Hot Shots! (1991)

Director:

Jim Abrahams

Writers (WGA):

Jim Abrahams (written by) &
Pat Proft (written by)

Release Date:

31 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | War | Romance

Tagline:

The mother of all movies!

Plot:

Parody of "Top Gun" in which a talented but unstable fighter pilot must overcome the ghosts of his father and save a mission sabotaged by greedy weapons manufacturers.

Plot Keywords:

Native American | Saddam Hussein | Aviation | Corgi | Elvis Presley

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Charlie Sheen	...	Lt. Topper Harley
Cary Elwes	...	Lt. Kent Gregory
Valeria Golino	...	Ramada Thompson
Lloyd Bridges	...	Adm. Thomas 'Tug' Benson
Kevin Dunn	...	Lt. Cmdr. James Block
Jon Cryer	...	Jim 'Wash Out' Pfaffenbach
William O'Leary	...	Pete 'Dead Meat' Thompson
Kristy Swanson	...	Kowalski
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	...	Wilson
Bill Irwin	...	Buzz Harley
Heidi Swedberg	...	Mary Thompson
Bruce A. Young	...	'Red' Herring
Ryan Stiles	...	'Mailman' Farnham
Rino Thunder	...	Owatonna, 'The Old One'
Mark Arnott	...	Rosener

Also Known As:

Hot Shots: An Important Movie! (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:PG (cut) | Iceland:L | Finland:K-12 (uncut) (1991) | Finland:K-12/9 (cut) (re-rating) (1991) | France:U | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:12 | UK:12 (TV rating) | UK:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Germany:6 | Norway:10 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Several aircraft carrier scenes were taken from the movie Flight of the Intruder (1991), including the flyby of 4 planes when the pilots arrive at the aircraft carrier, when the bombs are loaded onto the planes, and when the planes launched for their final mission.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Dead Meat says that Topper is AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave), the Navy does not use that term; it is an Army term. The Navy uses UA (Unauthorized Absence).

Quotes:

Topper Harley: Mrs. Thompson, I know you must hate me right now but there's something I want you to have. I've been putting a little away for the past ten years. It's not much. 2500. I wish I could do more.
Mrs. Mary 'Dead Meat' Thompson: Why, Topper. That's so sweet. Why, with the three million that I won on this Lucky Lotto ticket, I can take this 2500 and just blow it all on hats.

Movie Connections:

References "The Brady Bunch" (1969)

Soundtrack:

THE MAN I LOVE

reasonably funny

I think this was a decent send-up of the Top Gun movies and other films as well. (Dances With Wolves, etc.) There are many hilarious scenes, such as Jon Cryer's "Wall Vision" and Charlie Sheen's Indian nickname translating as "Fluffy Bunny Feet." You know something bad and funny is going to happen when Dead Meat reveals all that he's carrying-right before he goes on a mission. Charlie Sheen gives a truly hilarious performance as Topper-a man on a mission, in more ways than one. The Superman and Dances With Wolves scenes are inspiringly funny, and the movie was overall a good one. I recommend this to anyone who likes comedies and spoofs.