David Zucker Explains Why The Director’s Cut Of Airplane! Is Actually Shorter Than The Original

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Over the years, with countless DVD, Blu-ray, and home video releases, we’ve come to anticipate certain features in a director’s cut. Usually, these versions include extra scenes, expanded development of supporting characters and subplots, and sometimes footage that was considered too explicit or violent for the cinema. While there’s some variation, the common thread is that they’re nearly always longer – often significantly so – because the director isn’t constrained by needing to appeal to a broad audience or limiting the length to maximize daily screenings in theaters.

Believe it or not, Airplane! is rare among director’s cuts – it’s actually shorter than the version shown in cinemas. Instead of adding extra scenes, directors David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams have refined the movie over time, carefully removing bits to make it faster-paced. We recently talked to David Zucker to find out why, and this is what he shared with us…

So, Jerry, Jim and I recently revisited Airplane! and did a new cut. It’s actually three minutes shorter than the original – which, believe it or not, makes it unique as a director’s cut! We decided to tighten things up for the pacing. After 45 years of screenings around the globe, we kept noticing certain jokes just ran a little too long. We figured we could trim them, and we did. It just felt right to make it a bit more streamlined.

Airplane!’s original directors have since worked on other parody films, but the impact of Airplane! has always stayed with them. While they didn’t participate in making the sequel, they’ve consistently shown the movie at screenings worldwide over the past fifty years. This has allowed them to witness the enthusiastic reactions of countless fans.

As a huge movie fan, I’ve noticed they’ve really developed a keen sense of what lands with an audience and what doesn’t. It’s made them super focused on the film’s rhythm, and they’ve been carefully trimming anything that drags or doesn’t get a laugh. The result? They’re now showing a version that’s a full three minutes shorter at screenings – it’s amazing how much tighter it feels! They’ve really honed in on what makes the movie work, and it shows. It’s a testament to their dedication, honestly. I’m really excited to see the final cut!

Just so you know, all this is still going on! I’m really excited because there’s a screening tonight (October 3rd) in Seattle of that director’s cut we were talking about, and even better, David Zucker and star Robert Hays will be there in person to do a Q&A with the audience. There are still a few tickets left, if you’re interested. And if you’re not near Seattle, there’s another one happening next month in Denver. Check it out!

Airplane! is a hugely popular comedy, and many people believe it really launched the style of comedy where movies playfully imitate other genres. It’s become so well-known that the creators, the Zucker brothers, now even teach classes on how to write these kinds of spoofs. Lots of viewers and critics think it’s a perfect film, and surprisingly, some believe it’s even *better* if about three minutes of footage are removed. I might have to go to one of those classes and check it out myself.

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2025-10-03 18:13