I have no idea how many times I've seen it. A couple of times in the theater, I think. Bought it on video when it first came out... the film pioneered the affordable cost/release not too long after the theatrical run video release practice, as I recall. Bought the widescreen tape a few years ago... will probably buy the DVD, too. Sigh.
The film is idiotic. Less realistic than a Saturday morning cartoon. Makes Star Wars look intellectual by comparison. But... somehow it manages to walk that very fine line between utterly bad and rip-roaring turn-off-your-brain and rock and roll fantasy, and does so brilliantly. Many of the imitators didn't, and look pitiful by comparison.
Last fall I dated a woman who served on the carrier Lexington back in the 80s. I knew we were in for a good time when for our second date she wanted to come over, put some chicken on the grill... and watch Top Gun! We made a serious mistake, though... we turned the movie into a drinking game. Every time either one of us spotted a mistake, we called it out and took a drink of whatever kind of wine she brought. As you can imagine, between her navy service on a carrier and my being a pilot and having wasted too much time studying military aviation for one of my (useless but interesting) graduate degrees, we were fairly smashed about halfway through the film. By the end... neither of us could stand. And she busted my 1/48 scale A-4E model at one point. Worth it, though (at least, from what I can remember)!
Tonight I took a study break for my CFII checkride and put on another one of my guilty pleasure favorites... The Final Countdown. New DVD release has a much cleaned up visual and audio... great stuff. In fact, I'm such a nerd that I prefer it to Top Gun. No girls, no tinted sunset shots... just a Nimitz class carrier going through a time warp back to December 7, 1941!
Back to the books...
TM