“Top Gun” and the Virus

           As anyone who is anyone knows, the release

of a second Tom Cruise mega-hit “Top Gun: Maverick” has been

delayed until late in the year.

      The reason for this has been given as the shutdown

of movie theaters, which would put quite the kibosh on

attendance.

     I, however, on somewhat hazy authority have found

out that the delay has been caused by the influence the virus

has had on several scenes that were already shot.

     Checking out the trailer, it is readily apparent that

social distancing has taken a back seat in the ole cockpit.

      There is a scene, for example, when Maverick is checking out

a plane and he is actually touching the jet, apparently to

make sure the parts aren’t about to fall off. You and I know,

however, that the virus could live on a metal surface so

that touching scene is verboten. I’m sure in the re-shoot

Maverick will be eye-balling the plane and maybe giving

it a thumbs up.

     That’s not the worst of the social distancing snafus

that take place. There is a scene in which Maverick is on

a motorcycle with a female, who is not Kelly McGillis.

I liked Kelly, call-sign Charlie, in the original movie.

I assume she is not in this one because she has the virus.

I can understand that.

     But what I can’t understand is how Maverick is riding around

on a motorcycle with this other woman hanging on to him, and

the other woman is not six feet away. It would take quite a

lengthy motorcycle to make this happen, but given everything

else going on, that would be a small sacrifice. Besides, you could

probably do it digitally.

     One thing they did get right in the movie is that the pilots

are all wearing masks. These masks are used not only for

oxygen but for communication. The oxygen is used to avoid

hypoxia symptoms, which could pose a threat if you’re piloting

a plane going 600 mph and pass out. But we’re supposed to be

wearing masks in public so there’s something I have in common

with naval aviators. My call sign by the way, would have been

Nap Master, showing where my greatest strength lies. At least

someone was thinking ahead when they were shooting the film.

      I’ve learned there were six cameras in the cockpit during

some of the flying scenes. Fortunately, they are being operated

remotelyo you didn’t have to have six cameramen in front of

Maverick to get the shots and pass on the virus. And what if one

of them had to use the facility? Don’t ask.

      Ed Harris is in the movie. You remember him from Apollo 13

where he said, “Failure is not an option.” So, after getting Tom

Hanks safely back to earth, he apparently enlisted in the Navy,

where being 104 apparently is no barrier, and got a good job

behind a desk in charge of Tom Cruise.

     He tells Maverick, “You’re heading for extinction.” Harris

apparently knows something about viruses. But Maverick is

having none of this. “Maybe so, sir,” he says, “but not today.”

       Wow! Maverick must have gotten the vaccine and knows

that he’s good to go.

      So you can clearly understand now why the release of the

latest in what promises to be a series of “Top Gun” movies has

been delayed. Who knows how many re-shoots there would

have to be if Maverick catches a cold.