The Story of Top Gun

If you're thinking Tom Cruise or Val Kilmer, think again. The Story of Top Gun is a documentary on the real-life beginning of the "Top Gun" school in Miramar, California. Known as "the best of the best," the grad-level school prides itself on offering a 10-week grueling, multi-disciplined curriculum, especially concentrating on weapons usage and air combat maneuvering. The video explains in precise detail how the Vietnam war brought the demand for better training, as U.S. pilots were bringing down the enemy at a dismal two-to-one ratio and losing precious men and sophisticated planes at an unprecedented rate. At times, the video can go right over your head, if you're not keen on military lingo or air combat. Otherwise, it's in top form, offering a solid piece on the origins of the elite school in the larger failings of the Vietnam war. Recommended. Aud: P. (M. K. Lau)