Certainly, Tony Scott’s “Top Gun – They Fear Neither Death nor the Devil” is a true classic of 80s action cinema, with excellent dogfight moments and a brilliant performance by Tom Cruise, who launched himself into the A-league of the world pushed. Hollywood stars catapulted. But there is another part that made the film an absolute film cult: “Top Gun” is an erotic firework that always crackles.
And by that we don’t mean the relationship between Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood (Kelly McGillis), although sparks fly here too. No, we’re talking much more about the homoerotic moments in “Top Gun” – and there are a lot of them…
Currently you may find one of the most erotic action hits of the 80s on your Netflix subscription. But if you have it on your list, you have to be quick now, because the cult film is only available there until January 14, 2024. It is currently unclear if and when “Top Gun” will return to the streaming giant with the red “N”.
The beach volleyball scene is pure sex!
It is not without reason that ‘Top Gun’ has become a cult film in the gay community. The camaraderie and playfulness in the locker room, the challenging eye duels or the constant showdown between Maverick (Tom Cruise) and Iceman (Val Kilmer) are moments that drip with homoerotic undertones. And of course the legendary shirtless beach volleyball match should not be forgotten here: tight muscles and sweaty upper bodies. And the audience at this sporting event also consists entirely of men. Could it be a coincidence that the song “Playing With The Boys” accompanies this iconic screen moment?
The ambiguously readable dialogues also contribute decisively to the subliminal crackle: Statements like “I want someone’s ass, I want it now!”, “You can be my wingman anytime.” or the dialogue “This is giving me a boner! – Do not tease me!” speak a clearly ambiguous language, of which authors Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. must also have been aware. Unfortunately, such undertones disappear almost completely in the German dub.
“Top Gun” is just pure sex, so it’s no wonder the movie is still revered like a cult even after all these years. Unfortunately, the sequel “Top Gun: Maverick” cannot keep up with its predecessor in this regard, but that does not make it a worse film. Because it manages to compensate for its “erotic shortcomings” with high-octane action, making it one of the most gripping genre entries of recent years, especially in cinema, and there’s a successful beach football scene to top it all off!