Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

alexanderdavies-99382 This may have been the first of the "Airport" films but it isn't the best one at all. None of them are good but the 1974 follow-up film is a bit better. Running at 130 minutes, "Airport" is far too long. The budget is quite modest in spite of how the film looks. Burt Lancaster has nothing to do. Everyone is wasted. The build-up takes a lot longer than it should.

SenjoorMutt The (not) so holy mother of all modern disaster films that started the craze (and a franchise) and laid out the rules of such movies - many stars, little bit slow start to get a quick glimpse of the characters and their problems, and then the tense and fast paced second half. Filled with classic stars and character actors so there aren't many too bland characters, most of them are bit one dimensional, but still entertaining to watch. Magnificent Helen Hayes as charismatic con-woman and Van Heflin in one of his last roles are definitely standouts. They both seemed to have enough fun and not taking themselves too seriously. George Kennedy's wise cracking and smart Patroni was also nice touch for comic relief.Though cliché ridden plot and with hammy dialogue 'Airport' is aged pretty well. Not the greatest film from disaster sub-genre, but definitely one of the most entertaining ones.

g-bodyl So I confess that I have a love for disaster films, no matter what other people think of them. Thank heavens for movie subjectivity! Anyhow, Airport is a movie that is the pioneer for modern disaster movies, but I really enjoyed it. There are undeniably many flaws, but my gosh I had a blast watching the film and the campy tone gave the film spirit. My biggest flaw I had with the film is the scenes involving the personal lives of the manager. I mean, his pending divorce has nothing to do with the rest of the plot, including trying to save the plane. Other than that plot issue, I really had fun watching the granddaddy of all disaster films.This film is about this airport that is stricken due to a blizzard. But even more serious problems arise when a bomb-damaged plane needs an emergency landing in order to save the people on the plane. The manager of the Lincoln Airport, Mel Bakersfield, has his hands full in trying to combat the weather and personnel in order to save the plane.The film has a stacked cast full of Oscar nominees. Now while no one truly gives Oscar-worthy performances, there is no denying that they were solid performances. Burt Lancaster did a good job as Mel and Dean Martin as the head pilot, Vernon. Those performances came across as serious despite the campy tone, but they were still good. However, I felt the best performance came from Helen Hayes, a 70-year-old woman who makes a fuss about plane tickets which causes her to hitch airplane rides while avoiding authorities. Her comic relief was excellent, and maybe she did deserve that Oscar.Overall, Airport is a fun disaster movie and in hindsight, it set the tone for the major disaster movies that will come in the future. It is a great movie? Not really. Is it a fun, entertaining movie? You bet it is! I am very amazed how this film achieved ten Oscar nominations. If this same film was released in 2015, it more likely would have received ten Razzie nominations. Oh how the time change! But on the whole, a really fun movie with some cool sequences including my favorite which was the bomb going off in the plane.My Grade: B+/A-

datemaru I should qualify my above statement by saying I'm 25 and my entire experience with Airport before hand was none. I have seen both Airplane movies, I own them and the Naked Gun movies, their my favorite comedies.So I wondered when this came up on Turner Classic Movies if I could take this movie seriously.I was not surprised how much unintentional comedy is in this movie. There are so many things in this movie that could only happen not only pre-9/11, but pre-Lockerbie Bombing. Like how a passenger (Helen Hayes) managed to sneak aboard an international flight and it did not caused every federal agency to freak out. Or the captain leaving the flight deck during the flight. Or that the captain smoked a pipe... while flying. Or that George Kennedy is in this movie. I'm know he was a serious actor, but I will always remember him as the man foaming at the mouth in the Naked Gun 2 1/2.But I was even more surprised how much intentional comedy there is in this movie. There is a scene when the plane is returning because something went horribly wrong (not much of a spoiler in the "original disaster movie") and one of the passengers is freaking out screaming "we're all gonna' die!". On the other side of the aisle is a priest in one fluid movement crosses himself and backhands the guy in the face.The drama is also pretty good as you see a three or so minor plots all pull together in one major disaster threatening to kill everyone on board this Boeing 707. As someone who watches that air disaster documentary I felt like it was a story done by someone who actually knew a thing or two about airlines. Actually Airport is apparently based off a book written with enough technical details worthy of Tom Clancy... and since Tom Clancy is my favorite author I might read it.There are some things like slightly stilted acting and some odd editing choices like when characters are talking via phone or radio they insert the person on the other end. It's not a bad idea, but I normally associate this kind of shot with sitcoms and feels out of place in a drama. It was better used in the middle of the movie when a woman disappears and they use the PA to alert security and as they make the announcement it shows security guards in different points in the airport all snapping to attention, I thought it was very effective there.Also points where I thought when the plane comes in for its inevitable emergency landing that I thought we needed more exterior shots or the people on the ground waiting for the plane, but I assume they just didn't have the budget since in 1970 they would have had to use practical effects. But that is also what I liked, everything was practical. Even seeing the obvious toy airplane gliding on a string through dry ice just made me smile.Airport is in summary a good movie. It has comedy, it has drama, it has romance, it has interesting cinematography, it has good actors, it has practical effects, and it has the charm of an old movie. I think having seen Airplane first enhanced my enjoyment. It's one of those movies that has something for everyone.