Hot Shots! (1991)

Director:

Jim Abrahams

Writers (WGA):

Jim Abrahams (written by) &
Pat Proft (written by)

Release Date:

31 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | War | Romance

Tagline:

The mother of all movies!

Plot:

Parody of "Top Gun" in which a talented but unstable fighter pilot must overcome the ghosts of his father and save a mission sabotaged by greedy weapons manufacturers.

Plot Keywords:

Native American | Saddam Hussein | Aviation | Corgi | Elvis Presley

Awards:

1 win

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 28

9:00 AM

SPIKETV

Cast

Charlie Sheen	...	Lt. Topper Harley
Cary Elwes	...	Lt. Kent Gregory
Valeria Golino	...	Ramada Thompson
Lloyd Bridges	...	Adm. Thomas 'Tug' Benson
Kevin Dunn	...	Lt. Cmdr. James Block
Jon Cryer	...	Jim 'Wash Out' Pfaffenbach
William O'Leary	...	Pete 'Dead Meat' Thompson
Kristy Swanson	...	Kowalski
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	...	Wilson
Bill Irwin	...	Buzz Harley
Heidi Swedberg	...	Mary Thompson
Bruce A. Young	...	'Red' Herring
Ryan Stiles	...	'Mailman' Farnham
Rino Thunder	...	Owatonna, 'The Old One'
Mark Arnott	...	Rosener

Also Known As:

Hot Shots: An Important Movie! (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:PG (cut) | Iceland:L | Finland:K-12 (uncut) (1991) | Finland:K-12/9 (cut) (re-rating) (1991) | France:U | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:12 | UK:12 (TV rating) | UK:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Germany:6 | Norway:10 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The aircraft used in this movie, the Folland Gnat T.Mk.1 two seat trainer, were never used in American service, neither were they ever capable of operating from aircraft carriers although the Indian Air Force, which used the single seat fighter version, did do a feasibility study of operating the type from their aircraft carriers, mainly to due to lack of options for carrier based aviation at the time. This was the first evidence that the aircraft carrier used in the movie was not real, but actually a prop. Gnats were British-made aircraft used by the Red Arrows aerobatic team. Ironically, the Gnats in Indian service earned the nick "Sabre Killer" after an unblemished combat record of shooting down American-made F-86 Sabres in Pakistani service.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Dead Meat says that Topper is AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave), the Navy does not use that term; it is an Army term. The Navy uses UA (Unauthorized Absence).

Quotes:

Admiral Benson: Thompson wasn't that good a pilot, anyway. He only had a small family. The kids are a pain in the ass. The wife's on the sauce. Hell, poor bastard's better off dead. What size shoes do you wear?
Lt. Commander Block: A nine, sir.
Admiral Benson: Good. It's settled then. We'll send Harley to the front.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Making 'Scary Movie 3' (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

THE BRADY BUNCH THEME

Great spoof

Really funny movie spoofs Top Gun, Dances With Wolves and others. In the centre is Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen), who is incapable of flying because he thinks his dad is responsible for the death of his co-pilot.

But one day he is called back into the squad, as there is a scheme going on about some new airplanes. Oh well, never mind that.

Funny stuff all the time, too much to talk about really. I love the 'Dead Meat' character, when he is taking his last flight, claiming he knows the answers to global warmth and Kennedy's assasination. That really cracked me up.

One of the best spoofs ever. 7/10.