Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit celebrating milestones.
Hard to believe it's been 35 years since "Airplane!" took flight (on July 2, 1980) and taught us all to speak jive, order the chicken instead of the fish, and avoid calling each other "Shirley." Three and a half decades later, the airline disaster parody remains one of the funniest films ever made, one that generations of viewers have watched over and over -- though probably never as an in-flight movie.
Still, as many times as you've seen it, there's much you may not know about how it was made. In honor of "Airplane!" turning 35, here are a few facts every fan must know about the comedy classic.
1. Strip away all the jokes, and "Airplane!" is essentially a remake of a little-known 1957 air disaster movie called "Zero Hour!" The writing/directing team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker lifted the plot,...
Hard to believe it's been 35 years since "Airplane!" took flight (on July 2, 1980) and taught us all to speak jive, order the chicken instead of the fish, and avoid calling each other "Shirley." Three and a half decades later, the airline disaster parody remains one of the funniest films ever made, one that generations of viewers have watched over and over -- though probably never as an in-flight movie.
Still, as many times as you've seen it, there's much you may not know about how it was made. In honor of "Airplane!" turning 35, here are a few facts every fan must know about the comedy classic.
1. Strip away all the jokes, and "Airplane!" is essentially a remake of a little-known 1957 air disaster movie called "Zero Hour!" The writing/directing team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker lifted the plot,...
- 7/2/2015
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
It is no secret that the genre of horror is saturated, like a wet diaper, with films that should never really have been made, films that are so bad they’re, well, bad. I know that sometimes a film is made that is often a train-wreck yet manages to be entertaining, but surrounding those films exists a bunch of motion picture atrocities that fail on all levels, and those are the films I’ll be looking at in this column. Now, you might not agree with the films I mention here, you might even be a fan of some of them, and that’s fine, this is merely my personal opinions on what I feel are the true horror’s of the horror genre, the poison in the water supply that made me, when I saw them, want to Linda Blair my guts against the nearest wall. These are in...
- 7/3/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
Babes get slashed in Michael Hoffman Jr. and Aaron T. Wells horror comedy 'Girls Gone Dead' and you can see just some of the sun-soaked stunners getting sliced and diced in the trailer below. 'Girls Gone Dead' features, of course, a splendid range of young hotties frolicking around in their bikinis and even some topless girls deciding that even that's too much clothing. All the fun quickly turns to bloodshed as a Spring Break killer goes on the rampage plowing his war hammer into babes and bros left, right and center. 'Girls Gone Dead' stars Katie Peterson, Caley Hayes, Linnea Quigley ('The Return of the Living Dead'), Al Sapienza, Shawn C. Phillips, Ron Jeremy, comedian Beetlejuice and pornstar Ryan Keely. Check out the trailer and poster below...
- 7/2/2012
- Horror Asylum
By Michael Juvinall, MoreHorror.com
The sexy new throwback comedy/horror film, Girls Gone Dead hits home video on July 17th. Ggd aims to bring back the 80’s style slasher film filled with a bevy of beautiful women and a cast of notorious celebrities including Jerry Lawler ("WWE Raw"), Beetlejuice and Sal ‘The Stockbroker’ Governale of “The Howard Stern Show”, Ron Jeremy, Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain, scream queen Linnea Quigley and a passel of Penthouse Pets like Ryan Keely and Janessa Brazil.
From the Press Release:
This Summer, It’S Scary Movie Meets “Son Of The Beach” With This Hilarious Throwback To Sexy ‘80s Comedy/Horror Flicks!
A hilarious throwback to the sexy 80s’ comedy/horror flicks. Girls Gone Dead centers around six beautiful high school friends reuniting for spring break during their freshman year in college -- only to find a sadistic killer with a medieval war hammer has targeted them!
The sexy new throwback comedy/horror film, Girls Gone Dead hits home video on July 17th. Ggd aims to bring back the 80’s style slasher film filled with a bevy of beautiful women and a cast of notorious celebrities including Jerry Lawler ("WWE Raw"), Beetlejuice and Sal ‘The Stockbroker’ Governale of “The Howard Stern Show”, Ron Jeremy, Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain, scream queen Linnea Quigley and a passel of Penthouse Pets like Ryan Keely and Janessa Brazil.
From the Press Release:
This Summer, It’S Scary Movie Meets “Son Of The Beach” With This Hilarious Throwback To Sexy ‘80s Comedy/Horror Flicks!
A hilarious throwback to the sexy 80s’ comedy/horror flicks. Girls Gone Dead centers around six beautiful high school friends reuniting for spring break during their freshman year in college -- only to find a sadistic killer with a medieval war hammer has targeted them!
- 7/1/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
At the time of this writing, directors Michael Hoffman Jr. and Aaron T. Wells’ boob-centric horror/comedy “Girls Gone Dead” is enjoying a 9.1 rating on IMDb from a whopping 17 users. Since the website is known for its accurate rating system, there’s simply no way anyone associated with the production could have tinkered with that number. In fact, forbid the thought from ever entering your brain again. With a name like “Girls Gone Dead”, you know you’re getting quality. Plus, it stars Beetlejuice. Not that one. The other one. Press release nonsense straight ahead: A hilarious throwback to the sexy 80s’ comedy/horror flicks. Girls Gone Dead centers around six beautiful high school friends reuniting for spring break during their freshman year in college — only to find a sadistic killer with a medieval war hammer has targeted them! With a cast filled with notorious celebs and personalities – such as...
- 6/21/2012
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
Two more much talked about genre flicks are on their way home this July courtesy of the lovable loonies over at eOne, and we've got the scoop on each so you can plan ahead for your purchases. We're good like that.
From the Press Release
In the year of our pending apocalypse, Entertainment One and Focus World are excited to bring to home audiences Extraterrestrial, a sexy, darkly hilarious and apocalyptic new sci-fi comedy from Nacho Vigalondo, the acclaimed Spanish director of Timecrimes (now being remade into a major motion picture by Dreamworks).
When groggy and hung-over Julio (Julián Villagrán) wakes up in a strange apartment after a night of partying, he’s pleasantly surprised to discover it belongs to a beautiful one-night stand he can’t remember – Julia (Michelle Jenner). What’s already an awkward situation is made even more so when they discover giant flying saucers hovering above the now-deserted city.
From the Press Release
In the year of our pending apocalypse, Entertainment One and Focus World are excited to bring to home audiences Extraterrestrial, a sexy, darkly hilarious and apocalyptic new sci-fi comedy from Nacho Vigalondo, the acclaimed Spanish director of Timecrimes (now being remade into a major motion picture by Dreamworks).
When groggy and hung-over Julio (Julián Villagrán) wakes up in a strange apartment after a night of partying, he’s pleasantly surprised to discover it belongs to a beautiful one-night stand he can’t remember – Julia (Michelle Jenner). What’s already an awkward situation is made even more so when they discover giant flying saucers hovering above the now-deserted city.
- 6/20/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Girls Gone Dead, a title we first introduced you to last fall, is making its way to DVD on July 17th from Entertainment One and we now have a trailer to share with you.
In this horror-comedy, agroup of six ex-high school cheerleaders are stalked by a killer with a medieval war hammer and battle axe during their first Spring Break from college. Michael Hoffman Jr. and Aaron T. Well direct.
Scantily clad gals and bloodshed await you. Head inside for the Nsfw preview...
Read more...
In this horror-comedy, agroup of six ex-high school cheerleaders are stalked by a killer with a medieval war hammer and battle axe during their first Spring Break from college. Michael Hoffman Jr. and Aaron T. Well direct.
Scantily clad gals and bloodshed await you. Head inside for the Nsfw preview...
Read more...
- 5/7/2012
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Directors Michael Hoffman Jr. (Spring Break Massacre) & Aaron T. Wells have been pretty tight lipped about the upcoming Girls Gone Dead. From what I gather expect something that is a cross between American Pie & The Slumber Party Massacre. In fact, the new poster for Girls Gone Dead pays tribute to The Slumber Party Massacre if you pay careful attention to how the bodies of the film's potential victims are placed in this poster image. In fact, this poster image is the first bit of news to come out about Girls Gone Dead in some time. So for the meantime enjoy this poster and a plot synopsis (down below, after the jump) for Girls Gone Dead until we can find out some more info about this film later on.
In Girls Gone Dead, Rebecca, a beautiful young woman coming into her own, has been raised in a sheltered religious environment by her overbearing mother.
In Girls Gone Dead, Rebecca, a beautiful young woman coming into her own, has been raised in a sheltered religious environment by her overbearing mother.
- 11/7/2011
- by Big Daddy aka Brandon Sites
- Big Daddy Horror Reviews - Interviews
Girls Gone Dead is a sexploitation comedy that has a retro' feel and a sparse plot. Apparently, some teenagers will go on a Spring Break holiday only to find a killer with a sledgehammer waiting for them. Let the killing begin! Starring in Girls Gone Dead are the infamous Ron Jeremy, Jerry "The King" Lawler, Al Sapienza and Penthouse Pet Janessa Brazil. The first poster for the film can be found left and this indie horror title is being supported by film distributors Archstone Distribution for an early Spring 2012 release. Prepare for boobs and blood in just a few months with a trailer to be released shortly!
Release Date: Spring 2012.
Directors: Michael A. Hoffman and Aaron Wells.
Writers: Meghan Jones, Ryan Dee and Michael A. Hoffman.
Producers: Ryan Dee , Michael A. Hoffman and Spy Global Media.
Cast: Caley Hayes, Katie Peterson, Brandy Whitford, Shea Stewart , Krystyna Alhers and Shawn C. Phillips.
Release Date: Spring 2012.
Directors: Michael A. Hoffman and Aaron Wells.
Writers: Meghan Jones, Ryan Dee and Michael A. Hoffman.
Producers: Ryan Dee , Michael A. Hoffman and Spy Global Media.
Cast: Caley Hayes, Katie Peterson, Brandy Whitford, Shea Stewart , Krystyna Alhers and Shawn C. Phillips.
- 11/3/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Playing on the whole Girls Gone Wild concept comes new comedy horror 'Girls Gone Dead' from co-directing team Michael Hoffman Jr. and Aaron T. Wells. A group of six ex-high school cheerleaders are stalked by a killer with a medieval war hammer and battle axe during their first Spring Break from college. So yes of course all the girls are getting Hammered! The project which stars Krystyna Ahlers, Caley Hayes, Linnea Quigley ('The Return of the Living Dead'), Al Sapienza, Shawn C. Phillips and comedian dwarf Beetlejuice as well as pornstars Ron Jeremy and Ryan Keely (below) has moved into post-production. You can check out the elongated plot synopsis and some early sales art direct from Afm 2011 below....
- 11/2/2011
- Horror Asylum
Michael York dashes onto the cinematic scene as the blundering but very enthusiastic D'Artagnan in Richard Lester's hugely enjoyable period comic romp. The late great Roy Kinnear is the long-suffering vassal of aristocratic swordsmen Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain and Frank Finlay, whilst Raquel Welch and Faye Dunaway shine as heroine and villainess, respectively. Producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind filmed the following year's sequel back-to-back with this more successful first part, which approach they would revisit shortly for Superman and Superman II. Dumas with wit, energy and integrity.
Notable Quotable: "That man in his time has insulted me, broken my father's sword, had me clubbed to the ground, laid violent hands on the woman I love! He is inconvenient. "
Martin Anderson
Mike Nichols and Buck Henry achieve what seemed impossible, at least on the evidence of an earlier attempt: to transliterate the pitch-dark war humour of Joseph Heller into a cohesive,...
Notable Quotable: "That man in his time has insulted me, broken my father's sword, had me clubbed to the ground, laid violent hands on the woman I love! He is inconvenient. "
Martin Anderson
Mike Nichols and Buck Henry achieve what seemed impossible, at least on the evidence of an earlier attempt: to transliterate the pitch-dark war humour of Joseph Heller into a cohesive,...
- 5/12/2011
- Shadowlocked
"This Spring Break…Get Hammered!"
Bongiovi Entertainment in association with Rex Steven Sikes (Massacre at Central High) and George Barnes (Take 2 productions)
present
"Girls Gone Dead"
(Aka Spring Break Massacre II)
Michael Hoffman Jr. and wife Meghan Jones were looking to reinvent the classic "The Slumber Party Massacre" or "Sorority House Massacre" sub-genre of films. Well, looking at the behind the scenes pics from the film, so far to date, they have come up with at least one new cliche or invention for the horror genre-
The Shawn C. Phillips death scene
Shawn C. Phillips is an indie actor who has been in a wide variety of horror films (President's Day, Witch's Brew, Hell House, Deadly Dares: Truth or Dare Part IV, Red River), but one thing always seems to be a constant in those films. He always gets killed! Judging by the pics from the set of "Girls Gone...
Bongiovi Entertainment in association with Rex Steven Sikes (Massacre at Central High) and George Barnes (Take 2 productions)
present
"Girls Gone Dead"
(Aka Spring Break Massacre II)
Michael Hoffman Jr. and wife Meghan Jones were looking to reinvent the classic "The Slumber Party Massacre" or "Sorority House Massacre" sub-genre of films. Well, looking at the behind the scenes pics from the film, so far to date, they have come up with at least one new cliche or invention for the horror genre-
The Shawn C. Phillips death scene
Shawn C. Phillips is an indie actor who has been in a wide variety of horror films (President's Day, Witch's Brew, Hell House, Deadly Dares: Truth or Dare Part IV, Red River), but one thing always seems to be a constant in those films. He always gets killed! Judging by the pics from the set of "Girls Gone...
- 1/17/2011
- by Big Daddy aka Brandon Sites
- Big Daddy Horror Reviews - Interviews
Cast & Crew "This Spring Break…Get Hammered!"
Bongiovi Entertainment in association with Rex Steven Sikes (Massacre at Central High) and George Barnes (Take 2 productions)
present
"Girls Gone Dead"
The film which is set to start filming on November 13 is genre director Michael Hoffman Jr.'s (Spring Break Massacre) most ambitious undertaking with a five week shooting schedule and a budget of roughly around $500,000. Helping him with this endeavor is Aaron Wells (Rock and a Hard Place: Another Night at the Agora) who will share co-directing credit and Ryan Dee who is on board as the film's producer.
Girls Gone Dead features a cast including hottie Caley Hayes (who ironically played the hottie in "Sex Drive"), sizzling Penthouse Pet Ryan Keely (seen on this year's MTV movie awards in a fake commercial for "Devil" alongside M. Night Shyamalan) internet sensation Shawn C. Phillips (President's Day) and the hardest working man in indie horror,...
Bongiovi Entertainment in association with Rex Steven Sikes (Massacre at Central High) and George Barnes (Take 2 productions)
present
"Girls Gone Dead"
The film which is set to start filming on November 13 is genre director Michael Hoffman Jr.'s (Spring Break Massacre) most ambitious undertaking with a five week shooting schedule and a budget of roughly around $500,000. Helping him with this endeavor is Aaron Wells (Rock and a Hard Place: Another Night at the Agora) who will share co-directing credit and Ryan Dee who is on board as the film's producer.
Girls Gone Dead features a cast including hottie Caley Hayes (who ironically played the hottie in "Sex Drive"), sizzling Penthouse Pet Ryan Keely (seen on this year's MTV movie awards in a fake commercial for "Devil" alongside M. Night Shyamalan) internet sensation Shawn C. Phillips (President's Day) and the hardest working man in indie horror,...
- 11/12/2010
- by Big Daddy aka Brandon Sites
- Big Daddy Horror Reviews - Interviews
So who is Meghan Jones? She might not be a name genre fans are familiar with right off the bat, but if you dig those "The Slumber Party Massacre" or "Sorority House Massacre" or heck even "Hard to Die" type of films that came out in the 80's, then you need to start studying up on who this promising writer is. An admirable quality to the films that she co-wrote and co-produced with her hubby, Michael Hoffman Jr., including Spring Break Massacre and Sigma Die was an innate quality to pay homage to the era of those films without being too overly jokey jokey, but still retain a sense of humor that in essence recalled the era of the teen sex comedy and some of those USA Up All Night films, but still managing to keep slasher sensibilities intact. Her ability to weave different types of styles, genres and to...
- 11/11/2010
- by Big Daddy aka Brandon Sites
- Big Daddy Horror Reviews - Interviews
Over here at Big Daddy Horror Reviews, we would like to extend a celebratory toast to producing, writing partners Meghan Jones and Michael Hoffman Jr., the team behind such immortal classics as Spring Break Massacre, Rot: Reunion of Terror and Sigma Die! We would like to wish you the best of luck with your upcoming nuptials in Las Vegas on Halloween night.The two have shown a knack for putting together films that are amusing little homages to the horror films of the 80's.
With Spring Break Massacre (starring Linnea Quigley and Reggie Bannister in their only on screen appearance together), they paid tribute with an amusingly clever little take on The Slumber Party Massacre. Rot: Reunion of Terror packed one heck of a wallop with a surprising twist ending as it paid homage to Prom Night with a dash of Happy Birthday To Me thrown in. And Sigma Die!
With Spring Break Massacre (starring Linnea Quigley and Reggie Bannister in their only on screen appearance together), they paid tribute with an amusingly clever little take on The Slumber Party Massacre. Rot: Reunion of Terror packed one heck of a wallop with a surprising twist ending as it paid homage to Prom Night with a dash of Happy Birthday To Me thrown in. And Sigma Die!
- 10/27/2010
- by Big Daddy aka Brandon Sites
- Big Daddy Horror Reviews - Interviews
Is Airplane! the funniest film ever? John Patterson talks to the three nobodies from Milwaukee whose movie sparked a comedy revolution
When David Zucker was a schoolkid in Milwaukee in the 1960s, one of his teachers made a prediction. "She said to me once, when I was fooling around in class, 'Zucker, I know one day I'll be paying good money to see you make me laugh, but right now, get your ass back in that chair and crack that book!'"
She was right. This badly behaved schoolkid would go on to reinvent Us screen comedy with a movie called Airplane!, which he co-directed and co-wrote. Today, speaking in Manhattan, David is feeling a little rough. He was out the night before, it turns out, celebrating the film's 30th anniversary with the movie's co-creators, his younger brother Jerry and their lifelong friend Jim Abrahams. "I just couldn't get out of bed this morning,...
When David Zucker was a schoolkid in Milwaukee in the 1960s, one of his teachers made a prediction. "She said to me once, when I was fooling around in class, 'Zucker, I know one day I'll be paying good money to see you make me laugh, but right now, get your ass back in that chair and crack that book!'"
She was right. This badly behaved schoolkid would go on to reinvent Us screen comedy with a movie called Airplane!, which he co-directed and co-wrote. Today, speaking in Manhattan, David is feeling a little rough. He was out the night before, it turns out, celebrating the film's 30th anniversary with the movie's co-creators, his younger brother Jerry and their lifelong friend Jim Abrahams. "I just couldn't get out of bed this morning,...
- 8/22/2010
- by John Patterson
- The Guardian - Film News
Sex and death seem to be a good mix and that is what the Spring Break Massacre will provide, tomorrow. The film releases on DVD April 20th and six "sorority co-eds" will be on the run as a crazed serial killer breaks out of the local prison (Uhm). Blood, breasts and everything in between will be available to fans tomorrow courtesy of E1 Entertainment (not for the squeamish). A trailer for the Spring Break Massacre is below.
Tagline:
"Party till you drop...Dead."
A synopsis for the film:
"A sleepover party during spring-break turns deadly for six beautiful sorority co-eds. Stanley Peterson, convicted serial killer, has escaped from maximum security prison. It's up to the college cuties to unravel the mystery of their assailant before the night is over" (Uhm).
Release Date: April 20th.
Director: Michael Hoffman Jr.
Writers: Michael Hoffman Jr. and Meghan Jones.
Cast: Christian Anderson, Reggie Bannister,...
Tagline:
"Party till you drop...Dead."
A synopsis for the film:
"A sleepover party during spring-break turns deadly for six beautiful sorority co-eds. Stanley Peterson, convicted serial killer, has escaped from maximum security prison. It's up to the college cuties to unravel the mystery of their assailant before the night is over" (Uhm).
Release Date: April 20th.
Director: Michael Hoffman Jr.
Writers: Michael Hoffman Jr. and Meghan Jones.
Cast: Christian Anderson, Reggie Bannister,...
- 4/20/2010
- by Michael Ross Allen
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Do you think that you have problems? You should try going to your high school where, instead of celebrating, you find yourself on the wrong side of a sharpened stick. This, and many other bloody scenarios take place in Reunion of Terror. This DVD will release March 7th and the film stars Christian Anderson, Monique Barajas, and L.J. Green. A little on the short side, Reunion of Terror runs eighty minutes. The acting for the film has been described, at the movie entertainment site Joblo, as "not terribly good" (Joblo). As well, the writing has been reviewed by Joblo as being: "poorly written," but maybe the featurettes and music videos on the DVD will make up for what the story and acting lack (Joblo). The trailer does not really sell the plot of Reunion of Terror much better than the Joblo review, but viewers can make up their own...
- 2/4/2010
- by Michael Ross Allen
- 28 Days Later Analysis
A Shock-o-Rama Cinema Release, Brought to You By Camp Motion Pictures 10 years after graduation, six friends arrange to meet at a cabin in the woods. One of them may be a murderer. "Rot: Reunion Of Terror" ....I haven't felt as unnerved as this in years .KillerReviews.com Release Date: 03/09/2010 An invitation to an unorthodox high school reunion starts a chain of events that culminate in bloodshed in Michael A. Hoffman's latest directorial effort, the shocking serial-killer who-dunnit, "Rot: Reunion Of Terror" ! 10 years after high school, an invitation to a reunion at a secluded hunting cabin draws six friends into a viscous game of life-and-death. Unbeknownst to the partiers, the mutilated bodies of two young campers lie hidden in the nearby woods. As the night...
- 12/17/2009
- www.ohmygore.com/
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