What I like about all of this is to finally hear people say the very 80s Top Gun soundtrack has "aged well". In the nineties, that kind of high energy rock music was constantly drug through the mud in favor of depressing grunge. Also, Steve Stevens was Billy Idol's guitarist during his peak years in the 80s and is seldom given credit for his work on the Top Gun theme. Great review!
Top gun soundtrack included 9 original titles and held top album for I believe 6 weeks. It’s hard to project to people just how much the score punched your soul to its core from beginning to end. Escalating you to the highest of highs and then plummeting you and slamming you to a holt. Holding you low and then able to scrape your lost soul off the floor and launching you like a rocket into orbit by the end. The other evening we are getting ready for dinner and top gun Maverick I was specifically looking forward to experiencing that again. I kinda knew danger zone and top gun anthem remained. I streamed the original soundtrack in the car on our way and blasted it. The score for me fell flat. In content and in immersion. With its soundtrack and any other complaints I have with this film, the payoff I got with the 2:15 run was one of the most intense scenes I have ever seen on film. It cemented this movie to the next level for me, a level I haven’t seen a movie achieve in a long, long time. Top gun Maverick is amazing.
Isn’t that how it usually goes. The 90’s music scene was in many ways a reaction against the 80’s. So the 80’s were deemed uncool. Now we have perspective, and can see them both with clearer eyes. Enjoying both decades for what they were.
@@HappyCatholicDane Similarly, there was a period after the 70's where many things from that decade were considered tacky and cheesy. Growing up in the 80's I often remembered people making fun of disco and bell-bottom pants.
Yes! From the enormous financial debt, the mass spread of crack cocaine in Americas youth, president reagan lowering taxes on the rich, and raising it on the middle class an poor, and let us not forget, the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, yes, truly, the best time to be alive!
Top Gun is my favorite film of all time. It's the reason I'm a pilot today, and it inspired me to pursue a life I could be proud of. Looking back on it, I think a part of this is how different it was from others 80s action movies. I knew even as a kid that I couldn't be an Arnold Schwarzenegger type running around shooting up terrorists and drug cartels, but Maverick represented a tangible and obtainable goal. It sunk the message into my head to not end up as a 9-5 office worker wondering where the hell it all went wrong. It made me embody the idea of "stay rad" and "it sucks to suck." I don't care if it sounds stupid, it's true, and I'm so grateful it steered me in the direction it did. That said, the movie is definitely not for everyone, and that's fine. I'm just so happy people love the sequel so much and a new generation may get the same inspiration I did.
When I heard about Top Gun: Maverick I decided in prep for the film to watch the original. Fantastic review, Oliver. RIP Tony Scott. He would’ve loved Top Gun: Maverick
That's the thing Hollywood doesn't understand these years - Top Gun wasn't the best, the smartest, the most polished one, but it had proper magic in it and people left the cinema with a better / different attitude than they had come in. Btw, screw Danger Zone, Mighty Wings owns it left handed.
"the smartest" that's an understatement, anyone that knows even the most basic rules of law know that Maverick would have been dishonorably discharged and convicted for conduct unbecoming an officer.
If there is one thing I love about this movie is the cinematography, every scene looks so crisp and focused especially in 4k. The team behind this movie really nailed it and its crazy to think this movie came out in 86' but looks so fresh and detailed even in 2022.
This is my dad's favorite movie and the first Tom Cruise movie I saw on VHS. It made $360 million dollars ($798 million dollar budget) at the box office against a $15 million dollar budget .
I'd love to see a Retrospective of Pirates of the Caribbean. Not my favourite movie or anything but the story of how it came to be, how culturally significant it was, eventually how much money they made and the background of it would make for an interesting video. Thanks again for a great video Oliver, been trying to get my friends to check out your stuff too but sadly not too many people are movie autists like I am. I'll keep on watching as always though, have a great summer!
I watched this movie for the first time a few weeks ago and honestly, it was so much better than I was expecting. A lot of people seem to dislike it for the cheesy, over-the-top interactions between characters and things, but I felt that it was part of the charm. Sure, a lot of the film feels dated, but of course a 1986 film with fighter jets would feel dated. By no means is it a masterpeice or anywhere close, but neither is it as bad as people seem to think either
Hands down i never saw anything like the jet-sequences in TG Maverick! Especially in MX4D! Unbelievable! We really have to thank Cruise and the other producers for the handmade action, so great after all the CGI in almost every movie today! TG is a timeless classic and Maverick a sequel on the same level! Chapeau. 💥💥💥
My first memory of Top Gun was sometime after the VHS release; my dad and I walked by a Radio Shack store in a mall that was playing the last dogfight scene on their display TVs. There was a crowd of about 20 people just standing there watching it for like 10 minutes or whatever it was. I remember walking away after it was over, thinking 'well, I guess I'm obsessed with Top Gun now'.
I watched Top Gun in preparation for watching the sequel, as I hadn't seen it for many years. Pretty much agree with all of your points, here! Maverick is absolutely superb, though!!
Saw it at the theater as a kid then my brother got us the VHS and our first VCR when he was stationed in Okinawa. We watched it over and over. The soundtrack is one of my favorite movie soundtracks with a lot of the songs being on my everyday playlist. Kelly McGillis was so beautiful.
This is one of the best and most comprehensive reviews of one of my all time favourite films. I was 9 when this came out and it made me want to be a pilot. Alas short sighted and colour blind so it wasnt to be. Lol. I watch this regularly and have the 4k release. Its the best its ever been
I bet both Scott brothers felt that Tom Skerritt was their lucky charm as both their 2nd films Ridley Scott's Alien and Tony Scott's Top Gun put them on the map and Tom Skerritt starred in both films.
I think people forgot a little bit because of the latest top gun Maverick movie. Top gun in the '80s help define a generation and it put Tom Cruise on the map as a action box office star this is clearly one of those movies that defines its era. It had action romance and a soundtrack that is arguably one of the best ever in movie cinema history.
@@flyguy7825 , I don't agree with this, someone else wrote it, but I just thought it was a funny contrast to your opinion: "...Haha, Top Gun was voted one of the gayest films of the 80's. I've nothing against gays at all, nothing. But it's hilarious that a film trying to be so macho turned out so comical. It should be a comedy. It's pathetic, poorly acted, scripted, homo-erotic twaddle. The best 'actors' in the film were fighter jets. It's possibly one of, if not the most abysmal movie ever to be put on film."
@@colinmontgomery1956 Yeah I don't get that at all. And like I said, I'm getting tired of putting a gay label on movies or things like that in that context or manner. Is the movie overly macho? Yes, of course It's Tom Cruise for crying out loud. A Tom Cruise movie tends to be a tad bit over macho, especially in the '80s. Not to mention it was the '80s. The '80s was about this overly machinist of characters, especially in men.
It does feel like one of those films which is much better in your head than it actually is on a rewatch. As mentioned the aerial sequences are great, but beyond that it's kindof a drag and doesn't encourage repeat viewings. Unlike Hot Shots, which are both still awesome.
I’m glad so many people like Top Gun, but I never got what the big deal was. I found it just alright. It’s visually great to look at because it’s Tony Scott, I like the opening title sequence, and all the aerial stuff was good, but I found the rest of the movie uninteresting
Well it’s cheese and there are memorable moments but it is an icon of a movie nonetheless. Objectively, it’s like a 6 for me as a movie and that’s generous but I think we can all agree that the sequel is one of the best we’ve ever seen
My favourite movie of all time. My mom had to restrict me to watching it once per day when I was 3 years old. Put together a $1000 Iceman costume for the premiere locally of Top Gun 2 and the way people treated me was something I'll never forget as long as I live....Amazing movie, sequel...Not bad.
I *love* James Tolkan in 'Masters of the Universe'. A hard-nose cop trying *desperately* to keep it together as reality just crumbles around him, and he responds mostly by either shouting or shooting at it. It's so 80's and *so* wonderful!
When I was 12 I got a walkman for christmas. It came with two tapes top gun and rocky 4 soundtracks. They were basically the soundtrack of my childhood.
@@drewskull5181 "Revenge: The Final Director's Cut" was finally restored in 2006. Ran for 107 minutes and the best just get even better. It was NC-17. Tony Scott did the right thing because he wanted to get his final cut. Thanks to Lakeshore's Linda Lavin, RKO's Ted Hartley, Dina Merrill, Stanley Rubin and TIG's Jim Wilson as everyone at SPE under Grover Crisp and Mark Warner for their gratitude and support. They took the original version away from both former producers Ray Stark and Hunt Lowry. Mr. Lowry has now working with Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, Douglas S. Cramer, Allan & Elaine Rich, Gary Morton, Beth Sullivan, Leonard Goldberg and others from the fall of 1991 thru today at CBS Studios.
I won't be watching this until tomorrow but I'm here to like and comment and share. Oliver is hands down the best reviewer in the business. There isn't even anyone else close. I'm over here driving the Oliver Harper promotion train on a regular basis 😂😂😂
It’s nuts. I have seen Hot Shots countless times, but have never seen Top Gun. Ever. If I do get around to seeing it, it’ll be a surreal ass experience
When the laser disk first came out my dad had just bought his first surround sound and every guest who came over the whole house shook as he played the opening scene over and over. Its still the best audio opening ever
I went to see the sequel after your review and recommendation of it, so this was perfect timing. I haven't seen the original since the early '90s and don't remember much of it, so I appreciate the refresher!
Hey Oliver, yet another terrific retrospective review! I recall a few months back or more requesting that you do Top Gun and believe it or not was going to do so again, especially given the recent release of the sequel, Top Gun Maverick. Looks like you read my mind! LOL! Seriously, thanks so much for doing this one, I've been waiting a long time for it! BTW, I believe in the past you've mentioned having RR's on a future shortlist like Planet of the Apes (1968), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), as well as redoing The Dark Crystal (1982), Labyrinth (1986) and Total Recall (1990). I'd also like to recommend a redo of Highlander (1986) at some point as well. Those previous reviews were good but too short, a redo is in order for each of them.
hey dude, thanks for your feedback. Yes I do want to go back and redo those earlier reviews, they're certainly too short and not up to the par of my later work.
I was four years old when this came out in '86. A lot of the movie slipped through my head when I saw it with my dad at the theater, but now? For what it was, it's a pretty good popcorn flick.
Rocky itself is a '70s film; Rocky4 is somewhat more representative of the 1980s than Rocky3, IMHO. Aside from this and Flashdance, films that could strongly be considered "extended music videos" include Beverly Hills Cop, Staying Alive - and even Saturday Night Fever, Urban Cowboy, and American Gigolo, which predate the string of such films. Concur with the perspective that this film is quite threadbare in terms of plot, with the aerial sequences arguably serving as saving graces of this popcorn yarn. The 'Jimmy flub' notwithstanding, I have quite enjoyed this retrospective - _actually way more than the film itself!_ Keep up the splendid work.
21:45 The Nerd: AAASSS! 21:46 The Nerd: Oh, my God, what the fuck am I doin'? I'm tryin' to land the plane in Top Gun with the Power Glove? I can't even land it with the regular controller.
What's interesting to note is that until Top Gun came along, every #1 box-office movie of the year had been a sci-fi film since the beginning of the 80's. Sci-fi had been the dominating genre since Star-Wars appeared in 1977. By 1986, however, it seems that some sci-fi fatigue was setting in. Aliens and Star Trek IV also came out in 1986 but they each only made half of what Top Gun and Crocodile Dundee made that same year.
Damn that Konami version of the Top Gun game.... I remember being excited when we rented it from my local video store & couldn't land the plane on the carrier. Excitement turned to frustration real quick.
While the 4K Blu-ray is amazing, the Full Screen open matte is the way to go. It’s not pan and scan. It’s the preferred way to watch it. The frame isn’t as tight and really helps the scenes feel better. Would love to see and imax version released
On his IMDb page, it says Tom Cruise will not allow his likeness to be used in video games or for action figures, and yet at 20:57, there it is on Ocean Software's Atari ST homescreen.
You did it Oliver!😃 Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!🤩 Last weekend, i went to see Top Gun Maverick on a ScreenX Theater and it was a blast!💥 As the main titles kicked in i almost couldn't contain my emotions...😢 And don't get me started when Danger zone kicked in... Lot's of chills through the spine! It's because of Top Gun that i became a military aircraft fan to this day! As the experience on a ScreenX, it was really immersive with the side screens on the room, when it came to the flight scenes and i vibrated with the superb sound, in the end, it's an unforgetable experience!😃 Once again, Thank you for the review!🥰
Is this one of the first videos to feature Barry Norman? To us Brits he is in my view as important to film review as Ebert and Siskel are to the Americans and I thank you for including him.
Hey Dave, im sure ive used Barry before, I would love to use him more but there is less available clips of his reviews online whereas Siskel & Ebert is all archived for the most part.
Fast forward the Lost that loving feeling karaoke scene? O_O I can't see myself doing that, is one of my favorite scene specially when all the other aviators join, and to me a great scene from possibly my favorite movie, for my love for fighter crafts, action movies, the OST and being released the same year I was born.
I know most people will say that Tom Cruise movies all follow the hero's journey dynamic but I will always say it is his different performances that bring the re-watch-ability factor lol.
I can’t believe Chris Reeve was considered for Viper and then rejected because of the Superman / flying connection. I feel like Reeve missed out on so many great roles throughout the 80s, unfortunately down to his typecasting, but also down to his own choices to do more theatre, or films based on plays. Running Man too! What others roles could we have possibly seen Reeve in?
Before Top Gun came out in 1986, another aviation/dogfight movie called Iron Eagle, a film about Doug Masters, an Air Force BRAT who help retired Air Force pilot Col. Charles “Chappy” Sinclair steal two F-16s on their own rescue mission to rescue his father, Col. Ted Masters who was shot down and held captive in an unnamed Middle East land.
This movie came out a month before “My Little Pony: The Movie” the original G1 came out. Around early June 1986 when “Top Gun” was still showing, “My Little Pony: The Movie” was released and it did tanked, but thanks to this movie. “Top Gun” was huge back in 1986, so eat your heart out “My Little Pony: The Movie”.
You didn't even mention the Top Gun theme park ride at Paramount's Kings Island. I am almost 40 and I've never seen the movie(s) and I don't care to but I rode Top Gun shortly after it opened and I loved it. In the beginning they played Danger Zone and the theme while waiting in the queue and once you get closer it had smoke and it was great. Over the years some of that went away before being changed after Paramount left but it was a cool ride at the time.
The problem w/ the way reviewers saw the love story is it's not meant to be a love story to swoon over. It's a love story of style. It's purposefully am unrealistic, over the top movie love story. It's all about the idea of cinematic romance. Nobody understood this better than Wong Kar-Wai, which is why As Tears Go By is energized by Top Gun style and a Cantonese version of the Take My Breath Away. Top Gun is timeless because it's the culmination of what Hollywood had been trying to perfect since the early days: cinema as its own artform. Style that can only be conjured on the movie screen. In a way Top Gun is almost a New Wave film. I bet Jean Luc Godard is a big fan of Top Gun
I think "Top Gun" is a very well made movie and has rockin' soundtrack, but the movie itself is just alright. It was probably more of a pop culture phenomenon than anything else. The greatest thing to come from it is the sequel, which is pretty darn good.
Great retrospective as usual!!! However one major criticism from someone who is both from the US and a little older. At the time, the faceless enemy was considered an analog of Libya and Iran, not the Soviet Union or North Korea. There were actual dogfights between F-14's and Mig-23's in the Mediterranean, resulting in air-to-air kills, in the early 80's before the movie was made. There was also a large-scale bombing raid by the US against Libya, which resulted in over a dozen Libyan fighters being shot down in one night (and a near bomb miss on Gaddafi!) In addition, Israel not only ran bombing raids on Iran, but also engaged in dogfights with Syria. So the overall feeling of someone watching the movie who was the least bit aware of world politics at the time was a "ripped from the headlines" feeling. Thus the final dogfight was extremely relevant. (There was no peace during the Cold War, only several proxy wars with no major direct fighting between the superpowers.)
Top Gun is a good movie but what the hell is going on with the film’s aspect ratio? The VHS is 1.33:1 open matte, the first DVD release is 1.85:1 widescreen and the recent DVD/Blu-Ray & 4K Disc are in 2.40:1 CinemaScope.
It don’t need a main villain 🦹♂️ for the 👨✈️ pilots to chase down,we just love ❤️ watching them fly the airplanes ✈️ full speed.It’s a talented skill.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Apologises I say Jimmy Kimmel during a clip I use instead of saying Jimmy Fallon. Silly mistake, both called JIMMY!
No worries; they’re both awful
Literally the least important detail you could have possibly got wrong in the entire video.
did i hear you say specific ocean :)
@@facepuncher101 my favorite ocean.
Same people.
That intro was actually really goddamn good dude. Fantastic editing.
It’s hard to get Danger Zone out of your head, because that’s a damn good song.
One of the best of the 80s.
Not sure about damn good but I heard it once hear and I was singing my heart out. Extremely fun to sing. Hah
What I like about all of this is to finally hear people say the very 80s Top Gun soundtrack has "aged well". In the nineties, that kind of high energy rock music was constantly drug through the mud in favor of depressing grunge. Also, Steve Stevens was Billy Idol's guitarist during his peak years in the 80s and is seldom given credit for his work on the Top Gun theme. Great review!
Top gun soundtrack included 9 original titles and held top album for I believe 6 weeks. It’s hard to project to people just how much the score punched your soul to its core from beginning to end. Escalating you to the highest of highs and then plummeting you and slamming you to a holt. Holding you low and then able to scrape your lost soul off the floor and launching you like a rocket into orbit by the end.
The other evening we are getting ready for dinner and top gun Maverick I was specifically looking forward to experiencing that again. I kinda knew danger zone and top gun anthem remained. I streamed the original soundtrack in the car on our way and blasted it.
The score for me fell flat. In content and in immersion. With its soundtrack and any other complaints I have with this film, the payoff I got with the 2:15 run was one of the most intense scenes I have ever seen on film. It cemented this movie to the next level for me, a level I haven’t seen a movie achieve in a long, long time. Top gun Maverick is amazing.
Isn’t that how it usually goes. The 90’s music scene was in many ways a reaction against the 80’s. So the 80’s were deemed uncool.
Now we have perspective, and can see them both with clearer eyes. Enjoying both decades for what they were.
@@HappyCatholicDane Similarly, there was a period after the 70's where many things from that decade were considered tacky and cheesy. Growing up in the 80's I often remembered people making fun of disco and bell-bottom pants.
@@sanseverything900 Exactly 👍.
Long live the 1980s! Only now do we realize that it was the best decade we were ever going to get to live in.
Yes! From the enormous financial debt, the mass spread of crack cocaine in Americas youth, president reagan lowering taxes on the rich, and raising it on the middle class an poor, and let us not forget, the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, yes, truly, the best time to be alive!
@Something Something The 90s were okay. Almost as good as the 80s.
@Something Something we also had Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, etc …
90s were shit
@@44excalibur I agree. We also got The Goonies and The Lost Boys in the 80s. The 90s was the beginning of the decline in movies I feel
Top Gun is my favorite film of all time. It's the reason I'm a pilot today, and it inspired me to pursue a life I could be proud of. Looking back on it, I think a part of this is how different it was from others 80s action movies. I knew even as a kid that I couldn't be an Arnold Schwarzenegger type running around shooting up terrorists and drug cartels, but Maverick represented a tangible and obtainable goal. It sunk the message into my head to not end up as a 9-5 office worker wondering where the hell it all went wrong. It made me embody the idea of "stay rad" and "it sucks to suck." I don't care if it sounds stupid, it's true, and I'm so grateful it steered me in the direction it did.
That said, the movie is definitely not for everyone, and that's fine. I'm just so happy people love the sequel so much and a new generation may get the same inspiration I did.
When I heard about Top Gun: Maverick I decided in prep for the film to watch the original. Fantastic review, Oliver. RIP Tony Scott. He would’ve loved Top Gun: Maverick
Thanks for your feedback, Luke!
That's the thing Hollywood doesn't understand these years - Top Gun wasn't the best, the smartest, the most polished one, but it had proper magic in it and people left the cinema with a better / different attitude than they had come in. Btw, screw Danger Zone, Mighty Wings owns it left handed.
"the smartest" that's an understatement, anyone that knows even the most basic rules of law know that Maverick would have been dishonorably discharged and convicted for conduct unbecoming an officer.
If there is one thing I love about this movie is the cinematography, every scene looks so crisp and focused especially in 4k. The team behind this movie really nailed it and its crazy to think this movie came out in 86' but looks so fresh and detailed even in 2022.
Me and my mom watched top gun a lot during my childhood. It started my fascination with aviation.
Me too.
The Film had three things going for it. great sound track, great flying footage and a butt load of great one liners!!!
This is my dad's favorite movie and the first Tom Cruise movie I saw on VHS. It made $360 million dollars ($798 million dollar budget) at the box office against a $15 million dollar budget .
You should also one day do a retrospective of Crimson Tide and Heat. Love Top Gun.
Good choices!
I'd love to see a Retrospective of Pirates of the Caribbean. Not my favourite movie or anything but the story of how it came to be, how culturally significant it was, eventually how much money they made and the background of it would make for an interesting video. Thanks again for a great video Oliver, been trying to get my friends to check out your stuff too but sadly not too many people are movie autists like I am. I'll keep on watching as always though, have a great summer!
I watched this movie for the first time a few weeks ago and honestly, it was so much better than I was expecting. A lot of people seem to dislike it for the cheesy, over-the-top interactions between characters and things, but I felt that it was part of the charm. Sure, a lot of the film feels dated, but of course a 1986 film with fighter jets would feel dated. By no means is it a masterpeice or anywhere close, but neither is it as bad as people seem to think either
One of my favorite movies ever. And the sequel was absolutely perfect!
good… but hardly perfect, original FAR better
@@JestersDeadUK you're crazy
Hands down i never saw anything like the jet-sequences in TG Maverick! Especially in MX4D!
Unbelievable! We really have to thank Cruise and the other producers for the handmade action, so great after all the CGI in almost every movie today!
TG is a timeless classic and Maverick a sequel on the same level! Chapeau. 💥💥💥
That intro wins the Top Gun trophy in my book Mr. Harper.
Maybe not the best acted movie but the soundtrack, score , and cinematography are amazing tony Scott added his own flare
My least favourite part of an Oliver Harper retrospective is when it ends.
Amen. He's in a class by itself when it comes to moving reviews and retrospect of other movies.
@@flyguy7825 Always nails the intros too!
@@mikespearwood3914 Oh he sure does To me he is the best in the business
My first memory of Top Gun was sometime after the VHS release; my dad and I walked by a Radio Shack store in a mall that was playing the last dogfight scene on their display TVs. There was a crowd of about 20 people just standing there watching it for like 10 minutes or whatever it was. I remember walking away after it was over, thinking 'well, I guess I'm obsessed with Top Gun now'.
Thats great! Thanks for sharing your early memory of Top Gun.
I watched Top Gun in preparation for watching the sequel, as I hadn't seen it for many years. Pretty much agree with all of your points, here! Maverick is absolutely superb, though!!
Saw it at the theater as a kid then my brother got us the VHS and our first VCR when he was stationed in Okinawa. We watched it over and over. The soundtrack is one of my favorite movie soundtracks with a lot of the songs being on my everyday playlist. Kelly McGillis was so beautiful.
This is one of the best and most comprehensive reviews of one of my all time favourite films.
I was 9 when this came out and it made me want to be a pilot. Alas short sighted and colour blind so it wasnt to be. Lol.
I watch this regularly and have the 4k release. Its the best its ever been
I bet both Scott brothers felt that Tom Skerritt was their lucky charm as both their 2nd films Ridley Scott's Alien and Tony Scott's Top Gun put them on the map and Tom Skerritt starred in both films.
I think people forgot a little bit because of the latest top gun Maverick movie. Top gun in the '80s help define a generation and it put Tom Cruise on the map as a action box office star this is clearly one of those movies that defines its era. It had action romance and a soundtrack that is arguably one of the best ever in movie cinema history.
You've got to be kidding me. I love "Top Gun", it's one of my favorites, but it's not a good movie.
@@colinmontgomery1956 It is a good movie in my opinion
@@flyguy7825 , I don't agree with this, someone else wrote it, but I just thought it was a funny contrast to your opinion:
"...Haha, Top Gun was voted one of the gayest films of the 80's. I've nothing against gays at all, nothing. But it's hilarious that a film trying to be so macho turned out so comical. It should be a comedy. It's pathetic, poorly acted, scripted, homo-erotic twaddle. The best 'actors' in the film were fighter jets. It's possibly one of, if not the most abysmal movie ever to be put on film."
@@colinmontgomery1956 Yeah I don't get that at all. And like I said, I'm getting tired of putting a gay label on movies or things like that in that context or manner. Is the movie overly macho? Yes, of course It's Tom Cruise for crying out loud. A Tom Cruise movie tends to be a tad bit over macho, especially in the '80s. Not to mention it was the '80s. The '80s was about this overly machinist of characters, especially in men.
It does feel like one of those films which is much better in your head than it actually is on a rewatch. As mentioned the aerial sequences are great, but beyond that it's kindof a drag and doesn't encourage repeat viewings. Unlike Hot Shots, which are both still awesome.
Great retro as always - I love your retro/reviews especially of some of my favourite 80's movies. I had to laugh at 'specific ocean' @12:42 though...
I’m glad so many people like Top Gun, but I never got what the big deal was. I found it just alright. It’s visually great to look at because it’s Tony Scott, I like the opening title sequence, and all the aerial stuff was good, but I found the rest of the movie uninteresting
Well it’s cheese and there are memorable moments but it is an icon of a movie nonetheless. Objectively, it’s like a 6 for me as a movie and that’s generous but I think we can all agree that the sequel is one of the best we’ve ever seen
Unless you were able to see the release of this movie in the theater, then you wouldn’t understand the impact this movie had back in the day.
Just curious what did you think of the sequel
I agree with you for the most part, but I think what makes this movie so special/iconic is that there isn't any other movie like it.
@@nn-dj2nu *coughs in Iron Eagle*
My favourite movie of all time. My mom had to restrict me to watching it once per day when I was 3 years old. Put together a $1000 Iceman costume for the premiere locally of Top Gun 2 and the way people treated me was something I'll never forget as long as I live....Amazing movie, sequel...Not bad.
I *love* James Tolkan in 'Masters of the Universe'. A hard-nose cop trying *desperately* to keep it together as reality just crumbles around him, and he responds mostly by either shouting or shooting at it. It's so 80's and *so* wonderful!
When I was 12 I got a walkman for christmas. It came with two tapes top gun and rocky 4 soundtracks. They were basically the soundtrack of my childhood.
"There are no points for second place". This movie has so many classic lines I had forgotten this one
I still think Tony Scott's best movies are True Romance, Crimson Tide, Man on Fire, and best 1 Revenge .
I watched true romance the other day after 25 years and it was terrible, how did I watch it over 1000 times as a young adult lol.
@@bicgohill8756 why lol
Revenge is underrated for sure, but Man on Fire is a master stroke by him IMO.
@@drewskull5181 "Revenge: The Final Director's Cut" was finally restored in 2006.
Ran for 107 minutes and the best just get even better.
It was NC-17.
Tony Scott did the right thing because he wanted to get his final cut.
Thanks to Lakeshore's Linda Lavin, RKO's Ted Hartley, Dina Merrill, Stanley Rubin
and TIG's Jim Wilson as everyone at SPE under Grover Crisp and Mark Warner
for their gratitude and support.
They took the original version away from both former producers Ray Stark
and Hunt Lowry. Mr. Lowry has now working with Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent,
Douglas S. Cramer, Allan & Elaine Rich, Gary Morton, Beth Sullivan,
Leonard Goldberg and others from the fall of 1991 thru today at CBS Studios.
I won't be watching this until tomorrow but I'm here to like and comment and share. Oliver is hands down the best reviewer in the business. There isn't even anyone else close. I'm over here driving the Oliver Harper promotion train on a regular basis 😂😂😂
Thank you very much, Eamonn!
Still providing great content for so many years Oliver Harper, great video to a classic! Great work! :0)
Thanks a lot, Ryan!
The 3D version of Top Gun is one of the best 3D DVDs available, well worth checking out if you're revisiting 3D DVDS now that cheaper.
It’s nuts. I have seen Hot Shots countless times, but have never seen Top Gun. Ever. If I do get around to seeing it, it’ll be a surreal ass experience
It is criminal that Harold Faltermyer’s work is not released as part of the full soundtrack. It’s incredible.
oh definitely! Hopefully, it will get a full release soon due to the huge success of the sequel.
@@OliverHarper rumor has it that Faltermeyer's score gonna be released on this autumn
When the laser disk first came out my dad had just bought his first surround sound and every guest who came over the whole house shook as he played the opening scene over and over. Its still the best audio opening ever
I went to see the sequel after your review and recommendation of it, so this was perfect timing. I haven't seen the original since the early '90s and don't remember much of it, so I appreciate the refresher!
Hey Oliver Harper. Don’t forget The Mother of All Movies and Sequels. Hot Shots 1 and Deux❤️.
Hey Oliver, yet another terrific retrospective review! I recall a few months back or more requesting that you do Top Gun and believe it or not was going to do so again, especially given the recent release of the sequel, Top Gun Maverick. Looks like you read my mind! LOL! Seriously, thanks so much for doing this one, I've been waiting a long time for it!
BTW, I believe in the past you've mentioned having RR's on a future shortlist like Planet of the Apes (1968), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), as well as redoing The Dark Crystal (1982), Labyrinth (1986) and Total Recall (1990). I'd also like to recommend a redo of Highlander (1986) at some point as well. Those previous reviews were good but too short, a redo is in order for each of them.
hey dude, thanks for your feedback. Yes I do want to go back and redo those earlier reviews, they're certainly too short and not up to the par of my later work.
The soundtrack was & still is brilliant 🎶👌👌
Love everytime you mention chris reeves and how you end the credits with the very extremely iconic shot of superman!!
14:39 Oliver you're a cold, cold man 🥶😂😂
I was four years old when this came out in '86. A lot of the movie slipped through my head when I saw it with my dad at the theater, but now? For what it was, it's a pretty good popcorn flick.
I remember Goose's death as one of the first time I felt genuinely sad while watching a movie, I think I was about 7 or 8 years old when I saw it
Nah man, quints death in jaws tops that.
Balled my eyes out eating a mcvities chocolate digestive lol
One of my all time favorite movies
Rocky itself is a '70s film; Rocky4 is somewhat more representative of the 1980s than Rocky3, IMHO.
Aside from this and Flashdance, films that could strongly be considered "extended music videos" include Beverly Hills Cop, Staying Alive - and even Saturday Night Fever, Urban Cowboy, and American Gigolo, which predate the string of such films.
Concur with the perspective that this film is quite threadbare in terms of plot, with the aerial sequences arguably serving as saving graces of this popcorn yarn.
The 'Jimmy flub' notwithstanding, I have quite enjoyed this retrospective - _actually way more than the film itself!_ Keep up the splendid work.
every critique you make is true, Yet still better than the dross they turn out today. in my opinion.
Top Gun 2 is one of that dross and it's a better movie.
21:45
The Nerd: AAASSS!
21:46
The Nerd: Oh, my God, what the fuck am I doin'? I'm tryin' to land the plane in Top Gun with the Power Glove? I can't even land it with the regular controller.
What's interesting to note is that until Top Gun came along, every #1 box-office movie of the year had been a sci-fi film since the beginning of the 80's. Sci-fi had been the dominating genre since Star-Wars appeared in 1977. By 1986, however, it seems that some sci-fi fatigue was setting in. Aliens and Star Trek IV also came out in 1986 but they each only made half of what Top Gun and Crocodile Dundee made that same year.
Damn that Konami version of the Top Gun game.... I remember being excited when we rented it from my local video store & couldn't land the plane on the carrier. Excitement turned to frustration real quick.
One of my all time favorite films I saw it when I was 16.
While the 4K Blu-ray is amazing, the Full Screen open matte is the way to go. It’s not pan and scan. It’s the preferred way to watch it. The frame isn’t as tight and really helps the scenes feel better. Would love to see and imax version released
Maybe it's just a glorified music video, but damn how great that music is, damn how great it looks.
Nothing beats the opening Take off scenes
Tom Skerritt knocked his character out of the park...Same as Dallas in Alien....A Hugely underrated actor of his time !
On his IMDb page, it says Tom Cruise will not allow his likeness to be used in video games or for action figures, and yet at 20:57, there it is on Ocean Software's Atari ST homescreen.
Tarrantino's analysis of Top Gun is spot on.
What perfect timing Mr. Harper!!!!!
After Burner is one of my Favorite Arcade games ever!!!! The sit in Jet Cabinet is LEGENDARY!!!!!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀
I saw this in NJROTC class during my last weeks of Senior year. My dad tried to enlist in the Navy around the time it came out but failed a test.
You did it Oliver!😃 Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!🤩 Last weekend, i went to see Top Gun Maverick on a ScreenX Theater and it was a blast!💥 As the main titles kicked in i almost couldn't contain my emotions...😢 And don't get me started when Danger zone kicked in... Lot's of chills through the spine! It's because of Top Gun that i became a military aircraft fan to this day! As the experience on a ScreenX, it was really immersive with the side screens on the room, when it came to the flight scenes and i vibrated with the superb sound, in the end, it's an unforgetable experience!😃 Once again, Thank you for the review!🥰
Thanks very much for your feedback!
@@OliverHarper You're welcome.😊
Is this one of the first videos to feature Barry Norman? To us Brits he is in my view as important to film review as Ebert and Siskel are to the Americans and I thank you for including him.
Hey Dave, im sure ive used Barry before, I would love to use him more but there is less available clips of his reviews online whereas Siskel & Ebert is all archived for the most part.
Thank you for a great review Oliver ✈😎👍
Afterburner in the arcade with the sit-down motion cockpit may be the most fun game ever. I spent hundreds gladly
Fast forward the Lost that loving feeling karaoke scene? O_O I can't see myself doing that, is one of my favorite scene specially when all the other aviators join, and to me a great scene from possibly my favorite movie, for my love for fighter crafts, action movies, the OST and being released the same year I was born.
haha its too cringey for me!
Powerful Oliver Harper ladies and gentlemen!
Great video! Love this movie for all it’s cheese and 80s grandeur.
Which ocean, specifically, did the stunt pilot crash into?
I know most people will say that Tom Cruise movies all follow the hero's journey dynamic but I will always say it is his different performances that bring the re-watch-ability factor lol.
I bet Top Gun would make a great name for a superhero!
I can’t believe Chris Reeve was considered for Viper and then rejected because of the Superman / flying connection. I feel like Reeve missed out on so many great roles throughout the 80s, unfortunately down to his typecasting, but also down to his own choices to do more theatre, or films based on plays. Running Man too! What others roles could we have possibly seen Reeve in?
Before Top Gun came out in 1986, another aviation/dogfight movie called Iron Eagle, a film about Doug Masters, an Air Force BRAT who help retired Air Force pilot Col. Charles “Chappy” Sinclair steal two F-16s on their own rescue mission to rescue his father, Col. Ted Masters who was shot down and held captive in an unnamed Middle East land.
This movie came out a month before “My Little Pony: The Movie” the original G1 came out. Around early June 1986 when “Top Gun” was still showing, “My Little Pony: The Movie” was released and it did tanked, but thanks to this movie. “Top Gun” was huge back in 1986, so eat your heart out “My Little Pony: The Movie”.
5:57
I love that music....
great video like always. have you ever considered making a video about e.t. or close encounters of the third kind?
This movie was my childhood. I sneaked in to watch it in the cinema when I was only eight. Yes I wanted to be a fighter pilot lol.
I guess as there were so many closeups as they filmed it in super35 so they had to crop it to get your the 2:35 aspect ratio
Dude, Mighty Wings is so good. Glad you liked it too
You didn't even mention the Top Gun theme park ride at Paramount's Kings Island. I am almost 40 and I've never seen the movie(s) and I don't care to but I rode Top Gun shortly after it opened and I loved it. In the beginning they played Danger Zone and the theme while waiting in the queue and once you get closer it had smoke and it was great. Over the years some of that went away before being changed after Paramount left but it was a cool ride at the time.
The problem w/ the way reviewers saw the love story is it's not meant to be a love story to swoon over. It's a love story of style. It's purposefully am unrealistic, over the top movie love story. It's all about the idea of cinematic romance. Nobody understood this better than Wong Kar-Wai, which is why As Tears Go By is energized by Top Gun style and a Cantonese version of the Take My Breath Away. Top Gun is timeless because it's the culmination of what Hollywood had been trying to perfect since the early days: cinema as its own artform. Style that can only be conjured on the movie screen. In a way Top Gun is almost a New Wave film. I bet Jean Luc Godard is a big fan of Top Gun
Slider I think also showed up in a police show of the late 90's Pacific Blue
I crack up everytime at Tim Robbins saying "You're gonna do WHAT?!"
I think "Top Gun" is a very well made movie and has rockin' soundtrack, but the movie itself is just alright. It was probably more of a pop culture phenomenon than anything else. The greatest thing to come from it is the sequel, which is pretty darn good.
Funny you mention "Afterburner" as most of the soundtrack has that same high energy "Top Gun" tone.
One of my fav movies!👍👍
OOH LALA! Hahahahaa. Love it. Thanks Ollie. Great stuff as always.
Your sister crying over Goose's death made me laugh.
Awww I was hoping you were going to talk about Top Gun: Fire at Will. I loved that game as a kid. PC game that was the closest to an actual flight sim
Great retrospective as usual!!! However one major criticism from someone who is both from the US and a little older. At the time, the faceless enemy was considered an analog of Libya and Iran, not the Soviet Union or North Korea. There were actual dogfights between F-14's and Mig-23's in the Mediterranean, resulting in air-to-air kills, in the early 80's before the movie was made. There was also a large-scale bombing raid by the US against Libya, which resulted in over a dozen Libyan fighters being shot down in one night (and a near bomb miss on Gaddafi!) In addition, Israel not only ran bombing raids on Iran, but also engaged in dogfights with Syria. So the overall feeling of someone watching the movie who was the least bit aware of world politics at the time was a "ripped from the headlines" feeling. Thus the final dogfight was extremely relevant. (There was no peace during the Cold War, only several proxy wars with no major direct fighting between the superpowers.)
This movie was also considered part of the hvs war. Pepsi paid a lot of money to have an commercial on the tape and thus brought the price down.
Top Gun is a good movie but what the hell is going on with the film’s aspect ratio? The VHS is 1.33:1 open matte, the first DVD release is 1.85:1 widescreen and the recent DVD/Blu-Ray & 4K Disc are in 2.40:1 CinemaScope.
yeah the LaserDisc had a 1.85:1 ratio as well. I was surprised when I saw the DVD and it had a 2.35:1 ratio.
Fantastic documentary. Again.
Thanks Fredrik!
12:15
Scott Altman did NOT do the tower flyby.
LCDR Lloyd “Bozo” Abel did.
You missed the mid 90s Microprose Top Gun game.
It had FMVs in all their mid 90s glory
Next time, you should do a review for Lightyear.
It don’t need a main villain 🦹♂️ for the 👨✈️ pilots to chase down,we just love ❤️ watching them fly the airplanes ✈️ full speed.It’s a talented skill.
Mighty wings Is so so sick. Always on my playlist