"Highway to the danger zone"

First, a prologue:

"On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to insure that the handful of men who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world. They succeeded. Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it: TOP GUN."

Cue Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone." It's time for "Top Gun."

Inspired by Ehud Yonay's 1983 article on elite fighter pilots in California, "Top Gun" follows the adventures of Maverick (Tom Cruise), an up-and-coming pilot whose ego often gets in the way of his common sense.

With wingman Goose (Anthony Edwards) by his side and rival Iceman (Val Kilmer) watching his every move, Maverick aims to proves he's the hottest Navy flyer in the air.

Oh yeah, and there's a cute civilian instructor (Kelly McGillis) to woo.

Some moviegoers may not care for "Top Gun's" politics, or its less-than-subtle undertones of homoeroticism. (Quentin Tarantino discusses the subject brilliantly in "Sleep With Me.")

But let's face it, people.

This is a classic flick -- a high-flying action movie with a killer soundtrack, made when Tom Cruise was still sane and Kelly McGillis was the hottest chick in a flight jacket.

There's also a Central Coast connection: McGillis got her start at the Great American Melodrama in Oceano.

To paraphrase a quote from the film: "Top Gun," you can be my wingman any time.

"Top Gun" screens tonight at the Fremont theater, 1025 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo.

The movie starts at 7:30 p.m., following a half-hour of trivia and prizes. Tickets are $7.50.

-- Sarah L.

("Top Gun" DVD cover courtesy of Movieweb.com)