Monday, August 27, 2012

Top Gun Review









Top Gun


Release Date: 13th July 1986 - Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures
Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 110 minutes


Budget: $15,000,000

Box Office Gross: $357,288,178 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Daredevil fighter pilot Maverick is enrolled in the naval flying school of Top Gun to undergo advanced training. He competes with Iceman as they strive to be the best. Maverick is also head over heels for his flying instructor and learns the secret history of his father's death.


Cast
Tom Cruise - Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell
Kelly McGillis - Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood
Anthony Edwards - Lt. (JG) Nick "Goose" Bradshaw
Meg Ryan - Carole Bradshaw
Val Kilmer - Lt. Tom "Iceman"
Kazansky
Rick Rossovich - Lt. (JG) Ron "Slider" Kerner
Tom Skerritt - Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf
Michael Ironside - Lt.
Commander Rick "Jester"
Heatherly
John Stockwell - Lt. Bill "Cougar" Cortell
Barry Tubb - Lt. (JG) Henry "Wolfman" Ruth
Tim Robbins - Lt. Sam "Merlin" Wells
Clarence Gilyard Jr. - Lt. (JG) Marcus "Sundown" Williams
Whip Hubley - Lt. Rick
"Hollywood" Neven
James Tolkan - Commander Tom "Stinger" Jordan
Adrian Pasdar - Lt. Charles "Chipper" Piper
Duke Stroud - Air Boss Johnson
Pete Pettigrew - Perry Siedenthal
Randall Brady - Lt. Davis
Brian Sheehan - Sprawl
T.J. Cassidy - Himself (Cameo)
Aaron & Adam Weis - Goose's Son (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Tony Scott
Based on a Magazine Article "Top Guns" -
Ehud Yonay
Writers - Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Screenplay (Uncredited)/Associate Producer -
Warren Skaaren
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Bill Badalato
Producers - Jerry Bruckheimer and
Don Simpson
Technical Advisor - Pete Pettigrew
Aerial Consultants - Thomas R. Harmon
and Richard T. Stevens
Casting Director - Margery Simkin
Production Designer - John DeCuir Jr.
Set Decorator - Robert R. Benton
Director of Photography - Jeffrey L. Kimball
Camera Operators - John J. Connor,
Bob Carmichael (Uncredited) and Robert Edesa
(Uncredited)
Aerial Camera Operators - Nick Alavardo,
Larry Blanford, C.J. Heatley, George Howe,
William E. Kelley Jr., Dan Koblash,
David B. Nowell, Don Thompson and
Gary Tolbert
First Assistant Director - Dan Kolsrud
Second Assistant Directors - Patrick Cosgrove,
Sharon Mann and James Dillon (Uncredited)
Stunt Coordinator/Stunts - R.A. Rondell
F-14 Aerial Coordinator/Aircrew - Lloyd Abel
Navy Aerial Coordinator/Top Gun Instructor
and MIG Pilot - Robert Willard
Transportation Coordinator - Randy Peters
Special Effects Coordinator - Allen Hall
Supervisor of Special Photographic Effects -
Gary Gutierrez
Model Department Supervisor: USFX -
David Sosalla
Director of Photography: USFX - Rich Fichter
Film Editors - Chris Lebenzon and Billy Weber
Supervising Sound Editors - Cecelia Hall
and George Watters II
Sound Editors - Virginia Cook-McGowan,
Teri Dorman, Julia Evershade, Frank Howard,
Marshall Winn and David Stone
Re-Recording Mixers - Rick Kline,
Donald O. Mitchell and Kevin O'Connell
Foley Artists - Sarah Monat and
Edward M. Stediele
Songs - Giorgio Moroder
Lyrics - Tom Whitlock
Music Editor - Bob Badami
Music - Harold Faltermayer


Awards

1987 Academy Awards
Best Music, Original Song "Take My Breath
Away" - Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock (Won)
-------------------------
Best Sound - Donald O. Mitchell, Kevin O'Connell,
Rick Kline and William B. Kaplan (Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Billy Weber and
Chris Lebenzon (Nominated)
Best Sound Editing - Cecelia Hall and
George Watters II (Nominated)


Review
A total high-flying action movie. TOP GUN has done well with its perfectly choreographed flight sequences, brilliant cinematography and the onscreen romantic chemistry between Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis. TOP GUN provides incredible acting with the best performance from Cruise as Maverick. Worthy of mention are the supporting actors like Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards. Terrific 80s songs such as Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" and Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" with the music score by Harold Faltermeyer only add to this airborne action drama of overall superb quality.

This feature is superior to the last jet movie, Stealthwhich fails to bring any amazement. TOP GUN is a unique film by producer Jerry Bruckheimer and the late director Tony Scott, who made it a combined effort in all their hard work. It's enjoyable in its own right and deliberately takes your breath away (no pun intended). I'm putting this movie on my favourite action feature list.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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