Fly
High with Top Gun
Hunter Pallasch
The Top Gun
movie trailer immediately opens up with a scene on a naval aircraft carrier
with high intensity brought to the screen by the sounds and visuals of roaring
jets. Immediately, the viewer can
conclude the movie is going to be action packed. In addition, the trailer also includes a few silhouetted
make out scenes that adds a sense of romance to the film. Top Gun is about a hot shot fighter pilot
nicknamed Maverick, played by Tom Cruise, who earns a spot at Top Gun, the most
prestigious school in the navy for pilots.
While there he battles with his ego and his relationships with those
around him to eventually work his way to the top of his class.
The
trailer’s main appeal to the audience is being a military based movie. Visual cues that invoke patriotism are loaded
in almost every scene in which the actors are dressed in some type of military
uniform. The opening scene is an aerial
image of a naval aircraft carrier with the text, “Indian Ocean. Present day”
plays a huge part for the movie being released in 1986. American history in the late 80s is storied
with a bombing of Libya, invasions of Grenade and Panama, and the election of
Ronald Reagan. During Reagan’s
presidency there was high patriotism that the trailer plays off of being a
military movie. Ironically, four years
after the release, the United States would enter the Persian Gulf War in the
exact location that the fictional movie is starts. Continuing to play off the emotions of the
historical time period, the trailer includes a scene of Maverick saying, “I
want to serve my country.” There really
is no further explanation for drawing on some one’s patriotism than serving their
country. It would only make sense for an
American to want to go see a movie about Americans who serve the country.
Top Gun
also stresses a “cool” factor into the trailer with the intense and upbeat
music. From the book Everything’s an
Argument by Andrea Lunsford, Akira Kurosawa, a filmmaker, is quoted, “Cinematic
sound…does not simply add to, but multiplies, tow or three times, the effect of
the image” (Lunsford 201). The sound
effects from the fighter jets coupled with the soundtrack of the trailer
intensify the awesomeness of fighter jets slicing through the sky. When you add the fact each character has a
code name and is only referred to by that code name, the trailer’s coolness is
unparalleled. However, this appeal to
coolness is most likely limited to males.
Where the trailer hits a home run at putting “manly” on display, it
lacks in a broad appeal. As very few
females have an interest in military movies.
What the
trailer does to compensate for lack of attracting a female audience, is it
plays to the strength of a young and suave Tom Cruise. The lighting and camera work does a good job
of focusing on his drop-dead good looks.
Top Gun does a good job of utilizing Tom Cruise’s fame from his most recent
big hit, Risky Business. It is important
to center a film on someone who has had success that, “If a company is well
known, liked, and respected, that reputation will contribute to its persuasive
power” (Lunsford 56). Whoever casted Top
Gun chose a great main character to build this reputation and the trailer plays
to this strength. To even further the
credibility of the movie beyond just the female audience, the fictional movie
is about a non-fictional school. Top Gun
does in fact exist and is one of the most premier flight schools. Associating the movie with something that is
elite in real life, elevates the level of respect given for the movie.
The Top Gun
movie trailer does a fantastic job of immediately creating a strong patriotic appeal
to viewers. Watching the trailer in a
historical context only elevates the attraction to the film. While the trailer does come off as being male
focused, you cannot really go wrong with Mr. Cool himself, Tom Cruise. The Top Gun trailer might not be perfect but
it receives a 4 out of 5 pickles for its ability to draw in crowds.
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