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Top Gun (1986)

PG  -  Action | Drama | Romance  -  16 May 1986 (USA)
6.8
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Ratings: 6.8/10 from 187,701 users  
Reviews: 367 user | 158 critic

As students at the Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young flyer learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.

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Title: Top Gun (1986)

Top Gun (1986) on IMDb 6.8/10

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Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 5 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

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Storyline

Maverick is a hot pilot. When he encounters a pair of MiGs over the Persian Gulf, his wingman is clearly outflown and freaks. On almost no fuel, Maverick is able to talk him back down to the Carrier. When his wingman turns in his wings, Maverick is moved up in the standings and sent to the Top Gun Naval Flying School. There he fights the attitudes of the other pilots and an old story of his father's death in combat that killed others due to his father's error. Maverick struggles to be the best pilot, stepping on the toes of his other students and in a different way to Charlie, a civilian instructor to whom he is strongly attracted. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

...It's a solo mission ... Yeah! ...And I'm going with him... See more »

Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

16 May 1986 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Top Gun  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$1,965,737 (USA) (8 February 2013)

Gross:

$176,781,728 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(70 mm prints)| (35 mm prints)

Color:

(Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

After the "Car chase" when Charlie tells Maverick that she didn't want anyone to find out she was falling for him, Maverick originally had a line to say. Tom Cruise forgot the line and "ad libbed" by kissing Kelly McGillis instead. Tony Scott liked it so much, he left the scene like that. See more »

Goofs

When Maverick is riding his motorcycle alongside the runway, after the F-14 takes off and turns to the left the shot changes and shows Maverick riding past lighting standards heading toward the runway as indicated by the strobe lights. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Flight Captain: Good morning, Scott.
See more »

Crazy Credits

A song called "Through the Fire" (by Larry Greene) appears in the end credits music listings, but isn't anywhere in the film. This song, however, does appear on the soundtrack. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Family Guy: Baby Got Black (2014) See more »

Soundtracks

Danger Zone
By Giorgio Moroder & Tom Whitlock
Performed by Kenny Loggins
Produced by Giorgio Moroder
Kenny Loggins courtesy of CBS Records
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Beautifully fake
30 May 2000 | by (Phoenix, AZ) – See all my reviews

There is a school of thought that says all movies should be compared on an absolute scale. It would say that movies must have a high level of credibility or familiarity in order to be "good" movies. People who fall into this category simply should not watch Top Gun. They won't enjoy it. Other people take the opposite, but no more valid approach of looking a each movie individually, disregarding all else but the movie. For these people, no outside reality or credibility is important, because for them, a movie exists to entertain in whatever way it chooses to. These people would enjoy Top Gun very much. It is extremely doubtful that the producers ever even considered making Top Gun as a portrait of a fighter pilot's life, and this is why it is entertaining. It is a rare type of movie, one that no one dares to make today, one that not only transcends reality, but wears it as a mask into the world of fantasy. Everything from the wild dogfights to the fake love to the over the top glamorized (or should I say canonized) characters lets you know that this is a good old American hero drama. That is why it is a horrible and fraudulent portrait of reality, and that is why I love it.


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