Top Gun
Directed by Tony Scott
Produced by Don Simpson
and Jerry Bruckheimer
Distributor - Paramount
Categories
• Purpose of Top Gun – To Entertain, To
Make money
• Medium – Film
• Form – Mainstream Box Office Feature
film
• Genre – Action, War Film, Romance
Genre – Action
One man saves the
day
Slow motion
dramatic
moment
Fast pace
Male dominate
Explosions
Fast editing
Fighting
Conventions
physical stunts
Villains
Helpless
women
Chase scenes
High Octave music
Heroes
Genre – War Films
Strong Male bonding
Good V Bad
Patriotism
Conflict between
countries
Negative portrayals of
other countries
Strong Leader
Conventions
Young “Hot Shot” in
need of a mentor
Dog Fighting
Explosions
Military
Simple Storylines
Genre - Romance
Soft music
Power Ballad
Soft lighting
Conventions
Smooth continuity
editing
A couple in love
Walks on the beach
An obstacle that the lovers
must overcome together
Institution
• Paramount Studios is one of America’s
longest standing institutions and has
worked with Tom Cruise for 14 years – the
first film they made together being Top
Gun.
Paramount
Some of their most famous films
• Ten Commandments
• White Christmas
• Patriot Games
• Shane
• The Star Trek movies
• True Grit
• The Godfather films
• Indecent Proposal
• Ordinary People
• Forest Gump
• Reds
• Terms of Endearment
• Braveheart
• Saturday Night Fever
• Raiders of the Lost Ark • The Mission Impossible movies
• Beverley Hills Cop
• Titanic
• Top Gun
•Transformers
• Ghost
• The Hunt for Red October
Audience
•target audience, different audience reactions
Women
Men
Top Gun also blends
the right mix of
ingredients to appeal
to feminine tastes in
romantic date movies.
Filled with testosteronecharged dramatic action,
male bonding, aerial
dogfights, and lockerroom boasting at a U.S.
Navy flight school for
fighter pilots.
Men have always raved about this
movie, but there's also plenty for
women to enjoy.
Women Love it
1. Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer starred in this 1986 romantic
action film when they were both in prime condition in their
mid-twenties.
2. Kelly McGillis as the slightly older flight instructor with a
Ph.D. in astrophysics comes across as a strong confident
woman. As the love interest for Maverick, she projects the
right amount of beauty, charm, and vulnerability that
women viewers can admire without feeling too threatened.
3. These well-toned fighter pilots-in-training enjoy sweaty,
shirtless, games of volleyball and nearly naked locker
room scenes. Women viewers will enjoy them as well.
Women Love it
3. The dogfights and aerial stunts might be intended mostly for
male viewers, but the music composer must have had females
in mind when he wrote the score. Top Gun is filled with
exciting music that soars with the jets and revs up the
romance.
Men Love it
•Gives the feeling you are in control of something
important
•You are flying a plane
•Get to blow stuff up
•In charge of something powerful
•Fun
•Lots of action
•Typically male genre
Target Audience
Young Men aged between 15 – 40
Those interested in the “Top Gun” programme
Those people who like action/war films
Marketable Assets
Tom Cruise –
He made his film debut with
a small part in Endless Love
(1981) and from the outset
exhibited an undeniable box
office appeal to both male
and female audiences.
Though below average height and not particularly handsome in
the traditional sense, within 5 years Tom Cruise was starring in
some of the top grossing films of the 1980s
One of the highest paid and most sought after actors in screen
history.
Was already successful after he film Risky Business
Marketable Assets
Kelly McGillis
a novice in acting, only doing a few stage roles
when she managed to win a supporting role in the
Academy Award nominated film Reuben, Reuben (1983).
This led to work on numerous TV projects and a lead role
opposite Harrison Ford in the highly acclaimed thriller
Witness (1985).
This box office hit, directed by Peter Weir got her noticed
around Hollywood and movie producers took note of her.
One of the producers was Jerry Bruckheimer who cast her
in the highly recognized and career breakthrough role of
Charlie Blackwood in Top Gun (1986) which became the
highest grossing film of the year.
Marketable Assets
Val Kilmer
His professional acting career began
on stage, and he still participates in
theatre; he played Hamlet at the 1988
Colorado Shakespeare Festival.
His film debut was in the 1984 spoof
Top Secret! (1984), wherein he starred
as blond rock idol Nick Rivers.
He was in a number of films throughout
the 1980s, including the 1986 smash
Top Gun (1986).
Marketable Assets
Tom Skerritt
Already well known in Hollywood having established
himself in 1962 playing a military sergeant .
Being that he was already established he was idea
to play the older, more mature flight instructor and
mentor role to Tom Cruise’s young hotshot role.
Director – Tony Scott
Famous for being Ridley Scott’s younger brother
Known for making fast paced films
Since Top Gun has become known for very
“Americanised” films
Trade Mark
Constantly wears a faded red baseball cap. It often
appears in his films.
[director's trademark - camera pan across a large
tower]. The "top of the world" tower at the casino in
Domino and Beat The Devil, The tower in Mexico City
at the start of Man on Fire
Has used dogs in many of his movies including Top
Gun, True Romance, Crimson Tide, The Fan, Enemy
of the State, Man on Fire, and Domino.
Kinetic, choppy editing
Frequently has sunlight flashing at characters to
make the picture more effective
Marketable Assets
Top Gun Naval Academy
This is a real branch of the armed
forces in American and as such was of
interest to the general public.
In the early years of the Vietnam war, the US was not
achieving the level of superiority in air- to-air warfare that it
had enjoyed in previous conflicts. By 1968, concerned
about the relatively low kill rations achieved in Southeast
Asia, Captain Frank Ault, serving with the Naval Air
Systems Command, recommended the formation of a
graduate level school to train a nucleus of fighter crews
who would be highly trained in Air Combat Maneuvering
(ACM) and weapons systems employment.
Top Gun Naval Academy
The Navy established "Top Gun" at the Miramar Naval Air
Station in 1969. It was a four week course that provided Navy
pilots instruction that simulated realistic combat conditions.
VF-121, the Pacific Fleet F-4 Replacement Training Squadron,
was directed to establish a graduate level program for the
entire Navy F-4 community. The first class convened on 3
March 1969, and TOPGUN was formally commissioned as a
separate command at NAS Miramar on 7 July 1972
In October 1985, TOPGUN became an Echelon II Shore
Command reporting directly to the Chief of Naval Operations.
Navy Fighter Weapons School is the primary authority for
Navy and Marine Corps tactics development and training.
TOPGUN continues to refine fighter tactics in Power
Projection and Maritime Air Superiority to keep the Fleet
abreast of and trained to current tactical developments.
Representations
Representation
stereotypes/non-stereotypes
Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell played by Tom Cruise
Role – Hot Shot that doesn’t play by the rules
Best pilot but with the worst attitude
Maverick – a person who has unorthodox or differing views
Father was involved in some unfortunate business and
Maverick must deal with this
Is eventually the hero and saves the day
Is a stereotypical head strong young man
Representations
Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood played by Kelly McGillis
Main female character
Unusual Job – A woman doing the job normally reserved for
men – perhaps the reason she is known by Charlie
Strong woman who becomes Maverick’s love interest
Although not a stereotypical woman (helpless and in need
of rescue) she does fill the stereotypical role of the love
interest.
Representation of Women
• The women in the film are represented
either as beautiful and successful in a
man's world (Charlie) or beautiful and
supporting wholeheartedly the man she
has married (Carol, Goose's wife.) Young
women in the audience would perhaps see
a role model in Kelly McGillis (Charlie).
Charlie
There are two sides to her character - or at least to the way
she is represented on screen.
Although she initially seems to be very impressed at meeting
Maverick and learning that he is a pilot, she is not so easily
won over, refusing his seductive advances.
Later, she is revealed as a civilian adviser in aerial combat
techniques, knowing much more than the men she instructs.
(All except Maverick, who challenges her over the question of
the 4G dive with the MIG).
She is visibly impressed - but the feminists in the audience will
not be now since she is now being represented in a secondary
role to the man - the "adoring female" type.
Charlie
The representation of Charlie seems to move between
these two readings throughout the film. She drives a
Porsche fast and furiously - usually a male trick impressing even the daredevil Maverick.
She invites Maverick to dinner but "calls the shots" about
when they should eat. ("Now! No, you can't have a
shower!") Yet over the meal, long seductive glances are
exchanged.
It is the same next day when they meet in the elevator.
She's even dressed like him now in white t-shirt, black
leather jacket, baseball cap and jeans -and again those
long seductive looks! She even gives up her Washington
job to be with him at Miramar.
Carol
Carol, on the other hand, is not seen in anything but
a wife and mother representation. She does not
complain about the long separations from Goose
and having to bring up the children single handed.
She adores him, but knows he loves flying more
than he does her. When he is killed, she bears no ill
will towards Maverick
Why is she in the film at all?
To lend poignancy to Goose's death and intensify Maverick's
guilt perhaps?
To force the audience to compare Goose with Cougar, who
gave up flying because he loved his wife and children more,
and thus highlight the obsession some men felt for flying?
Certainly she seems to me more a device than a real person.
Both women however, probably represent the two sides of
American womanhood: the successful career woman and the
wife and mother, Barbara Bush, type.
As such there is nothing unusual about their representations.
Representations
Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky played by Val Kilmer
Is Maverick’s main competition for the Top Gun prize
Arrogant
Plays by the rules
Typical American Golden Boy
As cool as his nickname would suggest
Doesn’t trust Maverick
In some ways comes across as the “baddie” of the piece
Unites with Maverick in the end to win the battle
Representations
Lt. JG Nick “Goose” Bradshaw played by Antony Edwards
Maverick’s best friend and co pilot
Is a family man
Often led into trouble by Maverick
His death acts as a catalyst for Maverick to change
Representations
Cmdr. Mike “Viper” Metcalf played by Tom Skerritt
Is the man in charge of the flight school
Becomes a mentor for Maverick as well as a father-like figure
Believes in Maverick and forces him back into the air after the
death of Goose
Tough but fair commander
Stereotypical in terms of his role in the film
Representation
• The other males in the film, the instructors,
are represented as firm, occasionally
outwardly blustering, but essentially fair.
Mike is, in addition, a father figure to
Maverick, and having known and admired
his real father, Mike listens to Maverick's
problems and advises him on them, and
even volunteers to be his co-pilot.
Narrative
•narrative (e.g. characters, settings, actions) and narrative
structure (e.g. normality/disruption/normality; single or
multiple storylines; happy endings; cliff hangers)
The film focuses on the “Cold War” between
America and the U.S.S.R.
The film is full of action, principally aerial
"dogfights" between the Americans themselves in
flight simulations, and, at both the beginning and
end of the film, between the Americans and the
Russians
Conflict
Another feature of Top Gun is the different rivalries
portrayed.
Between America and Russia
Between Maverick and Iceman
Between Maverick and Charlie
Between Maverick and his supervisors
And with Maverick himself
Conflict – America and Russia
The most obvious is the conflict between America
and Russia, which is realised in the dogfights
which begin and end the film.
Parallels are drawn between the two
confrontations both in filming techniques and use
of music.
Each begins with the pre-dawn activity of men
and planes being equipped for action, the planes
then streaking off into the sunrise, to the same
musical accompaniment.
Conflict – America and Russia
In the second more dangerous confrontation, when
a real battle engages and planes are actually shot
down, however, the pace of editing is faster,
emphasising the increased tension and danger. Just
as in the first confrontation Maverick had to escort
Cougar to safety, so in the second Maverick has to
do the same for Iceman. Iceman has been
Maverick's closest rival for the award of "Top Gun"
on the training course.
Conflict – Maverick and Iceman
When Maverick first goes to Miramar, at the briefing when the
commander, Mike Metcalf, tells the pilots about the
competition, the camera shoots into close up of Iceman, thus
ensuring that the audience knows who Maverick's closest rival
will be.
The rivalry continues throughout the film from the first
"squaring up" in the pub, through the combat simulations, to
Iceman receiving the award at the graduation ceremony, after
Maverick had lost his nerve on the death of Goose.
The rivalry however, ceases when Maverick rescues the
stricken Iceman and escorts him back safely to the carrier.
Conflict – Maverick and his
Supervisors
Conflict too, is seen between the men and their instructors.
After the confrontation with the Russian MIGs which
begins the film, Maverick is "carpeted" by his commander
for "ego mania". The commander is portrayed in a rather
stereotyped way, insulting Maverick and shouting at him
when we know he does not really mean it.
True enough Maverick's fate is to be sent to Miramar to be
one of the top 10% of pilots. At Miramar he conflicts with
his superiors for "buzzing the tower" and breaking safety
rules.
Conflict with Charlie and himself
With the civilian instructor Charlie, when he
challenges her assertion that an F14 cannot do an
inverted 4G dive (Maverick having just done one!)
Furthermore, conflict is seen within Maverick
himself when he has to decide whether to give up
flying on the death of Goose, or to graduate and
return to active duty.
Setting
Typical also of the genre is the setting - America - with all its
associations of freedom and patriotism. The American flag is
often in evidence, for example when Maverick calls on Mike
Metcalf to discuss his future, and at the graduation ceremony
around the swimming pool. Perhaps the blue and red lighting
in the control room on the aircraft carrier is meant to remind
us of America too! The dogfights between American and
Russian planes arise because the Russian MIGs are
invading the Americans' airspace and thus violating their
freedom.
Narrative Structure
The narrative structure of the film can be classed as Classic
Hollywood. In it, an individual, in this case Pete Mitchell
(Maverick), struggles to achieve a goal or solve a problem.
The character is in conflict with others, circumstances
surrounding him, and even himself.
In Top Gun there are the outer struggles of Maverick to win the
award of best pilot at Miramar and the respect of his fellow
pilots, and the love of his lady, coupled with the inner struggle
of coming to terms with the death of his best friend Goose, of
whom he had said "You're the only family I've got."
The film ends decisively for Maverick for, although he did not
win the top pilot's award, he managed to regain his nerve in
combat flying and save Iceman. In addition, the love story
worked out well with Charlie giving up her lucrative job in
Washington to be with him.
Narrative Structure
Following the pattern of classical narrative, the opening
shots of Top Gun pose questions for the audience, which
are ultimately answered.
The opening sequence with the legs and aeroplanes moving
in and out of the frame, in the pre-dawn light, causes the
audience to wonder where and when all this is taking place.
As the planes take off and shots of the men in the cockpits
are interwoven with shots of the men in the control room,
and as we listen to the dialogue, we realise that the
Americans are chasing two MIG intruders out of American
airspace.
Narrative Structure
We quickly realise that Maverick is going to be the
hero of the film as he, against orders from control
takes charge of the situation, and, having seen off
the intruders, brings Cougar - who has lost his
nerve - safely back to base. We also realise that he
is a stubborn self willed character who is bound to
come into conflict with authority.
Narrative Structure
When Maverick is sent to Miramar and we hear
about the "Top Gun" award, we wonder whether
Maverick will achieve this. The ending of the film
confirms the classical structure, since Maverick has
overcome his emotional block brought on by
Goose's death, has "got the girl" and has developed
into a mature responsible human being about to
take up his post as an instructor at Miramar. Thus
the young man in conflict with authority has become
part of the authorities himself.
Narrative Structure
Just as the narrative follows a pattern which audiences easily
identify, the same can be said of the representations of the
characters within the film. This is a white oriented society
which upholds the values of fair play, justice and the
American way.
The Americans throughout are seen as the "good guys" who
are instructed, in the encounters with the MIGs, not to fire
unless and until they are fired upon. And indeed, in the final
confrontation, it is the Russians who open fire on the
Americans.
The “Buddy”
The American "buddy system" operates too. Every
pilot and co-pilot are intensely loyal to one another
and depend on one other for their lives. Thus we
can understand Maverick's devastation when
Goose is killed. We can also understand the
reluctance of many of the other pilots to fly with
Maverick in combat: so much so that Mike Metcalf
says he will co-pilot with Maverick if no one else
will.
Buddies - cont
The close relationships of the pilots with each other
are shown in the scenes in the showers after the
fight simulations, in the game of volley ball, and in
the sauna. The fact that they are all semi-naked and
are thus revealed as perfect physical specimens
beautifully tanned and muscled, would appeal to
both women and men in the audience - the men
perhaps identifying with them.
Language
technical and cultural codes and the reasons for their use
The Camera work in these flight sequences is spectacular,
since the camera is either in the cockpit with the pilots with
lots of close-ups and reaction shots, or is in another 'plane
following, in long shots, the aerobatics of the fighter planes.
The cameras tip and tilt like the planes, giving viewers a
real sense of involvement in the action.
Setting
The film enables America to feel good about itself after the
disastrous Vietnam War, whose veterans the American
nation would rather forget. The setting of Miramar itself is in
prosperous California, where the sun always shines. It is a
typical White Anglo Saxon Protestant society with little
evidence of ethnic groups.
There is one negro pilot who becomes Maverick's new
partner after the death of Goose, but he is represented in a
rather unsympathetic way. Maverick has forced himself into
the skies, but has lost his nerve. The negro pilot seemingly
unable to comprehend Maverick's "block", berates him for
not firing on the "enemy”. This pilot in addition is the only
black man seen at the graduation ceremony.
Key Scene
In the conflict with the MIGs with which the film opens,
there is also rapid cutting from the control room in the
aircraft carrier to the 'planes themselves. The red/blue
lighting of the control room adds to the tense atmosphere
with its clipped dialogue of naval jargon - "a trailer", "a
Single", "he's bugging out and going home", - and serves
to differentiate between locations of the ship and the
'planes.
Key Scene
One very effective sequence occurs about 2/3 of the
way through the film when Maverick's (Tom Cruise's)
plane gets into a "flat spin" out of control, and the
camera emulates the spinning movement. In these
"dogfight" scenes the pace of the editing is extremely
fast, cutting from pilot to pilot and 'plane to 'plane.
Music is an important feature of
Top Gun
Music is heard right from the start of the film when
white titles on a black background are accompanied
by slow music with a strong beat.
Opening Sequence
It is an enigmatic opening; the viewer watching legs walking
across the screen while aeroplanes come in and out of the
frame on a dark misty morning with no establishing shot to let
us know what is going on and where.
As dawn breaks the jets take off from what we know now to
be an aircraft carrier, the music increasing in speed and
intensity, with added, rather strident and mainly female
vocals.
Men start running, the editing becomes faster, the music
speeds up and the song Ride into the Danger Zone is
introduced. This song is repeated at various parts of the film
when the fight sequences occur.
Music cont
Another song which acts also as a musical motif is
Living on the Edge , first heard when Maverick goes
to Miramar to be trained as a Top Gun pilot. This
song gives way to Ride into the Danger Zone thus
highlighting to the audience how dangerous this
training will be.
Key Scene
Living on the Edge, in fact, recalls a statement one
of the pilots, Cougar, made to his superior officer
after he had "frozen" in the cockpit after the first
encounter with the MIGs. Asking to be relieved of
his duties as a pilot, Cougar told his commander
that he had "lost the edge". This scene,
incidentally, prepares the audience for Maverick's
later loss of confidence in himself after the death
of his co-pilot and best friend Goose.
Romance through Music
In contrast to this heavy rock music which
accompanies the fast action, there is
slower more romantic music used to
highlight the romance of Charlotte
Blackwood (Charlie) and Maverick - You
take my Breath Away and You've Lost that
Loving Feeling .
You’ve lost that Loving Feeling
Sung by Maverick soon after his arrival at
Miramar, in a pub when he "targets" Charlie with
his intentions.
Just as You've Lost that Loving Feeling signalled
the start of the romance, so it is used at the end of
the film when Maverick returns to the pub at
Miramar, plays the song on the jukebox and
Charlie enters, having given up her post in
Washington to be permanently with him.
Take My Breath Away
When Charlie makes a date to meet Maverick (a
nice touch of role reversal) the theme You take my
Breath Away is first heard, being heard at later
moments in the film as their relationship develops,
most particularly in the intimate love scene.
Other Character music
One of the other characters, Goose, also has music
associated with him - Great Balls of Fire - perhaps used to
emphasise his fearless, slightly zany character.
He plays it on the piano in the pub at a point in the film just
after Maverick, in a simulated fight with their instructors, has
been "killed".
The song played by Goose and, later on the soundtrack,
taken up by Jerry Lee Lewis, focuses attention on the
character of Goose who immediately afterwards in yet
another fight simulation, is tragically killed.
This time Maverick is exonerated from blame, but the death of
his buddy has a traumatic effect on him and he, like Cougar
earlier in the film, "loses the edge".