DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Top Gun: Special Collector's Edition (Highly Recommended) (1 Viewer)

[Steve Christou]

[rant]"Take my breath awaaaaaaaaaaaaaay"[/rant]

Top review Scott. A time capsule of 1980's Reagan era. Great picture, sound and packed with extras too? I'm in.

 

[Aaron Thorne]

This was the first movie I saw in a movie theater. I think I was 4 when it came out. What year was this movie released anyone?

Thanks for the info on the best buy bonus disc, Charlie. I'll definitely be picking this one up!

 

[Ernest Rister]

1986. First summer that I could drive. Having always depended on others to drive myself to the movies, you can imagine how much fun I had. Went crazy. I think I saw every movie released that summer. I saw Top Gun and Aliens six times each -- at the Arbor in Austin, back when THX was brand new and the Arbor was *the* premiere theater in Central Texas. The sound for both films was stunning. I still remember the floor shaking from the subs, and thinking that someone had just backed into the building with their truck.

 

[Sean Moon]

Well damn. I was going to wait and get this after the new year, but hearing Charlie's comments about the best buy disc means I will have to get it first day methinks.

I am REALLY mad at Charlie DeLauzirika right now. First, he had to go and make really good supplements on the Spider Man 2 DVD and force me to make a decision on whether to get both versions of that film, but I couldnt pass up his quality work.

Now he goes and delivers another special edition that looks absolutely stellar only a few weeks later? What is my wallet ever going to do!!? I will never forgive you Charlie, for tempting me so much with those damn fine wares you are peddling to us

 

[Allan^L]

Hey, at least Top Gun is cheap. It's selling for $13.99 here in Canada at Best Buy & Future Shop.

 

[Tim Glover]

Well said Sean. Damn you Charlie

BTW Sean, I went ahead and doubled up on Spider-Man 2 as well. :b

 

[AnthonyL]

Charlie, do you know if BestBuy in Canada will have the bonus disc? I hope so otherwise I'll have to go down to the States. I was checking Bestbuy.ca and future shop online and there was no DTS listed only the Dolby Digital 5.1. I hope this is a misprint and Canadians don't get shafted again.:frowning:

 

[IanS]

Anthony,
As you know, FutureShop does from time to time not list all the features on the DVD's.

All we will have to deal with is the bilingual packaging....and does anybody know how " Top Gun" translates into French as this is what we will see on the front of the case....

 

[Jordan_E]

DTS?! Oh dang, I'm all over this one now! I was going to pick it up anyway, but this just sweetens the deal.

 

[Aaron Thorne]

Yea, me too!

 

[Nelson Au]

Cool, thanks for the review, I just found it.

One thing that I was always wondering about. When the Laserdisc first came out and it was one of the early AC-3 titles then, reviews about it's audio mention something I still cannont hear on my LD and first DVD.

The review at that time said that during the bar room scene, when Maverick is trying to sing That Lovin' Feeling to get Kelley McGillis's attention, the reviews raved about how as the other pilots chime in the song, the rear channels are slowly filled in with their singing. It's a nice slow build up to full 5 channel envelope of singing. I don't get that effect. I haven't tried that LD in a long while, maybe I should.

Does the new DTS track replicate this effect? I'm sure the flying sequences will be cool, but the subtle stuff is really cool too.

Nelson

 

[Joe Reinwald]

There's so much to say about this movie! It's not in the top 10 by any means, but not having a good version of Top Gun for this long long is like eating a sandwich without bread. When's the last time you saw people like Tom Skerritt and Michael Ironside play "cool" people?

 

[Gary Seven]

Hmmm... this is the first time I've ever heard of the LD aspect ratio being different than the subsequent DVD releases (it was 1.85:1). Is 2.40:1 right?

 

[MikeEckman]

Great news! I have been anticipating this release for quite some time. I remember back in the Laserdisc days, Top Gun was a frequently demoed copy for surround sound. Then when DVD came out, there were so many other films that were more worthy of demo material. Although this film is too old to really demo alongside the likes of Lord of the Rings, or The Fifth Element, I will gladly display this one in my home theater.

Now, hopefully Paramount will give similar anamorphic and DTS treatment to the sequel...Days of Thunder!

 

[DougFND]

Nice review. I'm seriously considering picking this one up, though the AC-3 LD has been my favorite demo for a long time now and I'll be sad to replace it (I'm still having a hard time letting go of laserdisc ).

Any mention anywhere about the sequel that was announced several years ago? I don't recall where or how, but I heard that Cruise's production company was working on a sequel. I'm sure it's never going to happen now, I'm just curious what put a stop to it.

 

[Scott Kimball]

There is mention in the documentary that executives at Paramount approached the editors to get any unutilized flight footage so that they could make a sequel on the cheap - without having to acquire more flight footage. When they found out that virtually every scrap of useable footage went into Top Gun, any thoughts for a sequel went on the back burner due to the expense.

 

[Hank]

Top Gun was filmed in Super 35mm. I don't know whose descision it was to re-frame the widescreen LD or the previous DVD. I'm glad that with this new DVD release we get in the correct aspect ratio of 2.40:1. Now only if Francis Coppola would re-release Apocalypse Now with the 2.40:1 apsect ratio, but that is another story.

 

[Michael Coate]

From Script To DVD's "December DVD Trivia" is TOP GUN. It's a pretty easy question... if you love the movie.

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/top_gun_dvd_trivia.htm

 

[Lewis Besze]

The LD was some odd 2:1 aspect ratio,just like Apocalypse Now.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Especially since AP was filmed anamorphically, and we're actually losing picture on the sides that was there in theaters.

As for Top Gun, I'm glad it's finally being presented in the correct ratio. I just hope it won't seem too cramped for some who are used to the 2:1 ratio on the old LD and DVD.