Top Gun (Wings of Gold, No 4) (Paperback)

by T. E. Cruise (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Warner Books (January 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0445209755
• ISBN-13: 978-0445209756
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (368 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #390,314 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars MACH TEN WITH YOUR HAIR ON FIRE IN THIS SPECIAL EDITION!, December 8, 2004

By	Nix Pix (Windsor, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Top Gun (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition) (DVD)

"Top Gun" is the mach ten 80s mega hit that set theatre attendance on fire and established producer Jerry Bruckheimer and actor Tom Cruise as two of Hollywood's king size titans, behind and in front of the camera. All about a military flight school run for `the best of the best,' the film stars Cruise as Lt. Pete Maverick Mitchell. Pete's too sexy for his leather bomber jacket and he knows it. He's also short on pleasantries when it comes to wooing the femme fatale of the friendly skies, Charlotte `Charlie' Blackwood (Kelly McGillis). But high flying maneuvers between Pete and Charlie quickly move from the school room to the bedroom. Then tragedy strikes and Pete has to pull it together to prove himself as the hero of the hour. Val Kilmer costars as Pete's annoying and priggish rival for the top honors; Tom `Iceman' Kazanski. The cast also includes Tom Skeritt, Michael Ironside and Anthony Edwards.

What sets "Top Gun" apart from similar military film fare of the 80s is its ability to combine a sense of the miraculous within the gritty world of tougher than tough obstacles. The dog fight footage is thrilling and the plot moves effortlessly from drama, to melodrama, to action/adventure yarn on testosterone overdrive. There's even a shirtless eye candy volleyball tournament thrown in, with the guys doing their machismo best to ignite interest in the female population. However, the soundtrack album, which fueled the film's high octane performance at the box office, now seems to have dated at twice the rate of any other from the 80s - save `Dirty Dancing.' Kenny Loggins' `Playin' With The Boys' and Tina Marie's `Lead Me On' have that faint tinny echo of a forgotten pop culture where hoop earrings and big hair were synonymous with wacky-tacky red carpet glamour. Berlin's `Take My Breath Away' does anything but.

After the disastrous effort put forth on Paramount's `Footloose' special editon, I didn't hold out much hope for this transfer either. However, "Top Gun's" anamorphically enhanced transfer is remarkably clean and solid. Color saturation is very nicely rendered with velvety blacks and very pristine whites. Occasionally one will note a slight hint of film grain. There are no digital anomalies (edge enhancement, pixelization, shimmering of fine details) for a smooth video presentation that is sure to please. The audio has been remixed but continues to exhibit that dated 80s quality that is best left to nostalgia for a time when sound wasn't quite so integral to one's overall appreciation of movie culture. Extras include an audio commentary that is adequate at best. There's also a 6 part documentary that really should have been played as one big one, four music videos which will confound people as to why MTV became so big, and some storyboards, production materials and vintage featurettes. So set your DVD player to `cruise' control and get ready to set off for the wild blue yonder. "Top Gun" is a blast!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Gun, March 29, 2008

By	Kelly "Reviewer for The Sinfully Sensuous" (Littleton, Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Top Gun (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition) (DVD)

This is probably the best film every made about the navy. Navy pilots were brought to the forefront and characterized in this highly popular movie. There was a lot of dramatic license taken because a lot of scenes were far from being factual. That does not in any way take anything away from the enjoyment because it is highly entertaining and suspenseful. The soundtrack from this film is phenomenal, and is also a must buy. It is one you will never tire of watching time and time again.

33 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I demand re-release of this dvd., January 28, 2000

By	Freddy (los angeles, usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Top Gun (DVD)

4:3 ratio screen is very good transfer. However, wide-screen isn't really wide screen. it's a 4:3 screen chopped off from top and bottom. in other word, instead of having a whole theatrical picture, what you get is picture that's been chopped up both vertical and horizontally. what we are seeing is only 1/3 of what's filmed, which is even smaller than 4:3. somebody cheated big time from paramount. setup menu is false leading. I want to see entire wing span on F-14! It does make huge difference on impact in fighting scene. movie this good must be done right. and while at it, make it a anamorphic enhanced.