| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: Culture Wars |
| 'Top Gun' Turns 30 Years Old Today |
| 2016-05-17 |
| "Platoon." "Full Metal Jacket." "Hamburger Hill." The decade featured some of the grittiest look at military service, often featuring U.S. soldiers behaving badly. Then Tom Cruise declared a need for speed. Cruise’s "Top Gun" celebrates its 30th anniversary today. The 1986 film did more than cement his superstar status. The film flashed impossibly cocky pilots who made Naval Aviation cool. They got the girls, rocked the Karaoke bar and risked their lives for their country. Reagan’s America got its movie close-up. And the U.S Military’s image enjoyed an overdue Hollywood spit shine. Real-life veterans couldn’t help but take notice. They still salute the movie all these years later. Note to Hollywood - portraying the United States in a positive light is good box office. Like they give a rat's ass. |
| Posted by:Raj |
| #4 :) Step back, fighter pilot coming thru sports fans. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2016-05-17 18:19 |
| #3 "The film flashed impossibly cocky pilots" Nonsense. They were remarkably humble compared to real pilots. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2016-05-17 16:52 |
| #2 I was a wee pup, and the movie rocked. Bought and put together a plastic model F-14 (working wings!) and would fly it around the house, land on my aircraft carrier. Then I came across the Top Gun board game, and wow. Game was more advanced than what my peers wanted to play, but it had a listing of different US/USSR aircraft and their differing abilities - which allowed me to research those planes. Still have the game. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2016-05-17 16:50 |
| #1 And full frontal's of F-14s, the world's sexiest airplane. Got a tail hook point right here holding my reference books in place. |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2016-05-17 15:59 |