How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Airplane!.
Quote #1
FIRST SCENE: An AIRPLANE lurks under cloud cover like a shark
This intro scene is a parody of Jaws a film that remains a huge part of the American cultural consciousness today. That classic theme music is just as distinctive now as it ever was, telling us one thing: nothing good is about to happen. Right off the bat, ZAZ uses pop cultural references for comic purposes.
Quote #2
CAPTAIN OVEUR: Alright, give me Hamm on 5. Hold the Mayo.
This line is exactly the type of absurdist wordplay that defines the humor of Airplane!. But the fact that it is delivered in perfect deadpan by well-known serious actor Peter Graves plays on the expectations of the audience, accentuating the hilarity of the scene. We're thinking "Mission Impossible" and he's making ridiculous puns.
Quote #3
JOEY: Wait a minute. I know you. You're Kareem Abdul-Jabbar! You play basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers!
ROGER MURDOCH: I'm sorry son, but you must have me confused with someone else. My name is Roger Murdoch. I'm the copilot.
Perhaps the most memorable cameo in Airplane! is basketball superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as co-pilot Roger Murdoch. In classic ZAZ self-aware fashion, Joey "mistakes" Murdoch for the legendary hoopster, a joke the audience is in on the whole way. At the time the movie was made, Kareem was a huge NBA megastar. Everyone recognized him. And he did get criticized for not playing defense, just like Joey said.