fans of the series are asking but one question at this point: "My name is not Shirley, but can you tell me how to get to this wonderful time-band?" I'm afraid I can't, but if anyone knows the secret, please share it with me--care of Shirley, of course.

As it stands, six installments are all we have, and they are the funniest TV episodes ever produced, with a dream comedy cast headed by Leslie Nielsen, Alan North, and Peter Lupus. North and Lupus were to continue onto the big screen for the "Naked Gun" series, but studio bigwigs insisted they be replaced by actors with greater name recognition. What a shame!

This, and the second "Police Squad!" video, present the episodes in uncut form. The less said about heavily-edited cable airings of this masterpiece, the better. ... Read more

Amazon.com

David Zucker--of the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker creative troika behind Airplane! and television's Police Squad!--directed this 1988 feature film based on the latter show. Leslie Nielsen returns to his old TV role of Lt. Frank Drebin, the deadpan idiot with a detective's badge. The reinvention of the failed series as a theatrical feature seems to have inspired everyone involved to make a pretty funny movie, and the jokes gather a momentum that lasts until the final act. Ricardo Montalban is a perfect foil as a villain whose aquarium is being invaded by Drebin during routine questioning, and George Kennedy is delightful in a self-parodying part as an earnest but obtuse lawman. There's a hilarious bit when Drebin--wearing a live police wire while going to the bathroom--can be overheard over the loudspeakers at a speech given by a flustered mayor (Nancy Marchand). Yes, that's O.J. Simpson as a detective who ends up on the wrong side of numerous Drebin blunders. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (63)

From the files of when comedy was actually funny
Those who know me know that I don't often go to comedies that have been made since the Austin Powers era. The reason is that there has been a line that has been crossed in recent years that makes that majority of these films unfunny to me. While Austin Powers had Dr. Evil to save it from over all lameness most comedies these days are too reliant on riskaye sex jokes and over the top toilet humor that works in South Park and Nintendo's "Conker's Bad Fur Day" but nothing else. The Naked Gun is based on the short-lived but absolutely hilarious "Police Squad" TV series starring Leslie Neilson as Lt. Frank Drebbon. The show and films classic "who dun its" from the 40s and 50s with over the top classy humor, and a lot of well timed puns and gags. Timing is what makes not only this movie, but also its sequels do funny. The timing for everything is dead on, plus it's a Zucker film, and the Zuckers are almost up there with Mel Brooks. They know how to do comedy right. However the weakness of this film is in its time sensitive gags. A lot of the events in this movie are poking fun of events that were occurring at the time the movies were made. People who were not around in, or do not remember the early nineties may not get a lot of the gags. Even so there is still enough material that is not time sensitive for the film to be funny over all. Even a guest appearance by Weird Al Yankovic.
The special features are lacking, however. Part of what makes DVDs so fun is when you get a jam-packed DVD that goes in depth into the making of the movie. It is when you have those kinds of documentaries that the movie becomes more than a movie; it becomes a living piece of history. Considering that so many of the jokes are so era sensitive these making of featurettes that this DVD lacked could have been beneficial to those who don't know that backdrops to which so many of these jokes are built.

Frank Drebin from Police Squad hits the Big Screen
Yes, "The Naked Gun" is a funny movie, a fitting heir to "Airplane" in the genre of "Kitchen Sink" comedy where you had better pay attention to everything that is going on in the background and read all of the final credits or you will be missing out on the fun. But Leslie Nielsen's totally dead-panned performance as Lt. Frank Drebin in the original "Police Squad" TV series worked better than than the more hammy approach used in the films. Still, watching Priscilla Presley, Nancy Marchand and Ricardo Montalban deal straight up with all the wackiness redeems many things. Even if you never saw "Police Squad" (with Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln), you will laugh parts of your anatomy off during "The Naked Gun." I wonder if Queen Elizabeth ever watched this movie? Too bad it is hard not to wince every time you see that guy playing Nordberg. Final Trivia Note: the German version of "The Naked Gun" runs four minutes shorter. See if you can guess what the fun loving Germans found so offensive they cut (No, I do not have any idea, but I am curious).

Classic Comedy
Based on the failed tv series "Police Squad", 1988's "The Naked Gun" was a smash comedy that gave new life to Leslie Nielsen's career (he had previously been reduced to dramatic roles) as well as escued the team of Jerry and David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, who hadn't had a hit since 1980's equally hysterical "Airplane" (which also starred Nielsen).

Frank Drebin (Nielsen) is a bumbling cop who is assinged to look into a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth at the World Series after his fellow oficer and good friend Nordberg (O.J. Simpson - yes, that O.J. Simpson) is nearly killed. The prime suspect is a businessman named Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalban). Drebin and his partner Ed Hocken (Georeg Kennedy) will stop at nothing to find out who's behind the crime. That is, if Frank can avoid the charms of the sexy Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley).

This is a great film for anyone who loves to laugh. And get the two sequels as well and pray they comeout with a fourth one soon.

This carn't be overlooked
Very funny movie if you haven't seen it its clear your behind in comedy.

Masterpiece
When asked what my favorite movie of all time, I always instinctively utter "The Naked Gun." While not everyone really appreciates this movie, unless you're into goffball comedies, this has to be one of the funniest movies ever. Not sure what else can be said about it. Puns, punchlines, side gags, are all brilliant. I laugh out loud every time I watch it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's more of Leslie Nielsen's Lt. Frank Drebin, the bumbling cop from the old Police Squad! television series. This time, Drebin uncovers a plot--led by supervillain Robert Goulet!--to sabotage America's energy policy. The jokes don't stick as well as those of the first film (Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!), but there are some very funny slapstick moments, including several involving former First Lady Barbara Bush (played by an actress, of course). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (23)

I've been swimming in raw sewage...I LOVE IT!
I actually did like this move quite a bit, and it was amazingly funny, but it had a few too many man-gets-hit-by-something-and-falls jokes for me. This is my least favorite Naked Gun movie yet I still watch it all the time and have a good laugh. the Naked Gun movies to me are the funniest movies ever created, and this is no exception. It is great, but I think you would first want to check out the other two. My favorite scene: The one where Frank and Ed go into the sex shop while Norberg is going under all the cars. Another downer: there were too many jokes stolen from the series it was based on, Police Squad! Otherwise, very good and very very funny.

Fairly funny
This is the second film based on the short-lived TV series "Police Squad". The first is a classic. This one liberally borrows gags from the TV show that inspired it, and that sums up my problem with the film: an overall lack of inspiration.

There are some very funny segments, including director David Zucker's hilarious send-up of his brother Jerry's "Ghost". But this movie just isn't as consistently funny as it's predecessor. This is really Leslie Nielsen's last funny performance in a spoof-comedy. After this, he would resort to constant and shameless mugging. In fact, one of the faults with this second Naked Gun film is that David Zucker allows some winking at the audience to creep in. These films are much better when played completely straight.

The DVD isn't exactly packed with features. There is a funny group commentary and that's about it. Some have complained that the scenes used for the TV broadcast version aren't included. It would've been nice if Paramount had included them as Deleted Scenes (though they are NOT good enough to warrant inclusion in the actual film).

Halt! Police Squad!
Unlike most sequels, Naked Gun 2 ½ goes above and beyond the spectacular first movie. Priscilla Presley just kept getting hotter and more beautiful as the series went on. Leslie Neilson, the modern day king of physical comedy is up to his old hijinx as Lt. Frank Dremond. This time Frank is after the masterminds who wish to bury the thought of clean energy and let the oil companies continue to give us high prices and pollution.

Gags that make the whole movie worth it.....

1. The shower/assassin scene. What a beautiful duet as he adjusts his silencer!
2. The Blue lounge, to include no Black Russians!
3. The Wistler's Mother birthmark. Stays on even with a sander!
4. A dinner with President Bush (watch those doors and lobster claws)
5. The final scene with hanging Barbera!

This is entertainment folks!

Smell of Comedy
The second installment to the adventures of Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) and Police Squad/Naked Gun series is just as funny as the first film (and forgotten tv show). There is an underlying theme in this comedy about environmental issues and there is a story and plot with all the pratfalls,nonsense, and hilarity. Again, the producers pick an unlikely actor to play the villian (Ricardo Montalban in the first) and this time it's Robert Goulet as Quentin Hapsburg behind a plot to deter President Bush's policy for a cleaner USA. The real treasure is everytime Frank Drebin (Nielsen) says one of his many asinine lines, the camera switches to Hapsburg (Goulet) and his look of bewilderment is worth the price of admission. The supporting roles are equally funny. O.J. Simpson as Nordberg has a more prominent role than in the first (although in the first he set up the Nordberg character beautifully). George Kennedy as Ed found a second career in comedy equal to that of Nielsen, and Priscilla Presley is up to the task of keeping up with all the hijinx. Guest roles are filled by some of Nielsen's contemporaries who have played similar type guest roles in various 60's and 70's tv shows and movies (Tim O'Conner, Lloyed Bochner etc.) The films are probably a little marred by the fact that OJ Simpson is in the cast, but his Nordberg character is hilarious as with the rest of the film. Overall a very funny film with the Zucker brand of comedy. Note: Classic Line- Commissioner Brumford (Jacqueline Brookes) after getting a call that animals escaped from the zoo as a result of a Drebin blunder... "Do you realise that this city is being overrun by baboons?" Drebin (Nielsen) "Well, isn't that the fault of the voters?". Also, a classic surprise scene: An in-joke by Lloyed Bochner (as Baggett) and a certain classic TWILIGHT ZONE episode "To Serve Man" in which he appeared in years ago.

THIS ONE IS JUST AS GOOD AS THE FIRST!!
This movie is just what my tital says!! Just as good as the first and that's because it is!! If you like the first one than you'll love this one too!! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Execs "Knew" Best
From what I read years ago, there were actually 8 (maybe 9)"Police Squad" episodes, but the network killed the series before all aired. Execs there apparently knew what we liked better that we. They probably figured "What's the point of Nielson informing the show's many fans that a hospital is "a big building full of sick people, but that's not important now."

The Naked Truth Part 2, Yankees 1
Although this is an okay tape, it is not as funny as the first. If you buy the first one and like it, consider buying this one. The name of the first tape is Police Squad: Help Wanted.

a MUST see!!!
You'll laugh you ... off!

Buy it NOW!!! You'll thank me later.

More comedy classics from the files of "Police Squad"
"Police Squad," which aired in 1982, starred Leslie Nielsen as Detective Frank Drebin, Alan North as Captain Ed Hocken, Ed Williams as scientist Ted Olson, William Duell as Johnny the Snitch, and Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln. This second tape preserves the final three episodes from the short-lived but well-remembered comedy created by the Zucker Brothers. Once again, I have included both the title that appeared on the screen and the one intoned by the narrator (in that order), as well as the "guest star" who is killed off in the credits that week.

(4) "Revenge and Remorse"/"A Guilty Alibi," with guest star William Shatner (dodgers gunfire but then drinks poison), finds Frank investigating the death of a judge and prosecutor who are killed in explosions. The prime suspect is Eddie Casales, a bomber just released from jail, but Frank (as always) has other ideas. (5) "The Butler Did It"/"A Bird in the Hand," takes out guest star Robert Goulet (firing squad after refusing a blindfold) before Frank has to race the clock to find a kidnapped young socialite. Meanwhile, Johnny the Snitch gets a visit from a desperate Tommy Lasorda. I love it when the monkey runs around during the end credits while everybody pretends to stand frozen. (6) "Testimony of Evil"/"Dead Men Don't Laugh," with guest star William Conrad (also thrown from car with knife in chest a'la Lorne Greene in the pilot), Frank has to go undercover as "Tony Dawonderful," a so-bad-he's-funny comic, to infiltrate a night club and break up a drugs ring.

"Police Squad" was one of the funniest television shows ever and the movies, while welcomed, lack the simple charm of these episodes. For my money, Nielsen just mugs it up to much on the silver screen, although Priscilla Presley makes up for an awful lot. This is one of those rare shows that is as funny as you remember it being when you catch it again on videotape.

Cigarette? Yes I know.
The tape contains the last three episodes of the series. I can't believe there were only 6 in the series! These are absolutely halarious, the jokes do not stop. Nielsen was never funnier and Alan North is perfect as Ed Hawkins. If you liked the Naked Gun and the Airplane! films you will love this. This is one of the most original televison series ever created. I keep hoping that another tape of unkown episodes will surface. Wouldnt that be dreamy? I love how the special guest star of each episode dies during the opening theme. Brilliant! ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A Comedy Classic with an All Star Cast!!!
I saw this movie on cable, several times, I watch it every chance I get, I don't personally own it, but it will soon come into my DVD collection. The main character is played by Danny DeVito who plays philandering, money hungry tycoon Sam Stone(Danny plays this character with such relish) who has made enemies of the couple played by Helen Slater and Judge Rheinhold, whom he has wronged. They retaliate by kidnapping his wife played by Bette Middler. Put it this way the kidnappers end up being the most likable characters in the movie, with all the manuevers done by Sam Stone, his mistress played by Anita Morris, her dumb as a rock boyfriend played by Bill Pullman, the Police Commissioner, and the unsuspecting wife played by Betty Middler, who hopes to be rescued by her husband. It is funny, intelligent and it takes you for a cool entertaining ride with it's plot twists.

An 80's comedy time capsule!
I hope everyone didn't forget that Bette Midler was the highest grossing female film star of the 80's! This is the classic that will prove how she got the attention. This was released after Down And Out In Beverly Hills which brought Bette back into popularity at the movies. In fact, Down... is probably considered her funniest movie. I think Ruthless outshines all her comedies. It's sooo 80's, too! Scene after scene, this movie moves along with no time to be bored. Acting is perfect by all. Although Danny and Bette are never seen together until the end, they look so cute together. Danny Devito wants his abrasive wife kidnaped! Judge Reinhold had his multi million dollar idea stolen from Devito. Devito's mistress wants his money. And did I mention the serial killer? Very funny! I hope this will soon be re-released on DVD!

Fumbling kidnappers join forces with victim
Bette Midler in yet another one of her pain-in-the-neck roles. The wife of a wealthy man (played by Danny DeVito) is kidnapped for ransome by a desperate young couple (definite novices to the kidnapping racket), only to learn that DeVito has no intention of paying up, as he had long been tired of his nagging wife. DeVito plays up the heart-broken husband to police, while Midler and her captors are devising a plan to get even with the s.o.b.

There are many hilarious scenes, and even some moving moments of emotional sweetness, but soon past the half-way mark the engines lose steam. By the time everyone reaches the finish-line, the hot-cake has definitely cooled off. Still an enjoyable piece of light-hearted comedy, slap-stick, non-sense and all.****

'I've been kidnapped by K-Mart!"
Extremely funny movie. Danny Devito plays the part of a husband who married his wife for her money and now wants to get rid of her (he's got a girlfriend on the side). Bette Middler plays the loud-mouth rich wife. Just when Devito decides to put his plans into action, she is kidnapped. He is thrilled and refuses to pay the ransom hoping the kidnappers will follow through on their threat to knock her off if he doesn't pay up. While he's laughing and celebrating, the police think he's mourning. The kidnappers find they've taken on more than the average kidnapped victim, especially since they are really a soft-hearted couple who felt Danny owed them for ripping off the wife's idea. Bette Midler is no tame, soft spoken woman.

The movie is one of those side-splitting comedies that is great from the start to the finish! Enjoy!

Ruthlessly Funny
Sam Stone only married his wife, Barbara, for her money. Now he's anxious to get rid of her. Before he can do the deed, though, someone does him a huge favor by kidnapping her. What could be better? All he has to do is not pay the ransom and his problem is solved. Barbara's bungling kidnappers find themselves stuck with a worthless hostage.

RUTHLESS PEOPLE is a very funny movie. It's well plotted, well acted and keeps you laughing all the way. While not quite a classic, it was one of the top comedies of the mid-80's and resurrected Bette Midler's movie career. My only caution is that this is definitely NOT a movie for kids. Crude language is scattered throughout and there is some blatantly sexual material. While it might offend a few people, it's pretty mild by current standards. You could see almost as much in a Super Bowl halftime show.

I've liked RUTHLESS PEOPLE ever since I first saw it at the theater. It's a first-rate adult comedy. If you'd like some laughs, this is a good choice. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In between the disaster movie satire Airplane! in 1980 and the hardboiled cop show parody The Naked Gun in 1988, the comedy crew of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and David Zucker put together a picture that's almost as funny as their better-known hits. Top Secret! sends up spy movies and cheesy teen rock & roll musicals. Val Kilmer stars as swivel-hipped American rocker Nick Rivers, a sort of blonde Elvis whose secret weapon is Little Richard's tune "Tutti Fruitti." On tour behind the Iron Curtain, Nick strikes blows for democracy overtly and covertly, with his music as well as his espionage skills. In short, this is a very, very silly motion picture. Some great gags, including a subtitled scene in a Swedish book shop, and an inspired bit with a Ford Pinto that not everybody may get anymore. (The Pinto, you may or may not recall, was notoriously prone to gas tank explosions when rear-ended.) --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (97)

They Had It Coming
The creative Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker team behind the successful "The Naked Gun" and "Airplane!" spoof war and Elvis films in the surprising comedy "Top Secret!" An American rock idol (Val Kilmer) goes on a goodwill tour in East Germany and teams up with a freedom fighter (Lucy Gutteridge) to rescue her father from the dreaded East German High Command. The comic team delivers the same non-stop laughs as their previous hit "Airplane!" This very silly spoof contains hilarious comic scenes and great visual gags. The cast is inspiring with Omar Sharif and Peter Cushing in outstanding roles. The side-splitting comedy is presented in its 1.85:1 widescreen format. Its picture quality is disappointing but the 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is quite satisfactory. The menus are simple and unimpressive. The DVD includes alternate scenes, a feature-length commentary with filmmakers and its widescreen theatrical trailer. Like so many Paramount DVDs, "Top Secret!" doesn't surpass average and earns a "C+".

If you liked Airplane! you'll love Top Secret!
I've been a fan of the ZAZ team for as long as I can remember. And this is one of their classic films- Top Secret! spoofs both Elvis musicals and doubleya-doubleya two films- and does it really well. There's sight gags, background gags, puns, a scene shot entirely in reverse, an underwater saloon fight, what else do you want in a movie? I've watched Top Secret! on a regular basis for 15 years, whether it's the version I taped off of TV or the DVD, and am still not bored with it. I always find some new gag that somehow escaped me in previous viewings. While Top Secret! isn't as well known as Airplane!, it's just as hilarious. Watching it with the commentary is not advised- it's quite possibly the worst commentary track I've come across and it's mostly just a bunch of guys laughing. A note- the "alternate scenes" featured in the DVD were re-inserted for the TV version of the movie.

"You're alright now, I'm here. S'alright"
YEAHHHH!!!!!!!! this movie is flat-out FUNNAY! It's about this "American Rock 'n Roll Star" (kilmer) who helps a German girl find her father along with some pretty kewl cats. This movie has awesome not-obvious jokes and quotes you'll seriously LOVE until your dying day.

Well-Deserved Exclamation Point
Top Secret! - the Jim Abrahams/Zucker Bros.' follow-up to Airplane! - does for (or is that *to*) Elvis movies and WWII espionage films what the earlier feature did for/to the airborne disaster genre. The gags are slightly more immature (not necessarily a bad thing, but in some cases may have been better had they been allowed to age a little before being put into production), but some, like the forced-perspective oversize phone or saying farewell to the Scarecrow, rival anything the ZAZ team has ever done.

The music is a mixed bag. "Skeet Surfing" and the Macy's jingle are great. "Tutti-Fruitti" and "Straighten the Rug" are less so (not that every song in an Elvis movie was worthy of screen time, either). Kudos to Val Kilmer, though; even when he's camping it up, the musical numbers remain watch- and listenable.

The only thing I don't care for on the disc is the audio commentary. The production team really rips the movie apart as if they had tried to make a "serious" film that fell apart. In that case, learning why/how it failed would be interesting and instructive. To shred a spoof film, especially a sophomore and sophomoric effort like Top Secret!, is entirely unwarranted. Sure there are plot holes. Sure it makes no sense that submarine would crash into a prison dungeon. Sure some things are only mildly amusing. Drawing undue attention to them is doubly pointless. Sheesh! If you're a big fan, skip the commentary.

I really enjoyed this movie and really (mostly) enjoyed its presentation on the DVD. There aren't a lot of extras, but be sure to hunt for the Easter Egg - it's definitely worth finding.

A very clever "silly movie"
Besides being a little dated, this ecclectic comedy mixes spoofs, satire and every possible form of visual humour and adds up to a hilarious film that bases its strength in never letting the viewer rest.
Some visual gags are place in the background and need repeated views to be found, and enjoyed (like a statue shaped as a pigeon where humans stand on).
One example of the wacky sense of humour of this film is that the scene where Hillary and Nick go into the Swedish bookstore was staged, shot and then run backwards to make the dialog sound sweedish.
If you like movies like Airplane and Naked guns series you will have a little feast with this less known movie.
Watch for a young Val Kilmer in the leading role and a great cameo by Omar Shariff. ... Read more

Reviews (177)

NOT AS FUNNY AS THE FIRST TWO
Scary Movie 3 is, obviously the third installment in the comedy/horror spoof series which skewers recent horror movies. In the third installment which stars Leslie Nielsen and Charlie Sheen, the targets of the jokes are "The Sixth Sense", "Signs", "The Ring", the matrix, "The Others" and "Darkness Falls".

The heavy targets are "signs" and "The Ring" with Charlie Sheen taking over the Mel Gibson role as the former minister. Leslie Nielsen plays the President in typical Airplane-esque fashion.

The jokes come rapid fire and there are a lot of sight gags and inside jokes that you might not get unless you saw the above movies.

Scary Movie 3 is a bit toned down than the first two movies and gets a PG13 rating for language and sexual content. Nothing too strong though. The opening sequence with former Playboy Playmates Pam Anderson & Jenny McArthy playing out the opening sequence from "The Ring" in dumb blonde fashion complete with their enhanced breasts in bras is a classic.

No classic, but good fun and several laugh out loud funny scenes.

Terrifyingly hilarious
After the success of SCary Movie 1 and 2, it would be inevitable that a third would be released, and Scary Movie 3 carries on the tradition of parodying the latest and greatest horror movies, but this one ventures away from horror movies in a couple of scenes, parodying the likes of 8 Mile and the Matrix. As always, the first scene nearly steals the show, having Pam Anderson and Jenny McCarthy playing the two girls at the beginning of The Ring. After the hilarious beginning, we find Charlie Sheen playing the part of Mel Gibson, who has 60 days to make a 1.50. Meanwhile, Cindy views the tape that kills people, her sister's kid Cody gets hit by countless objects, and Sheen's brother ventures out to become a white rapper. However, the movie takes a not to welcome break from humor for about 10-15 minutes, following the rap showdown. But the movie picks up again once Cindy meets the oracle with bad gas, and all this leads up to Leslie Nielson playing the president, who's trying to stop the alien's trying to kill the girl on the tape, after viewing it. This is a very funny movie, but it falls flat in some parts which is why I had to give it 4 stars.

"Sex, violence and the weather"
Loosely based on the summer blockbuster movies The Ring and Signs, and strangely enough, the Eminem film, 8 Mile, Scary Movie 3 provides more of the toilet humour and juvenile laughs that we have come to expect from this series. Unfortunately though, this installment is pretty light on the laughs. The first two movies were actually funny and clever, and although they were unashamedly audacious in their tackiness, there was a kind of enduring honesty to them that left the viewer chuckling for more. When watching Scary Movie 3, the viewer is more likely to be laughing in embarrassment, and wondering why Hollywood could malign and continue a franchise that has become so obviously tired.

If you've seen Signs or The Ring, you'll have a pretty good idea of the plot of Scary Movie 3. Like in the previous Scary Movies, lead actress Anna Faris is back as Cindy Campbell. This time, she's dropped into the middle of a combination alien invasion/ghost story. After watching a killer video tape, she has only seven days to live, and, in that time, she has to stop a deranged ghost living in a well, fall in love with a white, self-doubting rapper named George played by a bumbling Simon Rex, and help the President - a tired, embarrassed looking Leslie Nielsen - stymie an invasion by aliens who have a fondness for the corn field of a minister-turned-farmer, played by the desperate Charlie Sheen. Along the way, Denise Richards, Queen Latifa, and Camryn Manhem, Simon Cowell, and the big-breasted Pamela Anderson pop in for a visit.

Anna Faris is her usual perky, big-eyed self, Charlie Sheen appears somewhat ashamed to be in this rubbish, and Simon Rex is probably the unlikeliest and most unlikable love interest one will ever see in a movie. Then there's the sad case of 77-year old Leslie Nielsen, as a bumbling lame-duck president who spends his limited screen time trying to re-create the kind of comedic bumbling that became his meat-and-potatoes when he re-invigorated his career in the '80s. Now, this routine is tired, repetitious, and devoid of energy - which is a pretty good way to describe the movie as a whole.

Absent for this third installment are the Wayans Brothers who are replaced by David Zucker and his scribe-for-hire, Pat Proft, which is unfortunate because it is the Wayans Brothers gift for irreverent humour, that made the first two so funny, even though they were bordering on the offensive. There are about three or four genuine laughs in Scary Movie 3, and a lot of failed jokes in between. The comedy is lame and flaccid with characters that are either constantly falling over or bumping into things and there's a child that is continually hit by a car and thrown out a window. There's also some gross-out material and various indignities are performed on a corpse. The weaving together of the primary three storylines is done awkwardly, and the narrative is fractured and hard to follow. With so much of the humor failing, it becomes increasingly obvious that there's not much of a storyline to fall back on, and that makes Scary Movie 3 a gigantic waste of time and almost unwatchable. Mike Leonard July 04.

Better than Scary Movie 2 but that isn't saying much...
Scary Movie 3 works well over the disappointing Scary Movie 2 in many ways. A different cast of characters for the most part and better movie spoofs. But saying Scary Movie 3 is better isn't all that special since Scary Movie 2 was one of the worst movies I ever saw.

Scary Movie 3 is great humor at first. This one spoofs "The Ring", "Signs", "The Matrix", "The Others" and "8 Mile". Its funny really but only the first time around. The second time you get a chuckle and the third time you probably won't care for some parts.

The movie begins with a rather clever spoof of "The Ring", letting you know what the main spoof of the movie is. The movie then goes off into Cindy (yes the same Cindy from the previous two films). She finds this mysterious tape and watches it and learns that she'll die in seven days. Not unusual for anyone who's seen "The Ring".

The film also focuses on a Pasture that's lost his faith since his wife died in a car accident of a friend who fell asleep behind the wheel (clearly from "Signs"). The crops circles and aliens are there as well.

The THIRD and final focus is on a young boy who wants to be a rapper and hopes to make it in the movie business someday (clearly 8 Mile).

The humor in the film can be to die for. Not so much language and drugs in every scene but as far as sexual humor goes, this film STILL has a lot of that, in case you're wondering. It says "PG-13" but if you've got younger kids keep them FAR FAR AWAY from this movie as a lot of the kiddies will be asking questions to the sexual jokes they don't (and more than likely won't) understand.

But as I said, watching the movie again and again shows that you'll quickly forget it. The humor is nice but a lot of it is incredibly stupid! This is a movie that you go to only for the laughs and nothing more. If you were expecting a CLEVER spoof then you came to the wrong movie.

The DVD offers an alternate ending and if you watch it you'll learn just WHY it wasn't used. The alternate ending is shown to you unedited but it really isn't funny. After a while you stop laughing because it becomes too much and is clearly too stupid.

Overall, the average comedy lover might go for this movie but for someone looking for a smart humor film stay far away.

I see a ring! ... wait... wait... it's a big, fat zero!
Well, not exactly a zero. I admit, the crude, and often, sexual, humor of the Wayan Brothers always brings a laugh out of me. But unfortunately for the third movie of the "Scary Movie" series, this one is by far, the worst. As with most movies and series, the quality just keeps going down... and "Scary Movie 3" is not an exception.

"Scary Movie 3" uses "The Ring" and "Signs" as the main themes of the third installment. The beginning of the movie is exactly like the beginning of "The Ring" with Pamela Lee Anderson and Jenny McCarthy. It was pretty hilarious to watch, as also what the Scary Movies do is point out questionable and often, stupid, aspects of the movies that they are portraying.

Charlie Sheen and Simon Rex are two of the main characters in this movie, with the theme of "Signs". Sheen is an ex-priest living on a farm with his wanna-be rapper brother, Rex. Faris returns as the leading character in the film, as a news reporter. She represents Naomi Watts' character in "The Ring" who is a newspaper reporter trying to find out about the mystery of the videotape. Regina Hall also re-appears as Faris' good friend, who is now a teacher. There are cameos by Queen Latifah, George Carlin, Eddie Griffin, Denise Richards, and Leslie Nielson (Gun 1 1/2), are some of the actors/actresses that appear in the movie.

With ideas from "The Sixth Sense", Faris' nephew has an extrasensory sense that gives him the ability to see and know things that other people do not. Also, there is a part of the movie that uses "The Others". Rex's character portrays Eminem in "8 Mile", with a MC battle scene. It also uses ideas from "The Matrix Reloaded", with Queen Latifah as the Oracle and Eddie Griffin as Morpheus.

Faris' character begins investigating the mystery of the crop circles that appear in Sheen's field, and she discovers a mysterious tape that "kills" people. The story unfolds, character's stories are told, and aliens land on earth...

The movie had its funny parts, but most of it was corny and typical as they come, much like stale popcorn you get at the theatre. Most of the crude, sexual humor that made "Scary Movie" so popular is not there as much and neither is the signature "release" scene, which I was looking forward to but got disappointed when I found out there was no such scene in this one.

My advice would have been to keep it the crude, sexual humor that made the two predecessors so popular, and keep away from the corniness. Keenan Ivory Wayans apparently rushed the filming of this movie, wanting to complete it as soon as possible. It shows, very strongly, in the movie. Instead of making it even funnier, all they added was more cameos or eye candy, to keep the audience entertained. I'm sorry, but I did not take it.

I didn't bother to watch any extras but the alternate ending. It was a good thing that they didn't use this as the real ending, it was twice as corny. Rex turns into the Hulk, and Faris goes into the Matrix...

For any Scary Movie fans, it's something to watch, it's entertaining enough. But if you haven't watched any Scary Movies yet, I would recommend watching the movie in order. It also helps to make sense between the first and second one. I also noticed that there is no connection between the first two movies and the third one, except the return of Faris's and Hall's characters. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is one of those wildly vulgar comedies full of scattershot jokes and random acts of silliness, directed by Airplane codirector David Zucker. For good measure, he's cast South Park creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, as a pair of slacker pals who invent a game (blending baseball and basketball) that takes the country by storm. Intended as a satire on the raging greed of professional sports, it trades extravagantly in rudely vulgar humor; the jokes are so numerous and fly in so many directions that they're bound to offend--and amuse--everyone at some point. A key aspect of the game: defending players get to psych-out their opponents in gross and insulting ways, which is where Parker and Stone shine. The film's real discovery is Dian Bachar, a tiny comic dynamo, who plays the team's most put-upon player. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (161)

I love it, but it's not for everyone.
I love this movie! I live in Australia and it went sraight to video over here, probably beacause it made very little money at the box office in America. But don't let either of these facts put you off. The only thing that should put you off this movie is if it's just not for you, which is pretty likey in today's political-correctness-obsessed society. But if you're willing to remind yourself that it's just a joke, and that they mean nothing by it, you may actually have a good time.
Personally, I thought it was great. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the guys who created South Park, star as a pair of lifelong friends, and losers, who create a game which is a cross between baseball and basketball (hence the name BASEketball). They're not serious about it, and are just doing it for fun, but when a famous billionaire decides to sponser them to go pro, they become overnight superstars. From here on in, the whole thing becomes downright silly, one of the main reasons that I like it so much. It also becomes full of sight gags and gross-out humour, and this won't appeal to some people. It's not the type of gross-out used in Austin Powers or American Pie - it has just a little more bite than that, and will definitely cause offense somewhere on the planet at the best of times. But it's all in good fun, and so silly that it doesn't get nasty, and there's never any doubt that it's all make-believe.
The two leads are just great - really funny, with natural chemistry, because they are best friends in real life. Also worth a mention is Dian Bachar, who you might remember as the postman from Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place. He plays Kenny "Squeak" Scolari, best described in South Park analogies -the Stan to a pair of Cartmans. He is mainly used as a vehichle for the movie's cheapest slapstick gags, but he's also a believable character, and there were a couple of points where I really felt sorry for the poor little guy! The only performance that disappointed me was Yasmine Bleeth, but at the time I didn't know she had been on Baywatch, otherwise I would have expected bad acting (sorry Baywatch fans!). Her character Jenna has some pretty good lines, but they should have got someone who could deliver them well. Fortunately, all of the other performances were much better.
Anyway, you're probably sick of hearing what I have to say by now, so I hope I've inspired you to watch this movie. Like I said, you might like it, you might not, but I'd advise you to give it a try anyway.
Oh, and a message for any other girls out there who are reading this: Trey Parker is really cute. Not that that has anything to do with the actual movie, but I just thought I should express my opinion.
Thanks for reading my review. Party on! :)

It's this new game we learned...in the hood!
BASEketball is a surprisingly clever comedy that works on many different levels. While it parodies feel-good sports movies it also posts a savage social commentary on the commercialization of American sports and American life in general. The movie stars South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, however it wasn't written by them, so fans of South Park and Orgazmo may find the movie a little tame. However, with David Zucker (of "Airplane!" fame) at the helm, the movie skips along merrily, with plenty of sight gags, running jokes, and one-liners. I also think it's prudish to call this a "gross-out" comedy - there's nothing on a par with the "frank and beans" scene in "...Mary" for the squeamish to avoid. Instead most of the humor revolves around the male bonding displayed by Trey, Matt and diminutive co-star Dian Bachar. The rituals of teasing, name-calling and hazing have rarely been portrayed as lovingly on screen before...
Numerous guest star appearances begin to drag toward the end of the film, but the acute social satire never lets up, and in the end the movie has a saccharine, feel-good flavor. In fact, the only reason this picked up an idiotic R rating must've been the habitual usage of the f-word. Otherwise there's no sex, no nudity, no violence and frankly the language wouldn't really shock an 8 yr old these days. But these are the censored times we live in...
Anyway, BASEketball is great, it zips along merrily, you have to pay close attention to get some of the more subtle gags and the pace slacks toward the end, but all in all I think you'll watch it enough to warrant buying over renting.

An underrated treasure
Disgusting? Check. Juvenile? Check. Sadistic? Check. BASEketball is all these things, but it is also so much more, thanks to the Zucker (Airplane, Top Secret!, Naked Gun) touch.

Though it stars Matt Stone and Trey Parker, BASEketball doesn't really resemble South Park so much as Zucker's other straight-faced screwball comedies, and it's obvious these two fit into that rubric perfectly. It is not merely that Matt Stone puts a sex toy in his mouth, it is the zeal with which he attacks it that makes the scene a gut-buster. Zucker supposedly cast the duo before South Park became such a phenomenon, and it's a gamble that paid off artistically.

Not everyone's gonna like this movie. Some won't get it, a few more might be really turned off by a guy-on-guy kiss near the movie's climax, and the rest just won't find it funny for whatever reason. For everyone else, there's no shame in howling with laughter.

Humor Only a Prepubescent Boy Could Love...
Okay, so I'm not a prepubescent boy. I'm a nearly thirty-year-old woman who was made to watch this ridiculous film quite against her will... And, damn it if I nearly peed my pants with laughter!

However, I do not recommend this to anyone who dislikes bathroom humor on principle. Though each joke is well-executed, each corny, melodramatic quip delivered with deliberately dewy-eyed sincerity, it is unapologetically juvenile, raunchy, and pretends to have no amount of redeeming value. But even its lack of values came as a surprise to me, for I can't help but give it more credit than it seems to give itself for having very strong underlying themes of maintaining integrity (believe it or not), and of course, friendship.

Bottom line - if you're looking for good clean fun, this is not for you; but if you're feeling a little off-color, goofy and in the mood for a guilty pleasure, this is a film that, at the least, will make you laugh in spite of yourself.

"Steve....Perry!"
This is one of my favourite movies of all time, no doubt! Matt and Trey have been my heroes since I was ten years old (I was a very demented 10 year old). It's hilarious and strongly reccomended to anyone fond of...well, laughing! And if you like watching BASEketball, try and get together with some friends and play it. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

A Great Comedy!
It was either seeing this or "Marci X," and I ended up seeing both of them anyway. But I gave "Marci X" three stars and "My Boss's Daughter," five stars, so I guess you can see which I thought was the better movie. You can call me crazy because I liked this movie, but I just thought that it was really funny, which is what I like to look for. A movie does not have to be emotional or touching to be good. As long as I am entertained in the movie theatre, and laugh and if the movie calls for emotion they if I can feel for the characters I will think that its a good movie. This movie however, was very funny. It had stupid humor, and most of the time, that is all that I am looking for in a movie anyway.

The story of "My Boss's Daughter," is a simple on at most. No biggie. Tom works as a reasearcher in a publishers houserun by Jack who is known for firing people for making a bad cup of coffee. That is exactly what Tom's fellow co-worker Audrey does. Tom is very nervous about asking his boss for a promotion in the creative department, and he is also nervous about asking out his beautiful daughter and co-worker Lisa.(Played by Tara Reid who I never really liked.) Tom thinks that Lisa is asking him out when it seems that she is asking him to a party, but she really just wants him to housesit in place of her, so that she could go to a party. Jack is waiting for him at the house and tells him the rules. He also tells him how to feed his precious bird O.J. Tom says "No problem," but thinks go wrong when everybody leaves. Audrey comes by to talk to Jack and then Lisa's brother Red comes to ask Tom to give a package to T.J. The package is drugs. But then tons of other people arrive at the house including Speed and Tina. Tom is scared because when Jack left the house he said that if anything was wrong he would fire Tom and kill him. As he tries to get everybody out of the house, he runs into Lisa's boyfriend Hans, a women who thinks that Tom is her date, and is offended because she has a large headwound, and O.J. who escapes from his cage. "My Boss's Daughter," is a very funny movie that was just misunderstood.

"My Boss's Daughter," got such bad box office buzz that it wasn't even previewed in advance by critics. I still stand by the theory that the reason movies that were shot down by critics do bad, were because people were told that they were bad. I think that that is the case with "My Boss's Daughter." I thought that this was a very funny piece of comedy. It was also dark, I feel. I love dark comedy. Some of my favorite dark movies are "Death to Smoochy," and "The Royal Tenenbaums." But "My Boss's Daughter," is a different work of dark comedy. It is a dark comedy disguised as a comedy. It wasn't billed as one, but I think it should be. It had comedy about death, drugs, and murderers. But I thought it was a great film and the DVD is out soon.

ENJOY!

Rated PG-13 for crude and sex-related humor, drug content and language.

Just What It's Meant To Be
Everyone needs to stop criticising a this movie just because it's not up for an Academy Award. A comedy is supposed to make you laugh and forget your problems for an hour and a half, and this movie does a great job of it. Anyone who says this is bad movie has probably never even tried to act or direct or write a script, so let it be what it is. Ashton is funny, the characters are funny...and there is a scene where a cheeto is stuck to someones head wound. What more could you ask for? I'd watch it again because it makes me laugh, which is the top criteria for purchasing a DVD. I wouldn't spend $20 to torture myself to sit through "Lost In Translation" again, that's for damn sure! So get some friends together and watch this movie...LAUGH and HAVE FUN. Don't worry about who gets an award!

A FUNNY MOVIE THAT IMPRESSED ME.
IDE GIVE IT 4 IN A HALF. I NEVER SAW THAT MANY PREVIEWS TO BUT I RENTED IT WHEN CAME ON VIDEO ANYWAYS. IT TURNED OUT GREAT. IT WAS SO FUNNY. I EVEN BOUGHT IT. MOST PEOPLE SEEM TO NOT LIKE IT BUT I DO. I THINK IT WAS HILARIOUS. IDE RECOMEND IT 2 ANYONE WHO HAS A SINCE OF HUMOR

Horrible
This movie was horrible...

There was no laughter coming from me for the entire 101 minutes I watched this movie...For a movie that is supposed to be "absolutely hilarious"...I would say that that is pretty bad.

The back of the DVD says that "you will laugh your ass off"...the only thing my ass was doing was developing a cramp from sitting on it for sooooo long...

Please do not waste your money or time with this one...use it for something with some cinematic quality...such as MYSTIC RIVER!

Don't waste your money
This movie is crap! I see why it sat on the shelf for 2 years , it only had 2 or 3 funny parts/gags in the film and that's a shame since David Zucker was behind this mess. The DVD is even terrible with few extras and a soft picture. An owl named O.J. and Andy Richter were wasted. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

From the files of when comedy was actually funny
Those who know me know that I don't often go to comedies that have been made since the Austin Powers era. The reason is that there has been a line that has been crossed in recent years that makes that majority of these films unfunny to me. While Austin Powers had Dr. Evil to save it from over all lameness most comedies these days are too reliant on riskaye sex jokes and over the top toilet humor that works in South Park and Nintendo's "Conker's Bad Fur Day" but nothing else. The Naked Gun is based on the short-lived but absolutely hilarious "Police Squad" TV series starring Leslie Neilson as Lt. Frank Drebbon. The show and films classic "who dun its" from the 40s and 50s with over the top classy humor, and a lot of well timed puns and gags. Timing is what makes not only this movie, but also its sequels do funny. The timing for everything is dead on, plus it's a Zucker film, and the Zuckers are almost up there with Mel Brooks. They know how to do comedy right. However the weakness of this film is in its time sensitive gags. A lot of the events in this movie are poking fun of events that were occurring at the time the movies were made. People who were not around in, or do not remember the early nineties may not get a lot of the gags. Even so there is still enough material that is not time sensitive for the film to be funny over all. Even a guest appearance by Weird Al Yankovic.
The special features are lacking, however. Part of what makes DVDs so fun is when you get a jam-packed DVD that goes in depth into the making of the movie. It is when you have those kinds of documentaries that the movie becomes more than a movie; it becomes a living piece of history. Considering that so many of the jokes are so era sensitive these making of featurettes that this DVD lacked could have been beneficial to those who don't know that backdrops to which so many of these jokes are built.

Frank Drebin from Police Squad hits the Big Screen
Yes, "The Naked Gun" is a funny movie, a fitting heir to "Airplane" in the genre of "Kitchen Sink" comedy where you had better pay attention to everything that is going on in the background and read all of the final credits or you will be missing out on the fun. But Leslie Nielsen's totally dead-panned performance as Lt. Frank Drebin in the original "Police Squad" TV series worked better than than the more hammy approach used in the films. Still, watching Priscilla Presley, Nancy Marchand and Ricardo Montalban deal straight up with all the wackiness redeems many things. Even if you never saw "Police Squad" (with Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln), you will laugh parts of your anatomy off during "The Naked Gun." I wonder if Queen Elizabeth ever watched this movie? Too bad it is hard not to wince every time you see that guy playing Nordberg. Final Trivia Note: the German version of "The Naked Gun" runs four minutes shorter. See if you can guess what the fun loving Germans found so offensive they cut (No, I do not have any idea, but I am curious).

Classic Comedy
Based on the failed tv series "Police Squad", 1988's "The Naked Gun" was a smash comedy that gave new life to Leslie Nielsen's career (he had previously been reduced to dramatic roles) as well as escued the team of Jerry and David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, who hadn't had a hit since 1980's equally hysterical "Airplane" (which also starred Nielsen).

Frank Drebin (Nielsen) is a bumbling cop who is assinged to look into a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth at the World Series after his fellow oficer and good friend Nordberg (O.J. Simpson - yes, that O.J. Simpson) is nearly killed. The prime suspect is a businessman named Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalban). Drebin and his partner Ed Hocken (Georeg Kennedy) will stop at nothing to find out who's behind the crime. That is, if Frank can avoid the charms of the sexy Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley).

This is a great film for anyone who loves to laugh. And get the two sequels as well and pray they comeout with a fourth one soon.

This carn't be overlooked
Very funny movie if you haven't seen it its clear your behind in comedy.

Masterpiece
When asked what my favorite movie of all time, I always instinctively utter "The Naked Gun." While not everyone really appreciates this movie, unless you're into goffball comedies, this has to be one of the funniest movies ever. Not sure what else can be said about it. Puns, punchlines, side gags, are all brilliant. I laugh out loud every time I watch it. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

From the files of when comedy was actually funny
Those who know me know that I don't often go to comedies that have been made since the Austin Powers era. The reason is that there has been a line that has been crossed in recent years that makes that majority of these films unfunny to me. While Austin Powers had Dr. Evil to save it from over all lameness most comedies these days are too reliant on riskaye sex jokes and over the top toilet humor that works in South Park and Nintendo's "Conker's Bad Fur Day" but nothing else. The Naked Gun is based on the short-lived but absolutely hilarious "Police Squad" TV series starring Leslie Neilson as Lt. Frank Drebbon. The show and films classic "who dun its" from the 40s and 50s with over the top classy humor, and a lot of well timed puns and gags. Timing is what makes not only this movie, but also its sequels do funny. The timing for everything is dead on, plus it's a Zucker film, and the Zuckers are almost up there with Mel Brooks. They know how to do comedy right. However the weakness of this film is in its time sensitive gags. A lot of the events in this movie are poking fun of events that were occurring at the time the movies were made. People who were not around in, or do not remember the early nineties may not get a lot of the gags. Even so there is still enough material that is not time sensitive for the film to be funny over all. Even a guest appearance by Weird Al Yankovic.
The special features are lacking, however. Part of what makes DVDs so fun is when you get a jam-packed DVD that goes in depth into the making of the movie. It is when you have those kinds of documentaries that the movie becomes more than a movie; it becomes a living piece of history. Considering that so many of the jokes are so era sensitive these making of featurettes that this DVD lacked could have been beneficial to those who don't know that backdrops to which so many of these jokes are built.

Frank Drebin from Police Squad hits the Big Screen
Yes, "The Naked Gun" is a funny movie, a fitting heir to "Airplane" in the genre of "Kitchen Sink" comedy where you had better pay attention to everything that is going on in the background and read all of the final credits or you will be missing out on the fun. But Leslie Nielsen's totally dead-panned performance as Lt. Frank Drebin in the original "Police Squad" TV series worked better than than the more hammy approach used in the films. Still, watching Priscilla Presley, Nancy Marchand and Ricardo Montalban deal straight up with all the wackiness redeems many things. Even if you never saw "Police Squad" (with Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln), you will laugh parts of your anatomy off during "The Naked Gun." I wonder if Queen Elizabeth ever watched this movie? Too bad it is hard not to wince every time you see that guy playing Nordberg. Final Trivia Note: the German version of "The Naked Gun" runs four minutes shorter. See if you can guess what the fun loving Germans found so offensive they cut (No, I do not have any idea, but I am curious).

Classic Comedy
Based on the failed tv series "Police Squad", 1988's "The Naked Gun" was a smash comedy that gave new life to Leslie Nielsen's career (he had previously been reduced to dramatic roles) as well as escued the team of Jerry and David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, who hadn't had a hit since 1980's equally hysterical "Airplane" (which also starred Nielsen).

Frank Drebin (Nielsen) is a bumbling cop who is assinged to look into a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth at the World Series after his fellow oficer and good friend Nordberg (O.J. Simpson - yes, that O.J. Simpson) is nearly killed. The prime suspect is a businessman named Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalban). Drebin and his partner Ed Hocken (Georeg Kennedy) will stop at nothing to find out who's behind the crime. That is, if Frank can avoid the charms of the sexy Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley).

This is a great film for anyone who loves to laugh. And get the two sequels as well and pray they comeout with a fourth one soon.

This carn't be overlooked
Very funny movie if you haven't seen it its clear your behind in comedy.

Masterpiece
When asked what my favorite movie of all time, I always instinctively utter "The Naked Gun." While not everyone really appreciates this movie, unless you're into goffball comedies, this has to be one of the funniest movies ever. Not sure what else can be said about it. Puns, punchlines, side gags, are all brilliant. I laugh out loud every time I watch it. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

I've been swimming in raw sewage...I LOVE IT!
I actually did like this move quite a bit, and it was amazingly funny, but it had a few too many man-gets-hit-by-something-and-falls jokes for me. This is my least favorite Naked Gun movie yet I still watch it all the time and have a good laugh. the Naked Gun movies to me are the funniest movies ever created, and this is no exception. It is great, but I think you would first want to check out the other two. My favorite scene: The one where Frank and Ed go into the sex shop while Norberg is going under all the cars. Another downer: there were too many jokes stolen from the series it was based on, Police Squad! Otherwise, very good and very very funny.

Fairly funny
This is the second film based on the short-lived TV series "Police Squad". The first is a classic. This one liberally borrows gags from the TV show that inspired it, and that sums up my problem with the film: an overall lack of inspiration.

There are some very funny segments, including director David Zucker's hilarious send-up of his brother Jerry's "Ghost". But this movie just isn't as consistently funny as it's predecessor. This is really Leslie Nielsen's last funny performance in a spoof-comedy. After this, he would resort to constant and shameless mugging. In fact, one of the faults with this second Naked Gun film is that David Zucker allows some winking at the audience to creep in. These films are much better when played completely straight.

The DVD isn't exactly packed with features. There is a funny group commentary and that's about it. Some have complained that the scenes used for the TV broadcast version aren't included. It would've been nice if Paramount had included them as Deleted Scenes (though they are NOT good enough to warrant inclusion in the actual film).

Halt! Police Squad!
Unlike most sequels, Naked Gun 2 ½ goes above and beyond the spectacular first movie. Priscilla Presley just kept getting hotter and more beautiful as the series went on. Leslie Neilson, the modern day king of physical comedy is up to his old hijinx as Lt. Frank Dremond. This time Frank is after the masterminds who wish to bury the thought of clean energy and let the oil companies continue to give us high prices and pollution.

Gags that make the whole movie worth it.....

1. The shower/assassin scene. What a beautiful duet as he adjusts his silencer!
2. The Blue lounge, to include no Black Russians!
3. The Wistler's Mother birthmark. Stays on even with a sander!
4. A dinner with President Bush (watch those doors and lobster claws)
5. The final scene with hanging Barbera!

This is entertainment folks!

Smell of Comedy
The second installment to the adventures of Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) and Police Squad/Naked Gun series is just as funny as the first film (and forgotten tv show). There is an underlying theme in this comedy about environmental issues and there is a story and plot with all the pratfalls,nonsense, and hilarity. Again, the producers pick an unlikely actor to play the villian (Ricardo Montalban in the first) and this time it's Robert Goulet as Quentin Hapsburg behind a plot to deter President Bush's policy for a cleaner USA. The real treasure is everytime Frank Drebin (Nielsen) says one of his many asinine lines, the camera switches to Hapsburg (Goulet) and his look of bewilderment is worth the price of admission. The supporting roles are equally funny. O.J. Simpson as Nordberg has a more prominent role than in the first (although in the first he set up the Nordberg character beautifully). George Kennedy as Ed found a second career in comedy equal to that of Nielsen, and Priscilla Presley is up to the task of keeping up with all the hijinx. Guest roles are filled by some of Nielsen's contemporaries who have played similar type guest roles in various 60's and 70's tv shows and movies (Tim O'Conner, Lloyed Bochner etc.) The films are probably a little marred by the fact that OJ Simpson is in the cast, but his Nordberg character is hilarious as with the rest of the film. Overall a very funny film with the Zucker brand of comedy. Note: Classic Line- Commissioner Brumford (Jacqueline Brookes) after getting a call that animals escaped from the zoo as a result of a Drebin blunder... "Do you realise that this city is being overrun by baboons?" Drebin (Nielsen) "Well, isn't that the fault of the voters?". Also, a classic surprise scene: An in-joke by Lloyed Bochner (as Baggett) and a certain classic TWILIGHT ZONE episode "To Serve Man" in which he appeared in years ago.

THIS ONE IS JUST AS GOOD AS THE FIRST!!
This movie is just what my tital says!! Just as good as the first and that's because it is!! If you like the first one than you'll love this one too!! ... Read more

Reviews (161)

I love it, but it's not for everyone.
I love this movie! I live in Australia and it went sraight to video over here, probably beacause it made very little money at the box office in America. But don't let either of these facts put you off. The only thing that should put you off this movie is if it's just not for you, which is prett