Top Gun (1986) (Exclusive Series Special)

*** Make sure to check out 'Top Gun: Maverick' now playing!!!

Initial release date: May 16, 1986

Studios: Paramount Pictures/Don Simpson-Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Tagline: Up there with the best of the best

Plot: The Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School is where the best of the best train to refine their elite flying skills. When hotshot fighter pilot Maverick is sent to the school, his reckless attitude and cocky demeanor put him at odds with the other pilots, especially the cool and collected Iceman. But, Maverick isn’t only competing to be the top fighter pilot, he’s also fighting for the attention of his instructor, Charlotte Blackwood.

Cast

Tom Cruise - Maverick

Kelly McGillis - Charlie

Val Kilmer - Ice

Anthony Edwards - Goose

Tom Skerritt - Viper

Michael Ironside - Jester

John Stockwell - Cougar

Barry Tubb - Wolfman

Rick Rossovich - Slider

Clarence Gilyard Jr. - Sundown

Tim Robbins - Merlin

Whip Hubley - Hollywood

James Tolkan - Stinger

Meg Ryan - Carole

Writer(s): Jim Cash (Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas; Dick Tracy; Anaconda; Turner & Hooch)

Jack Epps Jr. (Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas; Dick Tracy; Anaconda; Turner & Hooch)

Ehud Yonay (magazine article “Top Gun”)

Director: Tony Scott (Unstoppable; The Taking of Pelham 123; Deja Vu; Man on Fire)

Rated PG (110 minutes)

Now that I finally had the chance to check out the very long awaited sequel ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ for the Examiner, I decided to rent the 1986 movie, since I haven’t seen it in years and give it another look.

And, FYI - If you haven’t seen the new movie, I highly suggest it! It’s way worth the wait!

The 1986 movie is an absolute classic. The dogfight scenes are incredible and the flying sequences are awesome to watch. And for those who don’t know what “dogfight” is - an aerial battle between fighter aircraft conducted at close range.

The rivalry between Maverick and Ice is really memorable and can get rather tense at times, And, a slight spoiler for the sequel - Ice is briefly in the new movie and the brief reunion between him and Maverick is emotional and perfect.

There’s also quite a few good laughs and, of course, the music. ‘Top Gun’ probably has one of the best movie soundtracks out there. And, yes, “Danger Zone” is heard in the new movie!

So, definitely give the 1986 movie another watch, especially if you need a little refresher before seeing ‘Maverick.’

‘Top Gun’ can be streamed on Paramount Plus if you have a subscription. And, if you don’t (just like myself), you can rent it online via YouTube, Vudu, Google Play, Apple TV or Redbox.

Here are several interesting tidbits for ‘Top Gun’:

• The real Top Gun School imposes a $5 fine to any staff member that quotes the film. *** I guess that happened quite a bit lol ***

• Stunt pilot Art Scholl was killed during the production of the movie, aged 54. He died when his Pitts S-2 camera plane failed to recover from a flat spin and plunged into the Pacific Ocean. Scholl’s last words over the radio were “I have a problem. I have a real problem.” The exact cause of the crash was never determined, and neither the aircraft nor Scholl’s body were ever recovered. The film is dedicated to him.

• Anthony Edwards is the only actor who didn’t vomit while in the fighter jets.

• Val Kilmer didn’t want to be in this film, but was forced to by contractual obligations. However, it became one of his most iconic roles in his career.

• The Pentagon charged Paramount Pictures $1.8 million to use all of their planes and aircraft for the film.

• The tension between Maverick and Iceman isn’t just down to good acting, Cruise and Kilmer kept their distance from each other and never socialized.

• Riding on the back of the film’s success, the US Navy set up recruiting booths in the major cinemas to try and catch some of the adrenaline-charged guys leaving the screenings. They had the highest applications rate for years as a result.

• The film was inspired by an article in the May 1983 issue of “California” magazine about the US Navy’s Top Gun School.

• The highest grossing movie of 1986.

• The line “I feel the need … the need for speed” ranked at No. 54 of AFI’s list of 100 Years 100 Movie Quotes.

• Matthew Modine turned down the role of Maverick because he objected to the film’s Cold War politics. Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Matthew Broderick, Sean Penn, Michael J. Fox, Scott Baio and Tom Hanks all turned down the role. Charlie Sheen, Jim Carrey, Rob Lowe, Eric Stoltz and Robert Downey Jr. were considered for the role. Sheen would later go on to spoof the movie in the comedy ‘Hot Shots.’

• The “Top Gun” article detailed the life of fighter pilots at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, self-nicknamed as “Fightertown USA.”

• Shots of the aircraft carrier sequences were filmed aboard USS Enterprise, showing aircraft from F-14 squadrons VF-114 “Aardvarks” and VF-213 “Black Lions.” The majority of the carrier flight deck shots were of normal aircraft operations and the film crew had to take what they could get, save for the occasional flyby which the film crew would request.

• Most of the sequences of the aircraft maneuvering over land were shot at Naval Air Station Fallon, in Nevada, using ground-mounted cameras. Air-to-air shots were filmed using a Learjet, piloted by Astrovision creator and legendary pilot Clay Lacy.

• The soundtrack is one of the most popular soundtracks to date, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart for five non-consecutive weeks in the summer and fall of 1986.

• The movie opened in the US and Canada in 1,028 theaters on May 16, 1986, a week prior to the Memorial Day weekend, which was considered a gamble at the time.

• In addition to its box office success, ‘Top Gun’ went on to break further records in the then still-developing home video market. It was the first new release blockbuster on video cassette to be priced as low as $26.95, and backed by a massive $8 million marketing campaign, including a ‘Top Gun’ - themed Diet Pepsi commercial, the advance demand was such that the film became the best-selling VHS in the industry’s history on pre-orders alone, with over 1.9 million units ordered before its launch on March 10, 1987. It eventually sold a record 2.9 million units.

• It would be six months before its theater count dropped below that of its opening week. It was No. 1 on its first weekend with a gross of $8,193,052, and went on to a total domestic gross of $176.7 million.

• Due to their use by characters in the film, Bomber jacket sales increased and Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses jumped 40%.

• The 1991 movie ‘Hot Shots’ was a comedy spoof of this movie.

• The sequel, ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ was finally released on May 27, 2022 - Memorial Day weekend.

https://youtu.be/xa_z57UatDY