Sometimes – all too rarely – a movie is created that becomes such an instant, indelible overnight classic it should gain its own sprocket-prints outside that Chinese theatre. Airplane was such a movie. Released on July 2nd, 1980, it made millions laugh, and millions for the Zucker brothers.
Well, this well-earned caché appears to be doomed. The Zucker boys, together with business partner Jim Abrahams, are about to release a new movie called “An American Carol.” And unless its previews are sensation-seeking hype, it's going to upset a whole swathe of people!
The movie concerns an allegedly anti-American film-maker (supposedly based on Michael Moore) who is brought to enlightenment on the true meaning of America by three ghosts. As you'd expect from any movie with a parentage of this caliber there are tons of sight gags, some superb one-liners and a positive bus-load of Muslim terrorists - all named 'Mohammed.' Even Jimmy Carter gets involved. But in what is currently scheduled to be a climactic scene, the film-maker [here re-named 'Michael Malone'] is shown the true meaning and value of America by Jon Voight, in the superbly made-up guise of a ghostly George Washington.
...while standing in the smoking ruins of the World Trade Center.
The movie has just been acquired by Vivendi who plan to release it nationwide on October 3rd. There's going to be a lot of press coverage about that scene. Most of it caused by the egregious insult to the memory of those who were lost, and some created as self-serving hype by the studio. How many people will be able to watch it and laugh with a clear conscience remains to be known, but I'm pretty sure I won't be among them.
Well, this well-earned caché appears to be doomed. The Zucker boys, together with business partner Jim Abrahams, are about to release a new movie called “An American Carol.” And unless its previews are sensation-seeking hype, it's going to upset a whole swathe of people!
The movie concerns an allegedly anti-American film-maker (supposedly based on Michael Moore) who is brought to enlightenment on the true meaning of America by three ghosts. As you'd expect from any movie with a parentage of this caliber there are tons of sight gags, some superb one-liners and a positive bus-load of Muslim terrorists - all named 'Mohammed.' Even Jimmy Carter gets involved. But in what is currently scheduled to be a climactic scene, the film-maker [here re-named 'Michael Malone'] is shown the true meaning and value of America by Jon Voight, in the superbly made-up guise of a ghostly George Washington.
...while standing in the smoking ruins of the World Trade Center.
The movie has just been acquired by Vivendi who plan to release it nationwide on October 3rd. There's going to be a lot of press coverage about that scene. Most of it caused by the egregious insult to the memory of those who were lost, and some created as self-serving hype by the studio. How many people will be able to watch it and laugh with a clear conscience remains to be known, but I'm pretty sure I won't be among them.
