Hot Shots! (1991)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

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:

In the fake Indian language the English term "curve ball" translates to "Hershiser", a reference to Los Angeles Dodgers' ace pitcher Orel Hershiser.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Harley does his stunt on his bike and Ramada does the stunt on the tree you can see the gymnastics bar briefly behind the branch

Quotes:

Topper Harley: Kent, your nostrils are flaring...

Movie Connections:

References "The Brady Bunch" (1969)

Soundtrack:

IT'S NOT UNUSUAL

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.