In 1929, US Army Air Corps Colonel John A. Macready approached John Bausch and Henry Lomb, Rochester-based medical equipment manufacturers, with his idea. He wanted to create aviation sunglasses that would reduce the distraction for pilots caused by the intense blue and white hues of the sky. He was concerned with how pilots’ goggles would fog up at high altitudes in the sky. The first glasses known as ‘Anti-Glare’ were created in 1936. They had plastic frames and green lenses that could cut out the glare without obscuring vision.
In 1937, the design was improved with a metal frame and patented as the Ray-Ban Aviator, because the glasses “banned” sun rays and were designed for pilots. The sunglasses were popular at the beginning, but by the 70s and 80s, they diminished in popularity to the more popular disco-style sunglasses. After Tom Cruise wore a pair of Aviators in Top Gun, their sales rose by 40%. They once again were popular and have since been a huge name in sunglasses.
A Second Script
In June 2017, Cruise announced that “Aviators are back, the need for speed. We’re going to have big, fast machines. It’s going to be a competition film, like the first one…but a progression for Maverick.” Cruise's hotshot pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell grows into a flight instructor overseeing a diverse cast of pilots, including the first woman pilot (played by Monica Barbaro).
Musician Kenny Loggins has also confirmed that his iconic song "Danger Zone" is featured in the film. Maverick reunites with his nemesis Tom "Iceman" Kazansky played by Val Kilmer.
The Top Gun Bar
Even today, it's possible to drink, dance, and sing at the bar where Maverick and Goose sang to their dates. The scene was shot at a real bar called Kansas City BBQ located on Harbor Drive in San Diego, California. The bar is still functioning today.
While a fire in 2008 destroyed a lot of memorabilia, the original piano is still there, and you can buy "Top Gun" t-shirts. The biggest "Top Gun" fans flock to visit the bar for a chance to stand where Goose and Maverick once stood during this timeless scene. We’re sure that when the crew members were bonding, they'd frequent the bar during their party days in San Diego.
$10,000 an Hour
The shots while on the aircraft came with quite the hefty price tag to film. While aboard the USS Enterprise, there were several different types of aircraft including F-14 squadrons, VF-114 Aardvarks, and VF-213 Black Lions. However, all of these planes didn't come cheaply. Every hour of flight time with an F-14 costs Paramount $10,000. But, this was only a small part of what it cost to make the film. All in all, the film cost $15 million to produce, which today is the equivalent of $32 million. Considering the film's eventual revenue, that's quite the budget and totally worth the $10,000 per hour of flight time.
Because of the big investments that Paramount needed to make for "Top Gun", the US Government was reportedly interested in helping to subsidize the production costs. “The Pentagon worked hand-in-hand with the filmmakers reportedly charging Paramount Pictures just $1.8 million for the use of its warplanes and aircraft carriers,” The Washington Post wrote.
Ally Sheedy Missed Out
Kelly McGillis wasn't the first to be chosen for the role of Charlie. Originally, the director sought out Ally Sheedy but she turned it down. She didn’t think that the film would do well at all. She even said in an interview “Who wants to see Tom Cruise flying around in an airplane?”
Obviously, she couldn't have been farther from the truth in her beliefs after seeing that the movie became a huge commercial success that immortalized the film’s characters and helped launch the careers of those involved in the project. After the film was released, Sheedy regretted her decision deeply and vowed to never again judge a role by herself.