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
Ryan Cutrona	...	Capt. Margolis
Don Lake	...	Doctor
Kelly Connell	...	Air Controller
Tony Simotes	...	Ambulance Driver
Don Luce	...	Paramedic
Judith Kahan	...	Nurse
Jeff Bright	...	Communications Officer
Jimmy Lennon Jr.	...	Ring Announcer
Marie Thomas	...	Francine, the Secretary
Ryan Fitzgerald	...	Scooter
Al Clegg	...	Jazz
Pat Proft	...	Lawrence Lipps
Marc Shaiman	...	Piano Player
Cylk Cozart	...	Drill Sergeant #1
Christopher J. Keene	...	Drill Sergeant #2
Ed Herschlar	...	Rabbi
Jimmie Ray Weeks	...	Amish Man
Annie O'Donnell	...	Amish Woman
Mack Yamaguchi	...	Eskimo
Charles Barkley	...	Himself
Bill Laimbeer	...	Himself
Eugene Greytak	...	The Pope (as Gene Greytak)
Tony Lorea	...	Humphrey 'Bogie' Bogart
Jerry Haleva	...	Saddam Hussein
Bob Lenz	...	Elvis 'The King' Presley
Willie Collins	...	Liberace
Robert Puro	...	Precocious Paper Boy
Richard Lasting	...	Handsome Milkman
Elston Ridgle	...	Boxer #1
Max Jones	...	Boxer #2
Christopher Doyle	...	Conspiratorial Crewman (as Chris Doyle)
Pablo Prietto	...	Parking Valet
John Bankson	...	Parking Valet
Nancy Abrahams	...	Family in front of TV Store
Joseph Abrahams	...	Family in front of TV Store
Jamie Abrahams	...	Family in front of TV Store
Carey Brayboy	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Tony Moreno	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Kevin Eads	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Dave Oliver	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron (as David Oliver)
Richard Emanuelle	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Kip Pierce	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Brent Freeman	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Kenton 'Chip' Steger	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Craig McIntosh	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Sean Wright	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
Joe Allegro	...	Sleepy Weasel Squadron
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack I. Bernstein	...	Rabinowitz (uncredited)
Sean Kanan	...	Barracks man in underwear (uncredited)
Steven Chester Prince	...	Dartman (uncredited)
Rebecca Ryiz	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Jim Abrahams

Writing credits (WGA)
Jim Abrahams		(written by) &
Pat Proft		(written by)

Produced by
Bill Badalato	....	producer
Janet Graham	....	associate producer
Stephen McEveety	....	associate producer
Greg Norberg	....	associate producer
Pat Proft	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Sylvester Levay

Cinematography by
Bill Butler

Film Editing by
Jane Kurson
Eric A. Sears

Casting by
Mali Finn

Production Design by
William A. Elliott

Art Direction by
Greg Papalia

Set Decoration by
Jerie Kelter

Costume Design by
Mary Malin

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	special makeup designer
John R. Fifer	....	special makeup effects artist
Dayne Johnson	....	makeup artist
Mark Maitre	....	special makeup effects artist
Ann Masterson	....	makeup department head
Douglas J. White	....	special makeup effects artist
Cindy J. Williams	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Stephen McEveety	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Davies	....	first assistant director
Robin Leigh Fleck	....	second second assistant director
Sean Hobin	....	second second assistant director
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	second unit director (as Ernie Orsatti)
Matthew H. Rowland	....	second assistant director (as Matthew Rowland)
Richard T. Stevens	....	second unit director: flying sequences

Art Department
G. Roger Abell	....	set dresser
David B. Brenner	....	general foreman
Elixandro Diaz Jr.	....	plaster foreman
Robert Lucas	....	lead man
Don Miloyevich	....	property master
Glenn H. Roberts	....	set dresser
Doug Sieck	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Randle Akerson	....	supervising sound editor
Sandy Berman	....	supervising sound editor
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer
David B. Cohn	....	sound editor
Susan Dudeck	....	sound editor
John P. Fasal	....	sound effects recordist (as John Paul Fasal)
Meredith Gold	....	assistant sound editor
Scott Hecker	....	sound editor (as Scott A. Hecker)
Jeffrey M. Jones	....	production sound mixer: second unit
Donlee Jorgensen	....	sound editor
Richard Kite	....	second boom operator
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Lacey	....	sound editor
Phillip Linson	....	sound editor (as Phil Linson)
Ron Meredith	....	assistant sound editor
Karen Minahan	....	assistant sound editor
Bob Newlan	....	sound editor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg Orloff	....	foley mixer
Mark Pappas	....	foley editor
Jeanine Schaack	....	assistant sound editor
Renee Tondelli	....	adr co-supervisor
Renee Tondelli	....	adr editor
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound editor
David Williams	....	foley editor
Karen G. Wilson	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Phil Cory	....	special effects coordinator
Robert DeVine	....	special effects
Hans Metz	....	special effects technician
Rudy Perez	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Scott Beattie	....	motion control supervisor: Dream Quest Images
Mat Beck	....	visual effects supervisor
Beverly Bernacki	....	optical supervisor: Available Light
Jeff Burks	....	animation supervisor: DQI
Kevin Fitzgerald	....	motion control supervisor: Dream Quest Images
David Goldberg	....	model shop supervisor
Erik Henry	....	visual effects coordinator
Rick Johnson	....	blue screen supervisor (as Richard Johnson)
Katherine Kean	....	visual effects supervisor: Available Light
Rob Maine	....	motion control animation camera
Jeff Matakovich	....	optical supervisor: optical illusions
Derrick Mitchell	....	assistant visual effects editor
Dennis Rogers	....	first assistant camera
Jody Rogers	....	visual effects editor
Michael O. Sajbel	....	director of photography: miniatures unit
Michael O. Sajbel	....	director: miniatures unit
Jack Sessums	....	head model maker
Keith Shartle	....	visual effects executive producer: DQI
Robert Stadd	....	visual effects producer: DQI
James Valentine	....	rotoscope supervisor: Dream Quest Images
John T. Van Vliet	....	visual effects supervisor: Available Light
Steve Wright	....	digital effects supervisor: Sidley Wright & Assoc.
Joseph Thomas	....	matchmove photography (uncredited)

Stunts
Jake Brake	....	stunt double
Eddie Braun	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Eddie Braun	....	stunt double: Charlie Sheen
Richard Epper	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunt double: Lloyd Bridges
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	stunt coordinator (as Ernie Orsatti)
Birgit K. Schier	....	stunts
Christopher Doyle	....	stunts (uncredited)
Andy Gill	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Barbara Anne Klein	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ray Lykins	....	lead stunt double: stair fall (uncredited)
Noon Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Nico Bally	....	grip
Marsha Blackburn	....	still photographer
Paul 'Doc' Byrd	....	director of photography: aerial unit
Scott Crabbe	....	video assist operator
Gary Dagg	....	key grip
Joe Kelly	....	best boy grip
Jon Kranhouse	....	aerial photographer
Bruce Macaulay	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Peter McAdams	....	grip
Mike McEveety	....	assistant camera
William Russell	....	first assistant camera: aerial unit
Geno Salvatori	....	director of photography: second unit
Cricket Sloat	....	dimmer board operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laurel Frushour	....	set costumer
Mark Peterson	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Gena Bleier	....	second assistant editor
Jonathan Chibnall	....	first assistant editor
Margaret Goodspeed	....	first assistant editor
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
L. James Langlois	....	assistant editor
Mary Nelson-Duerrstein	....	negative cutter (as Mary Nelson Duerrstein)
Scot Deer	....	telecine colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Alex Garcia	....	assistant music editor
Brian L. McCarty	....	music playback operator
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor

Transportation Department
William Ballard	....	transportation captain
Roger Bojarski Jr.	....	driver: honeywagon
Timothy P. Ryan	....	transportation
Gary Shephard	....	transportation coordinator
Larry Shephard	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
David Allsberry	....	animal handler
Brent Barker	....	pilot
Jack I. Bernstein	....	assistant to director
Michael Boyle	....	animal handler
Ronald L. Carr	....	location manager
Jeanie Daniels	....	payroll accountant
James Deeth	....	cine-exec victor vision crew (as Jim Deeth)
Jessica Drake	....	dialect coach
Al Gerbino	....	aerial technical coordinator
Jay Gowey	....	location representative: L.A. Harbor
Skip Holm	....	aerial coordinator
Skip Holm	....	pilot
Charles Johnston	....	pilot
Jo Ann Kane	....	copyist (as JoAnn Kane)
Harriet Katz-Stevens	....	accountant: aerial unit
Christopher Landry	....	production assistant
Julia Marino	....	publicist
Paul Metz	....	pilot
Gary Alan Meyers	....	production assistant
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Alan Preston	....	supplier: aircraft and pilots
Matt Rebenkoff	....	set production assistant
Rick Rozzini	....	assistant choreographer
Jeff Senour	....	cine-exec victor vision crew
Chuck Thornton	....	pilot
Lester Wilson	....	choreographer
Billy Badalato	....	aerial supervisor (uncredited)
John D. Sarviss	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Lucernafilm - Beta (1992) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (video)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Manuel Salvador (Spain)

Special Effects

• Available Light Productions (special effects animation and opticals)
• Chris Walas (duck animatronics)
• Dream Quest Images (special visual effects)
• Hansard (process compositing)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories (special makeup effects) (as Makeup & Effects Lab Inc.)
• Sessums Engineering (miniature effects)

Other Companies

• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  color timing
• Flight Magic Inc.  aircraft and pilots provided by
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Shawn's Catering  catering
• Skywalker Sound  post-production facilities
• Thornton Corporation  aircraft and pilots provided by
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack
• Wild Things  buffalo and wolf provided by

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:

Charlie Sheen (Lt. Topper Harley), Jon Cryer (Jim 'Wash Out' Pfaffenbach) and Ryan Stiles ('Mailman' Farnham) would all later work together again in the television show "Two and a Half Men" (2003).

Goofs:

Continuity: After bailing out, Dead Meat lands a "square" (ram air) parachute. In the next and subsequent scenes, he is being dragged by a round ("mushroom") canopy.

Quotes:

Admiral Benson: Oh, by the way I would like to thank you for having us over for dinner the other night. Cheryl and I thought the stroganoff was marvelous.
Lt. Commander Block: But sir, we didn't have dinner the other night.
Admiral Benson: Really? Then where the hell was I? And who's this Cheryl?

Movie Connections:

Featured in 1992 MTV Movie Awards (1992) (TV)

Soundtrack:

U CAN'T TOUCH THIS

One of the funniest films ever.

Hot Shots is one of the funniest films I have ever seen in my life. I laughed so much it nearly made me sick to my stomach. There's really no better proof of a great comedy than when you laugh from beginning to end. Lloyd Bridges is hilarious and Charlie Sheen is really great at these type of films. The whole cast is great. Jim Abrahams has made a modern classic in my opinion.