We don’t recall if this was news when the original “Top Gun” was released in 1986 or if it was some other movie; we know we read somewhere recently that Marvel Studios worked in cooperation with the Defense Department. For those too young to remember those “controversies” or who just can’t be bothered to care, Alan MacLeod says he has documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request proving that “Top Gun: Maverick” is Pentagon propaganda.
New from me:
"Top Gun: Maverick" is Pentagon propaganda. And these FOIA'd documents prove it. https://t.co/E3xm0trQZw
— Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) June 14, 2022
MacLeod writes:
The production agreement between the Department of Defense (DoD) and Paramount Pictures is an explicit quid pro quo. In exchange for all manner of technical support and access to military equipment and personnel, the Pentagon was allowed to “[a]ssign a senior staff, post-command Officer to review with public affairs the script’s thematics and weave in key talking points relevant to the aviation community.”
…
In essence, then, the movie functions as a two-hour 11 minute-long recruitment ad for the military. As one recruiter told Fox News, “We want to take advantage of the opportunity to connect not just the movie and the idea of a military service, but the fact that we’ve got jobs and we’ve got recruiters waiting for them.”
"Top Gun: Maverick" is a box office smash.
But few moviegoers know that it was made as a result of an agreement between Hollywood and the Pentagon whereby the latter would be allowed to "weave in" key pro-war "talking points" into the movie. pic.twitter.com/mSNhkV0cRe
— Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) June 14, 2022
We don’t see “pro-war” in that highlighted section, but OK.
reporting coup of the year here, about time someone blew the lid off the illusion that the billions of dollars of hyper realistic military equipment featured nonstop in this film were in fact genuine and supplied by the actual military https://t.co/h068MsI5nm
— kilgore trout, death to putiner (@KT_So_It_Goes) June 14, 2022
the 80s called, they want their "breaking news" back pic.twitter.com/zq4KAvQW5n
— Kevin Sorbet – @kevinsorbet (@kevinsorbet) June 14, 2022
Is this really “new”? Doesn’t everyone know the military and Pentagon are involved in Hollywood? The famous stat from the first Top Gun was the number of people applying to be in the Navy/Air-force skyrocketed after the release…
— Sean Ryan (@therealseanryan) June 14, 2022
This is literally not a secret, my man.
— Dave Chadwick (@DChadwickAuthor) June 14, 2022
This isn’t new. Just because you only discovered it doesn’t mean it’s not been the case since the early days film. Silent movie that won the first best picture Oscar was made with War Department assistance in 1927. pic.twitter.com/l4We5RuG1f
— ewrpex87 (@Njbeacbum45) June 14, 2022
This was never covered up. TheDoD is quite open about all of this!
— Allison Churchill (@Aloe9678) June 14, 2022
So you’re saying they didn’t make those billion dollar fully functional aircraft carriers themselves?????
— U.S. SpaceLawyer in France (@USSpaceLawyer) June 14, 2022
It is very funny to me you felt like you had to prove this, it’s one of the most self-evident things about the movie, did anyone think they just built their own F-18s
— Societal Scrobbler 🌈 (@THE_DKCash) June 14, 2022
Yeah, we all knew this.
— Maxx ☮️🇺🇦 (@maxxhoff) June 14, 2022
Now do every other military themed movie this centruy.
— Brent aka Blacklion (@BlacklionCTA) June 14, 2022
Surely you'll be a shoe in for a Pulitzer with this kind of ground breaking, cutting edge investigative work… pic.twitter.com/w0Hc1Itech
— Coke (@CRMCoke) June 14, 2022
Good job, Columbo👍🏽
— Charles Decker (@ARealCharles) June 14, 2022
Wow! This definitely sets the bar in investigative journalism. You're a hero.
— Huff (@Huff8471James) June 14, 2022
Um. So was the original.
That's a hell of a scoop.
— Eric Trautmann (@mercuryeric) June 14, 2022
In related news, sun to rise in east. Your breathtaking "scoop" is nothing of the sort. This is standard practice for any movie that wants Pentagon support and has been for DECADES. The movie makers are free to make any movie they want without Pentagon support.
— Beau Geste (@BeauGeste11) June 14, 2022
Might want to take a good look at the Harlem Globetrotters next. I think those games may be fixed.
— Thoughts Ajar (@jar2theWorld) June 14, 2022
You needed FOIA to figure that out? It’s standard practice for the Pentagon to review scripts any time military hardware is used in a movie. Of course they’re gonna make themselves look good. Movie still kicks ass propaganda or not.
— Steve Tiemann (@Stove501) June 14, 2022
Its literally in the documentary about making the first movie about the navy having script approval.
— Tom O'Maolfhabhail (@subrettt) June 14, 2022
This is known and has been for decades. Any use of military assets requires approval from the DoD. In fact, any non-commoditized product use is probably going to require negotiation with the manufacturer.
— drivingmenuts (@drivingmenuts) June 14, 2022
I bet you actually believed this was a) shocking information and that b) people would care
— Behemoth & Leviathan, LP (@harkov311) June 14, 2022
Hollywood works with the Pentagon all the time — it’s generally a win-win situation. The studio gets access to billions in military hardware and the armed services get some screen time.
Related:
It appears Maverick's iconic jacket in the 'Top Gun' sequel was changed to appease Chinese audiences https://t.co/qt2zx10kbi
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 19, 2019
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