‘Top Gun’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin, and Jason Concepcion
July 23, 2019 · Top Gun (1986) · Action · Drama · 1:46:49 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Chris RyanAgrees with both scenes, provides detailed commentary on why they work despite being ludicrous▶ 24:49
Jason ConcepcionSupports both scenes, focuses on the absurd choreography and details that make them memorable▶ 24:29
Mallory RubinConflicted about the You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' scene - finds it both appealing and horrifying due to how public it is▶ 26:01
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Mallory RubinI don't know if she even likes him - questioning whether Kelly McGillis's character actually likes Tom Cruise's character given their lack of chemistry▶ 52:52
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsHow weird it is that Tim Robbins is in the movie but just as window dressing without any lines▶ 1:02:29
What's Aged the Worst
Chris RyanVarious unanswerable questions and plot inconsistencies, including the geopolitical implications and character decisions▶ 1:05:50
Jason ConcepcionMaverick following Charlie into the ladies room after being rebuffed - 'that's stalkerish' and 'that's a crime'▶ 1:03:13
Mallory RubinThe ladies room scene being played as a joke when it's actually problematic behavior▶ 1:03:23
Casting What-Ifs
Jason ConcepcionJudd Nelson — Suggested Judd Nelson or Charlie Sheen as Maverick alternatives▶ 1:17:31
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsShared multiple trivia facts including film's California Magazine origin, Navy involvement and script changes, $7,800/hour fuel costs, Art Shaw's death during filming, Kansas City Barbecue bar scenes, and Tom Cruise's height adjustments with Kelly McGillis▶ 1:18:16
Chris RyanDiscussed Christopher McQuarrie's original Top Gun 2 concept about Maverick vs drone pilots, speculated about Miles Teller playing the surviving piano▶ 1:19:44
Jason ConcepcionAdded commentary about Robert Downey Jr.'s lift shoes and height adjustments in films▶ 1:21:36
Mallory RubinContributed trivia about Top Gun pilots being fined for quoting the movie, Charlie based on Christine Fox, advisor Peter Pettigrew connection to Harry Potter, Duke Cunningham claiming Maverick was based on him, and Tony Scott paying $25,000 to turn the ship for proper lighting▶ 1:22:13
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsKelly McGillis — Agrees on Kelly McGillis and Rasevich as apex mountain, argues Simpson Bruckheimer peaked with this after Beverly Hills Cop combo▶ 1:24:46
Chris RyanKelly McGillis — Proposes Tom Skerritt (but accepts Aliens counter), agrees Kelly McGillis is apex mountain, suggests Navy as apex mountain▶ 1:24:29
Mallory RubinKelly McGillis — Kelly McGillis - had Witness and Top Gun in consecutive years then vanished▶ 1:24:07
Joey Pants Award
Mallory RubinJames Tolkan — Acknowledges the bald guy/James Tolkien character, describes him as 'the principal from Back to the Future'▶ 1:25:19
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsMultiple quotes including 'I feel the need for speed', 'You were in a 4G inverted dive with a MiG-28?', 'That was some of the best flying I've seen a day. Right up to the part where you got killed', 'The defense department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they're stupid', plus various pilot dialogue▶ 1:31:38
Chris RyanParticipated in the group recitation of 'I feel the need... the need... for speed' and mentioned 'International relations?' and 'because I was inverted'▶ 1:31:42
Jason ConcepcionCompleted the group recitation with 'For speed' and emphasized the delivery of 'because I was inverted' with the hand gesture▶ 1:31:45
Mallory RubinFive quotes: 'Son, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash', 'Take me to bed or lose me forever', 'I'll have what he's having hemlock', 'The list is long but distinguished / So is my Johnson', 'Every time you go up there, it's like you're flying against a ghost'▶ 1:29:35
Movies Referenced (43)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 11:19 |
| Platoon (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 12:08 |
| Days of Thunder (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 0:27 |
| Need for Speed (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:22 |
| Alien (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 34:49 |
| Basic Instinct (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 43:47 |
| Best of the Best (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:07 |
| Reservoir Dogs (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 0:55 |
| Beverly Hills Cop (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Jason Concepcion, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 22:00 |
| Ghost Rider (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Jason Concepcion, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 53:47 |
| Risky Business (1983) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 3:51 |
| Sing (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Mallory Rubin, Chris Ryan, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 27:33 |
Directors Referenced (6)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion, Chris Ryan | Unstoppable, True Romance | ▶ 10:39 |
| Mike McCoy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:12:20 | |
| Quentin Tarantino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn | ▶ 9:56 |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 22:23 |
| Paul Slatter | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Hot Fuzz, Hot Tub Time Machine | ▶ 1:32:27 |
| Rob Reiner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | This Is Spinal Tap, The Wolf of Wall Street | ▶ 57:41 |
Actors Referenced (49)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 62 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 0:27 |
| Val Kilmer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 25 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin | The Doors, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | ▶ 12:28 |
| Kelly McGillis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 24 | Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion, Chris Ryan | Witness, Top Gun | ▶ 1:41 |
| Anthony Edwards | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Jason Concepcion | Top Gun, Zodiac | ▶ 26:20 |
| Meg Ryan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Chris Ryan | When Harry Met Sally..., Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail | ▶ 12:28 |
| Migs Govea | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion | Ocean's Eight | ▶ 7:00 |
| Tom Skerritt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Jason Concepcion | Alien, Top Gun | ▶ 58:33 |
| Tim Robbins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion, Mallory Rubin | Mystic River, The Player, Howard the Duck | ▶ 18:48 |
| Robert Downey Jr. | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Jason Concepcion, Mallory Rubin, Chris Ryan | Iron Man, Iron Man 3 | ▶ 37:06 |
| Kenny Loggins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Jason Concepcion | Footloose, Caddyshack, Top Gun | ▶ 2:51 |
| Matthew Modine | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion | Full Metal Jacket, The Dark Knight Rises | ▶ 1:15:39 |
| Ahsia Pettigrew | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Mallory Rubin, Chris Ryan, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 1:22:42 |
Writers Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jerry Bruckheimer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Top Gun: Maverick, Armageddon | ▶ 20:37 |
| Christopher McQuarrie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Usual Suspects, Mission: Impossible - Fallout | ▶ 1:19:44 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 22:07 |