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From Amazon.co.uk
In between the disaster movie satire Airplane! in 1980 and the hardboiled cop show parody The Naked Gun in 1988, the comedy crew of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams and David Zucker put together a picture that's almost as funny as their better-known hits. Top Secret! sends up spy movies and cheesy teen rock 'n' roll musicals. Val Kilmer stars as swivel-hipped American rocker Nick Rivers, a sort of blonde Elvis whose secret weapon is Little Richard's tune "Tutti Fruitti." On tour behind the Iron Curtain, Nick strikes blows for democracy overtly and covertly, with his music as well as his espionage skills. In short, this is a very, very silly motion picture. Some great gags, including a subtitled scene in a Swedish book shop, and an inspired bit with a Ford Pinto that not everybody may get anymore. (The Pinto, you may or may not recall, was notoriously prone to gas tank explosions when rear-ended.) --Jim Emerson, Amazon.com
Product Description
Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker and David Zucker, the team behind the smash-hit disaster movie spoof 'Airplane', this time turn their attention to Elvis musicals and spy films. Val Kilmer plays Nick Rivers, a rock 'n' roll singer on tour in East Germany who has a chance meeting with Hillary Flammond (Lucy Gutteridge) and agrees to help free her imprisoned scientist father (Michael Gough). Before he knows it he's joined the French resistance and is attempting to thwart a Communist takeover of the West.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By M. Carter
Format:DVD
Most people don't seem to know about Top Secret, but if you thought films such as 'Airplane!' and 'The Naked Gun' were funny then you should buy this film immediately - yes, it's made by the same guys, Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers and it's probably the best film that they've done together.
The jokes are incessant, frequently very funny and sometimes absolutely hilarious.
Even for an Airplane film the plot is completely loopy: Val Kilmer is an American rock star on tour in communist East Germany (although the germans all wear nazi uniforms) when he chances upon the daughter of a scientist who is being held against his will by the German army. They enlist the help of the French resistance (?), who are being led by the daughter's long-lost childhood sweetheart with whom she was stranded on a tropical island(a complete send-up of 'The Blue Lagoon').
The jokes are incessant, frequently very funny and sometimes absolutely hilarious.
Even for an Airplane film the plot is completely loopy: Val Kilmer is an American rock star on tour in communist East Germany (although the germans all wear nazi uniforms) when he chances upon the daughter of a scientist who is being held against his will by the German army. They enlist the help of the French resistance (?), who are being led by the daughter's long-lost childhood sweetheart with whom she was stranded on a tropical island(a complete send-up of 'The Blue Lagoon').
It's a completely stupid movie that never dares to take itself seriously and is one that you will watch over and over again. The dvd format makes it even more of a must buy, as you can jump straight to you favourites and watch them ad-infinitum.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
From the opening bridge smashing, train-top chase through the "what phoney dog poo" all the way to Nick Rivers scattering bikes like horses this movie serves up some of the most childish and infantile jokes the world has ever seen. And everyone of them is right on the money. Val Kilmer plays Nick an american singer in east germany who ends up on the wrong side of the law and hooks up with the french underground (yep, it's that silly) in an effort to rescue her father from a prison. "It all sounds like something out of a bad movie". Top Secret pokes fun of war movies, elvis movies, prison movies, any movie it can really even the blue lagoon! Val Kilmer's best movie to date! if you like airplane or hotshots you'll like this.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A 'cult classic' is what we're talking about here. At the time, and even now, some just won't get it.
It is interesting that Airplane!, which came before, and The Naked Gun, which followed, were huge successes and this is probably because they were more disciplined parodies of highly recognisable genres. Here, though, as in The Kentucky Fried Movie where they began, the team just let ideas run wild. Although more surreal, this is no less funny and at times is probably the best work they've done.
The songs are sublime, from a razor-sharp Beach Boys spoof to a reworded Are You Lonesome Tonight? turned into an advertising jingle. The dialogue sparkles, the jokes are terrific and the fact that Val Kilmer is taking it so seriously (he always does - and this actually makes the film funnier now that he is so well-known) just adds to the brilliance.
Who can forget the city map turning into a Pac-Man game, the giant pigeon statue or the scene with Peter Cushing, filmed entirely backwards - a scene which was ripped off by an advertising campaign for Tennants Pilsner which must have lasted a decade?
Of course, today many of the targets sent up will perhaps have been forgotten. Who now remembers Midnight Express, The Blue Lagoon, any number of cheesy Elvis, World War II and Cold War movies...perhaps even Pac Man itself?
The fact that it's so brimming with ideas will just be too much for some viewers, like a cake that's too rich. Others will be in comedy heaven.
It is interesting that Airplane!, which came before, and The Naked Gun, which followed, were huge successes and this is probably because they were more disciplined parodies of highly recognisable genres. Here, though, as in The Kentucky Fried Movie where they began, the team just let ideas run wild. Although more surreal, this is no less funny and at times is probably the best work they've done.
The songs are sublime, from a razor-sharp Beach Boys spoof to a reworded Are You Lonesome Tonight? turned into an advertising jingle. The dialogue sparkles, the jokes are terrific and the fact that Val Kilmer is taking it so seriously (he always does - and this actually makes the film funnier now that he is so well-known) just adds to the brilliance.
Who can forget the city map turning into a Pac-Man game, the giant pigeon statue or the scene with Peter Cushing, filmed entirely backwards - a scene which was ripped off by an advertising campaign for Tennants Pilsner which must have lasted a decade?
Of course, today many of the targets sent up will perhaps have been forgotten. Who now remembers Midnight Express, The Blue Lagoon, any number of cheesy Elvis, World War II and Cold War movies...perhaps even Pac Man itself?
The fact that it's so brimming with ideas will just be too much for some viewers, like a cake that's too rich. Others will be in comedy heaven.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spoof spy dvd
This is very funny better than aeroplane in my opinion, I have seen it on TV but had to get the dvd so I could watch it again and again theres always something funny you missed the... Read more
Published 24 days ago by ANTHONY PETER WARD
5.0 out of 5 stars
funny
just a very funny film! if you liked naked gun you would like this film it is a blast. a lot of fun
Published 27 days ago by Andrew Cosgrove
4.0 out of 5 stars
Child hood memory
I remember watching this with my mum when I was younger a funny film would defintely recommend watching with family and friends.
Published 1 month ago by sabi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very funny!
Same makers of Airplane films, this is a must to watch. Needed to replace my old video one and really pleased I found it on DVD.
Published 2 months ago by Ms. C. Price
4.0 out of 5 stars
A missed gem!
Naked Gun and Airplane fans must buy this - best scenes are Peter Cushing in the bookshop and the train station... genius!
Published 3 months ago by TimG
5.0 out of 5 stars
double thumbs up
awesome film thats completely stupid i love it!! and always crops up in the pub dropping in one liners with those who have seen it. a funny film most havent heard of! watch it!
Published 5 months ago by drg larkey
4.0 out of 5 stars
Delightfully Silly...
If you try and ignore this "Spy" offering from the Airplane team, you won't last long. When it's on your TV screen there'll soon be something so outrageously daft that you have to... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Tim Kidner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top secret
Very funny you have to watch over again lots to see. Every time I watch it I see something I didn't see before
Published 10 months ago by steph
1.0 out of 5 stars
Weird
I liked this movie when i was younger but now that im older i can see some horrible jokes in it now. I would not recommend this too anyone!
Published 12 months ago by Don
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny
An old film from my teens, just as funny now. Amusing watching a very young Val Kilmer in this slapstick corny comedy.
Published 12 months ago by HD
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