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Comparison between the theatrical version, represented on the 4K Blu-ray by Paramount, and the US TV version, represented by a 16mm transfer Runtimes:
29 differences, including 5 audio changes
A few more master errors, each lasting less than 0.5 sec, were not listed in the report.
With Airplane! the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker trio set a milestone for film parodies in 1980, after they had made their debut on the big screen three years earlier with the episodic Kentucky Fried Movie. In December 2024, the film had its 4K premiere in the original theatrical version. Our comparison of the US TV version of The Naked Gun already showed that interesting alternative versions could be discovered on US television. Although explicit scenes were censored here (at least not as crass as in more suggestive comedies, see, for example, the comparison to Fast Times at Ridgemont High), you could discover some exclusive scenes and, with that, many interesting additional gags. And it was exactly the same with Airplane! - swear words, jokes with a sexual context and a few moments with drug use were rigorously censored, but here you can find almost four minutes of exclusive scenes. More of the children acting like adults or, for example, the silly “hijacking” joke at the beginning are certainly exciting for fans. The 4K version released in a set together with The Naked Gun and Top Secret. There is also an alternative US TV version of the latter, but unfortunately we have not yet been able to get hold of it yet. At least in this case, a few additional scenes are stored individually in the bonus material of the home theater releases and now again in the 4K release. Unfortunately, however, no snippets of the exclusive TV scenes can be found in the bonus material for Naked Gun and Airplane! As an aside, we also had a recent US TV broadcast on the National Lampoon channel for comparison. The exclusive material is no longer present here (probably also thanks to an upgrade to an HD master), there are similar bits of audio censorship and the nude scenes are cut - and unfortunately, a lot of streamlining cuts. Not recommended, but more on that later.
Runtime information is based on the following scheme: 02:13 / 02:12-02:32
After Elaine refuses a donation, an older couple (Jack and Shirley, the latter of course being familiar from the later egg scene with Dr. Rumack) can be seen in front of a “Hijacking is a federal offense” sign. They see an acquaintance at the security checkpoint and greet him. When the man then replies, “Oh, hi Jack!”, he is promptly escorted away by a few security officers. 19.3 sec
Audio censorship / Cut in the US TV version 02:42-02:43 / 03:01 A few inconsequential frames during the transition from one shot to the next. The reason for this is a censorship in the audio, because the man making the “red/white zone” announcements actually says something a bit more colorful: “Listen, Betty, don't start up with your white zone shit again.” + 0.3 sec
Cut in the US TV version 05:20-05:39 / 05:39 After Elaine has left, Ted finally says: “What a pisser.” After that, we see Captain Oveur reading magazines earlier. He is standing in the “whacking material” section, reading “Modern Sperm.” Naked women can be seen on other magazines in the background. An announcement is made: “Captain Oveur, white courtesy phone. Captain Clarence Oveur, white courtesy phone.” + 18.7 sec
The US TV version starts when he walks to the side to answer the phone. In the TV version, you can also see some exposed breasts on the right side of the screen, but the camera pans directly to the side.
Audio censorship 10:40 / 10:40 The “shit, man” was partially muted.
There is also a strange jump in the TV version of the sentence that follows immediately afterwards. In the IMDb, this is described as “That honky mofo messin' mah old lady”, although you need a little imagination to actually hear this variation of “motherfucker”. Censored US TV audio – 16mm The subtitles for the slang conversation were also burned into the image in the TV version, but they have been recreated in the 4K version.
Cut in the US TV version 11:09-11:10 / 11:09 At the end, Arthur says “Shit!” again, which (like the entire conversation) is subtitled in posh English. + 1 sec
11:58 / 11:57-12:06 After Ted's “Nervous?” dialog, you see turbines and hear a loud rattling sound. Oveur and Roger look out the windows on the left and right to match the sound. 9.7 sec
Alternative / Cut in the US TV version 22:41-22:46 / 22:49-23:18 The girl's answer about how she likes her coffee was stripped of the actual gag from the theatrical version: “I take it black. Like my men.” The boy looks taken aback.
The TV version, on the other hand, offers more dialogue as a substitute. He asks if she has been on vacation in Los Angeles. She replies that it was not a vacation, but that she is a teacher and has attended a seminar on visual aids in the classroom. He says that he is from Washington and a lobbyist for small businesses.
TV version 23.9 sec longer Alternative version / Cut in the US TV version 26:04-26:12 / 26:35-26:51 In the TV version, “Roger” quickly changes the subject when Joey asks questions and asks Victor for the coordinates. In the theatrical version, this part is missing. Probably for continuity reasons, Roger's close-up is a little longer and the following shot, in which Joey emphasizes again that he is sure he is talking to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, is a completely different take. TV version 7.4 sec longer
Cut in the US TV version 26:43-26:45 / 27:21 Kareem says at the end of the shot: “I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA.” + 2.6 sec
27:01 / 27:37-27:47 After his outburst, Kareem tries to change the subject again and mutters “Niner” into the radio operator's ear several times. He hesitates and Joey, who is shocked, can be seen again. 10.1 sec
Alternative / Cut in the US TV version 27:10-27:36 / 27:56-28:16 An alternate take with Ted continuing to talk to Elaine, who remembers happy times together. This was probably done because Elaine's comment was shortened to include “How I used to sit on your face and wriggle, and afterwards (how we'd watch till the sun came up.)” Theatrical version 6 sec longer
Audio censorship 41:53 / 42:34 A comment by Dr. Rumack was censored: “...accompanied by uncontrollable flatulence. Until finally the poor bastard is reduced...” The flatulence was replaced by something else and the following fart sound was muted. The word “bastard” was scantily changed to “victim”.
Censored US TV audio - 16mm Cut in the US TV version 42:10-42:15 / 42:51 When the first panic sets in, a shot of the security notice prohibiting sexual intercourse in rows 13-51 is removed. + 4.5 sec
Cut in the US TV version 45:05-45:24 / 45:41 Dr. Rumack comes into the cockpit and from his perspective it looks even more as if Elaine is orally satisfying the autopilot (Otto). He is surprised and goes out again. The autopilot, which has now been re-inflated, suddenly has sparkling eyes and a grin on his face. + 19.2 sec
Cut in the US TV version 47:03-47:08 / 47:20 A shot of the passengers fighting in the aisle is cut off earlier: Actually, a naked woman is still coming into view at the front left. + 5 sec
Cut in the US TV version 48:47-49:42 / 48:59-49:34 There is a completely different, long take when Ted is called into the cockpit. Only in the theatrical cut does he start rambling on to the guy next to him with his story, and the guy gets ready to set himself on fire in the background. After Ted leaves, he takes a breath, but when he blows out the match he has been holding in his hand, an explosion does occur after all. Theatrical version 19.8 sec longer
Audio censorship 52:13 / 52:05 The cyclist curses from the background: “Asshole!”
On a side note: when the statue throws its hands in front of its head at 53:25 / 53:17, the open matte image clearly shows more than actually desired on the bottom part of the screen.
Audio censorship / Cut in the US TV version 57:04-57:06 / 56:56 Rex Kramer's reaction “Shit.” was muted and his following sentence was also cut off halfway: “This is a goddamn waste of time!” + 1.3 sec
Censored US TV audio - 16mm 60:06 / 59:56-60:28 Another scene with the two grown-up kids. He asks why she is not married and speculates that she is probably too absorbed in her work for that. To melancholy music, she says that no one has asked her yet. 32 sec
60:57 / 61:19-61:43 After a brief discussion between the two dark-skinned Jive guests and the old woman, the children are seen again. He speaks loftily of the fact that people here talk about all kinds of things without knowing each other's first names. They then both catch up on this, whereby he says that friends call him “Bubbles.” 23.3 sec
Cut in the US TV version 61:19-61:59 / 62:04 The phone call to Ms. Oveur, who is supposed to come to the airport, was completely removed. After she hangs up, she turns around and says to a lover, “You can let yourself out the back door. There's juice in the refrigerator.” There is a horse neighing in the background. + 39.3 sec
62:33 / 62:39-63:01 After another shot of the plane (so there are quite a few of them in the TV version), we go back to the cockpit. There is a lot of jerking and Elaine thinks she sees mountains. Ted reminds her that they are over Iowa after all, and she corrects to cornfields. 22.1 sec
Cut in the US TV version 65:09-65:35 / 65:37 Before Dr. Rumack is seen with Ted in the cockpit, a man takes a liquor bottle out of his jacket pocket, takes a sip and asks the woman behind him if she wants one. Outraged, she declines - and then takes a sniff of coke. + 25.5 sec
66:46 / 66:48-67:31 An additional discussion between Rex and Steve on the floor. They constantly fill new paper cups from the water dispenser and throw them on the floor. Finally, there is a hearty belch. 43.1 sec
Cut in the US TV version 67:33-67:40 / 68:19 At the end of the shot, Ted says: “When Kramer hears about this, the shit's gonna hit the fan.” The subsequent shot in the control center begins earlier, with fecal matter landing in a fan. How Rex Kramer then comes into the picture can be seen again. + 6.2 sec
Cut in the US TV version 76:39-76:51 / 77:18 Alcohol, cigarettes and amphetamines were no problem during previous bits (solely in dialogue) of this running gag, but when Steve McCroskey says, “Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue,” it was cut – because he also pulls out a glue stick and sniffs himself into unconsciousness. + 12.3 sec
Cut in the US TV version 77:11-77:14 / 77:37 Consequently, the next short re-ordered scene in the control center was also removed, in which Steve looks up again with rolled eyes and then passes out again. + 2.6 sec
Cut in the US TV version 77:36-77:45 / 78:00 In between the many shots of the radio conversations, Steve can be seen again, head over heels, high as a kite in the control center. The camera pans to the side. + 9 sec
Cut in the US TV version 77:49-77:51 / 78:04 At the end of the next shot, a comment was removed: “What an asshole.” + 1.8 sec
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