Top Gun; Behind the scenes making of.

MikeD

MikeD

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Interesting series, on the videos and on youtube. 6 or so parts on the making of the movie and its inception. Part 6 here talks about the flying scenes portion of it and how they had to mesh reality with the needs of Hollywood. As technical adviser [and Vietnam USN F-4 pilot and TopGun member, retired RAdm] Pete Pettigrew said when his fellow Navy Aviators complained to him about the filming and lack of realism in some places, he replied "hey guys.....right now Im just trying to keep this thing from becoming a musical, ok?"

Insofar as the realism and/or lack of in parts of the movie, there had to be that "meet in the middle" between this being an interesting movie for an audience, versus a basic documentary.

Seeing how films are made is interesting because of the dichotomy of it being fascinating in concept, but at the same time boring in execution due to the necessary repetition.

This is Behind the Scenes Part 6; the other parts that focus more on the actors and directors and such, is also on youtube.

 
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Part 7 details the death of famed airshow pilot Art Scholl, who was killed during the filming when he crashed into the Pacific off of Carlsbad, Ca. His Pitts and his body were never found. I had seen Scholl perform once at an airshow in the early 1980s.

 
MikeD said:
Part 7 details the death of famed airshow pilot Art Scholl, who was killed during the filming when he crashed into the Pacific off of Carlsbad, Ca. His Pitts and his body were never found. I had seen Scholl perform once at an airshow in the early 1980s.

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I remember Art as a kid because he had a dog named "Aileron" that flew with him in the chipmunk occasionally. Always thought that was the coolest name for a dog when I was young.
 
The original script for Top Gun is available on the internet with a little searching. I read it, and it is substantially more "realistic" than the movie that was made.
 
Filmed on board the USS Ranger if i recall. I was fortunate enough to make her final cruise in 92-93. Yokosuka, Pusan, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jebel Ali, Perth, Sydney, Pearl Harbor, and home to North Island.... Great Time !!!!
 
Very interesting. Real life flying could be entertaining if done right, just has to be fast paced and intense enough to keep up with the short attention spans. Maybe I'll take a look at the script sometime, kind of curious how different it was then the final product.

Sad about Scholl dying in the production of such a simple shot.
 
ChasenSFO said:
Very interesting. Real life flying could be entertaining if done right, just has to be fast paced and intense enough to keep up with the short attention spans. Maybe I'll take a look at the script sometime, kind of curious how different it was then the final product.

Sad about Scholl dying in the production of such a simple shot.
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The reality of aviation??? Hmmm

I have always wanted to make a spoof of the Kenny Loggins video (the one that was Archerized) featuring a charter pilot doing his thing to the song danger zone. Waking up at 3 am. Loading bags. Cleaning the aircraft. Still makes me laugh when I think of it.
 
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