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Quentin Tarrantino, in a 1994 "Sleep With Me", deconstructs the movie "Top Gun" during a party scene. Quentin’s role is extremely minor but his character convincingly suggests to another party goer that Top Gun is really the tale of a man’s struggle with his own homosexuality. Judging from other deconstructions of popular culture in his own scripts (e.g the Madonna "Like a Virgin" speech in Reservoir Dogs) I wondered if this was ad libbed by Quentin during the party scene.  -Thanks to Nat PatonThe juke box shown in the bar, at the end of the movie, is none other than an original "Wurlitzer" Juke box. The Wurlitzer Co. is famous for their juke boxes and pianos, and were manufactured in my home town of North Tonawanda, NY. -Thanks to Jennie, From NyThe role of sundown was played by Clarence Gilyard jr. of both Matlock and Walker Texas Ranger fame. LCDR "Rat" Willard returned from a deployment in the summer of 1990 and then went on to Nuclear Power School to eventually become the skipper of an aircraft carrier. He is now a 3-Star Admiral. The reason I know this is because I have served with him in 2 different units. -Thanks to WpfYou probably remember that Pete Mitchell is Maverick's character's real name in the movie. But did you know that the character of Goose had the name of Nick Bradshaw? Or that Woody Calloway is Wolfman? Rick Neven is Hollywood and Tom Kazansky is Iceman. -Thanks to EricCAPT "Sunshine" Dilucente (Marine) later transferred to the Navy, but left the service early, as he was a board member of the now infamous Tailhook Organization in 1992 and had to resign. -Thanks to DanElijah Ramirez is wrong about the canopy separation in the F-14 while in a flat spin. It was determined either through a real accident, or testing, that if the F-14 was in a flat spin the RIO might impact the canopy in an ejection due to the inability of the canopy to separate far enough from the aircraft before the RIO's seat fired (which fires first, before the pilot's seat). One of the actions required by the RIO, if in a flat-spinning F-14, was to manually jettison the canopy before pulling the ejection handle. The time between the manual canopy jettison and the action of the pulling the ejection handle was supposed to be enough to allow the canopy to separate far enough from the aircraft so that the RIO could eject without impacting the canopy on the way out. In the movie, there is no evidence that Goose manually jettisoned the canopy, thus he hit the canopy when his seat ejected. So, in reality, one bit of Top Gun actually portrayed a true F-14 issue. A flat spin! is truly a bad day for an F-14 RIO either way. -Thanks to Will GildnerThe Deland Naval Air Station Museum has acquired an F-14 Tomcat. The plane number is 103 and it is from the Grim Reapers Sqaudron VF-101. I was told this plane was in the movie and I think I only see it once, on the flight deck scene during the intro. The plane is fenced in and next to the museum. The museum is free and open from Tuesday to Saturday 12pm to 4pm. -Thanks to Tim HorakThe reason the Seabees patch is on the jacket is because the Navy Seabees built the set for the movie. They are a construction unit. -Thanks to Lisa BrandensteinGoose was originally to have died in a flaming crash aboard an aircraft carrier, but the Navy objected and the scene was changed to the 'training accident' that we see today. Despite another poster's trivia, the 'flat spin' sequence for an F14 does have a risk of a canopy lingering during an ejection sequence. Think about it: if the entire plane is spinning AND you fire the explosive charges for the canopy, the canopy is still spinning at the same rate of the plane. It will not 'fly off' and away. Source: Page 59, last paragraph, "Tomcat! The Grumman F-14 Story" by Paul T. Gillchrist, Rear Admiral (USN. Ret). FYI Gillchrist was the first Flag Officer to land an F-14 on an aircraft carrier. -Thanks to Eddie BerinAnthony Edwards, Michael Ironside, and Rick Rossovich all went on to roles in the t.v. series "ER" (1994). Lt. James Winnefield, last on the list of USN pilots credited at the end of the film, has since risen to the rank of Rear Admiral. His most recent assignment, from 2000-2002, was command of the U.S.S. Enterprise, CVN-65 - the same vessel featured at the beginning and end of the film! -Thanks to ZippyIn the bar scene where Maverick is sitting by himself after he thinks "Charlie" just dumped him, the man sitting next to him is none other than Cmdr CJ "Heater" Heatley, a real Top Gun instructor, author of several Navy jet books and photo technical advisor in the movie. Also, in the scene where all the students are graduating at the pool, when Maverick receives his order to report to the ship for duty, Cmdr Heatley is seen in the back drop to Tom Cruise's right side. -Thanks to Elijah RamirezMaverick was called Evan Mitchell in one of the earlier drafts of the script... Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwoods character metamorphosised out of a character called 'Kirsten Lindstrom'. She was originally a classic bimbo. Dawn Steel, then head of Paramount Pictures, alledgedly refused to authorise the project until she was made a more real, intelligent woman. The real Top Gun school is non competitive. There is no real TOP GUN trophy. Just an update on LCdr Willard and Lt. Winnefeld: Both got another star, with Winnefeld serving as Vice ADmiral and Cdr. US 6th Fleet, and Willard an Admiral, Commander US Pacific Fleet. So, two participants of TOP GUN made at least three-star rank, which is quite a feat. Kelly McGillis's 'date' in the bar scene is Pete Pettigrew, the real VIPER from the real TOP GUN school. He was one of the main technical consultants to the film. -Thanks to Silvia MendozaWhenever the actors are in the cockpit you never see them with gloves on and their sleeves rolled down. US Military pilots are supposed to have their sleeves rolled down and gloves on incase of an emergency such as a fire or ejection. -Thanks to Josh EldridgeIn the scene where Maverick and Goose are caught in an unrecoverable spin and Goose's head impacts the cockpit canopy, that whole incident would not have happened in real life. At the rate the plane was spinning, there would have been no way Goose's head would have struck the canopy after ejection because for one, the spinning in and of itself would have caused the canopy to fall away. Secondly, the rocket motors installed around the cockpit frame jettison the canopy so fast that when the pilot ejects, it would have fallen away well before any part of the body could impact it. -Thanks to Elijah RamirezJust out of interest, I served in aircraft carriers with the Royal Navy; While it might not be possible with a US navy jet, our pilots' canopies blow apart when the ejection seat is fired, with plastic explosive embedded in the plexiglass. If it does not ignite, the canopy stays in one piece and the pilot breaks it as he goes through (with the back of the seat and the top of the helmet). It leaves a characteristic welt of bruising along the neck, just above the collar bone on either side. Just as an aside, I didn't know that I shared the same name as the character name of Goose until I read your page. Thanks! -Thanks to Lieutenant Commander Nick Bradshaw, Royal Navy (Retd.)The US navy experienced in the year after the release of top gun the largest influx of recruits since conscription in the second world war! -Thanks to ChrisThe Paramount wardrobe guys were more interested in asthetics than accuracy in what they put on Mavericks' jacket. There are some patches that no Navy pilot... excuse me "Naval Aviator" would ever put on his jacket, i.e. Third Marine Air Group, Seabees and the big insignia on the front from the USS Standley, a Cruiser! But hey the jacket looked great and that's what counts in motion pictures. -Thanks to Michael CaulkLCDR Bob "Rat" Willard's most recent position was Commander of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet. He is now a three-star admiral (vice admiral), a rank attained by very few people. It is often overlooked that "Merlin" is played in an early role by multi award winning actor/screenwriter/director Tim Robbins, more recently known for "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994) and "War of the Worlds" (2005). -Thanks to Toggers« Click here to add some Top Gun trivia  Find much more great trivia in the filmmaker's commentary on the Top Gun DVD.Rediscover your favorites! If you like Top Gun or 80's Action classics, then be sure to check out this list: ..... Angel ..... Raiders of the Lost Ark ..... Beverly Hills Cop ..... Die Hard ..... Predator ..... Terminator ..... Black Rain ..... 48 HRS ..... Untouchables ..... Lethal Weapon ..... Rocky IV ..... Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior ..... Highlander ..... Streets Of Fire ..... Commando .....[More] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Featured Movie Location: The 'Great Balls Of Fire' Bar Wanna see the real life filming location used for The 'Great Balls Of Fire' Bar in the movie? These scenes were actually shot at Kansas City Bar-B-Q Resturant, located in San Diego, S. California. [New! Show Google Map] The very last scene of the movie (the jukebox scene)was also filmed at Kansas City Barbeque. They even have the jukebox still there and walls full of Top Gun memorabilia. [Thanks to Lindsey] The house that Kelly McGillis lived in as she played Charlie in the movie is to be found at 102 Pacific St, Oceanside, CA. However The scene where Tom Cruise is sitting on the back patio of Kelly McGillis's house and they are talking and drinking wine was filmed at the Paramount Studios first aid station which is on the studio street behind the famous Paramount Sunset Blvd Gate entrance. The studio built a fake patio in front of the first aid station's screen door to film the scene. [Thanks to Jeff Stone] Miramar Naval Air Station was, of course, used as well as The Naval Training Center, San Diego and Fallon Naval Air Station in Fallon, NV They shut down Highway I-5 for about 6 weeks, and a small major run line that was on base, for the filming of Top Gun in San Diego on the MiraMar Naval Base and security was extremely tight. Relatives of the naval base employees, as well as family members were not allowed on base during the time of the making of the movie. Mira Mesa Blvd, had cops sitting on almost every other corner for the fear that looki loos would want to get on base to watch the filiming of the movie. [Thanks to Tina Renko] The belief that relatives and family members of employees at Naval Air Sation Miramar were not allowed on the base during the making of the film "Top Gun" is innacurate. I was stationed there, at VF-124 in hangar three, during the making of the film - the hangar used for many of the scenes - the same hangar as VF-51 and VF-111 which provided the aircraft for the film. At no time were our family members not allowed on base. In fact many family members lived on base, in government housing. We had many visitors during that time - it was just as any normal work period there. [Thanks to wpf] Viper's (Tom Skerrit's) House was located at the Pt Loma Lighthouse installation run by the Coast Guard. There are actually 3-5 houses on the installation and are kept in excellent shape. [Thanks to Joe De Los Santos] The Volleyball scene was filmed at the what is now MCAS Miramar. The volleyball courts are no longer there. The courts were located to the north of barracks 300,299 and 298. There was a lounge or recreation center built over the courts and new apartment like barracks were built around. [Thanks to Jaime Coronado] The large, backlit, plexiglass pictures behind the bar were from the actual officers club at Miramar even though the bar scene was not shot there. This info comes from officers at the Naval Air Station I spoke with in the early 1990's. [Thanks to Tim Gresla] Originally, the volleyball scene was to be shot at Young Hall on the campus of what is now Point Loma Nazarene University (then Point Loma Nazarene College). There is a sand volleybal court just in front of the dorm, which is located on Sunset Cliffs overlooking the ocean. The dorm itself was to be used as the exterior of the barracks the "Top Gun" students were living in.[Thanks to Melissa] The club where Cruise sings to McGillis is the Officer's Club at Naval Air Station North Island on Coronado. [Thanks to Luis Lujan] The bar scene where Tom Cruise is Sulking with Kelly Mcgillis and the planes are in the background, where Kelly says "So I am too late" Where Tom Cruise is drinking water at the bar was "The Windsock" on 2904 Pacific Highway. As a matter of fact there were 2 brass placks on the bar top where Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis Sat. [Thanks to Trevor Harris] Sadly, the Windsock has since been demolished. There are plans to make another restuarant there. [Thanks to Joe De Los Santos] The bathroom scene, where Maverick follows Charlie (Kelly McGillis's character) into the ladies restroom after singing, was filmed at the USO Building on the Navy's recruit training command in San Diego. The scene shows maverick walking out of the club into the ladies room. He was actually walking through the front entrance of the USO building. It was filmed at night to look as though he is walking out of the club. There is a plaque on the front door of the ladies room, showing that is was used for that scene in Top Gun. [Thanks to Daniel Jennings] The scene where Kelly McGills (in her Porsche) stops Tom Cruise on his motorcycle is located on the coner of Laurel and Union. Take 5 freeway South and exit the San Diego Airport, turn left under brige on Laurel and go up hill and you will see the big Palm tree on the right hand side, this is where they shot that scene at. The yellow house in the background on the scene, still has the orginal paint job, I am almost sure because the paint now is in such bad shape that it is peeling off the house. It looks like a 17 year old paint job, I guess you could say. [Thanks to Jeff Hale] The scene where Tom Cruise is sitting on his motorcycle in the sunset, that was taken along the beach of Point Loma, San Diego. [Thanks to Tina Renko] The bathroom scene where Tom Cruise follows Kelly McGillis into the bathroom was actually filmed in San Diego at the Naval training center (boot camp/basic training camp for new recruits). In 1988 I sat on the very spot on the very counter that Tom Cruise places his hands to see if it's sturdy enough! There's now a plaque on the outside of the women's bathroom door stating that a portion of the film "Top Gun" was filmed there. [Thanks to Shane Hawk] Several of the flight sequences were shot at Fallon Naval Air Station. In one of the training exercises you can briefly see a large sand dune in the background. That is Sand Mountain found about 25 miles west of Fallon.[Thanks to Eric Roethe] The Kansas City Bar-B-Que also still has the same piano Goose was playing 'Great Balls of Fire' on. The bar also contains, in addition to the movie memorabilia, signs from NAS Miramar buildings that were torn down or refurbished when the base was transferred to the Marine Corps, and numerous Navy ball caps and patches from squadrons and ships. The Naval Training Center in San Diego has been turned over to the city and many of its buildings have been torn down. The specific building that was the USO (from the bathroom scene) might no longer be there. You can still see the yellow building with the arched porticos that Maverick walked down in a few scenes (also where Charlie ran out after him after her bad evaluation of him) if you drive down Rosecrans St past the former base (now called Liberty Station). That building is along the street on base she flew up in her car(which then swiflty cuts to the corner of Laurel and Union) is just off of Rosecrans St where one of the gates was to the base. [Thanks to Melissa] Can you help? Do you know any of the San Diego, S. California (or any other) filming locations used for Top Gun, particularly the street address of Viper's (Tom Skerrit's) House and the volleyball location? [Please send them in] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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The pumping high octane soundtrack contained all the main tracks from the movie including such smash hits as "Take My Breath Away" It has always been readily available on CD. The best just gets better: Like several classic 80's soundtracks, it was remastered and re-released in the late 90's with bonus tracks, better sound and extensive liner notes giving an insight into the choosing and making of the music used in the movie. Low price too, buy without hesitation! Track listing: 1. Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins 2. Mighty Wings - Cheap Trick 3. Playing With The Boys - Kenny Loggins 4. Lead Me On - Teena Marie 5. Take My Breath Away (Love Theme) - Berlin 6. Hot Summer Nights - Miami Sound Machine 7. Heaven In Your Eyes - Loverboy 8. Through The Fire - Larry Greene 9. Destination Unknown - Marietta 10. Top Gun Anthem - Harold Faltermeyer/Steve Stevens 11. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding 12. Memories - Harold Faltermeyer 13. Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis 14. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling - The Righteous Brothers 15. Playing With The Boys (Dance Mix) - Kenny Loggins The Top Gun soundtrack had a big hit in the single "Take My Breath Away", performed by Berlin. However, it was originally planned to be assigned to LA new wave band The Motels. A demo was recorded by The Motels, only for the song to be given to Berlin. The Motels' rendition finally resurfaced on their 2000 rarities compilation "Anthologyland". Although singer Martha Davis does not possess the contemporary-friendly slick produced vocals of Berlin's Terri Nunn, The Motels' version of "Take My Breath Away" is equally beautiful in it's own right. -Thanks to Michael ManzanoHarold Faltermeyer's music score was the first to be performed and recorded on the polyphonic 16 bit stereo Synclavier Digital Music System. « Click here to add new music trivia for Top Gun Soundtrack Available: On CD | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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