Top Gun (1986)
- Presented By: Tampa Theatre
- Dates: July 6, 2025
- Time: 3:00 PM
- 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FL 33602
- Price: $7-$10
Tampa Theatre
Summer Classics Film Series
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1h 49m / PG / Action, Drama
VENUE: Historic Duncan Auditorium
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The world lost Val Kilmer earlier this year after a long battle with throat cancer. The tragic news of his passing has moved many who knew him through his iconic roles on film, and as death so often does, it has also led to a reconsideration of his career. Roger Ebert once called him “the most unsung leading man of his generation.” So has the time finally come to admit that Iceman is the most fascinating movie villain of the ‘80s?
He has a character arc! Name another bad guy in a tentpole action movie from the ‘80s who has a character arc. The Joker doesn’t get an arc, as compelling as he is. Terminator 2 comes out in 1991, so that’s out. And Hans Gruber doesn’t get an arc, unless you count “downwards.” Maverick (Tom Cruise, natch) moves from loathing Iceman — justifiably — to being motivated by him to perform at a nearly superhuman peak, to finally meeting him with mutual respect and understanding. In a just world, we would’ve got a Top Gun prequel about how Iceman developed his toxic, uncompromising need for perfection when he couldn’t save his twin brother from being run over by a taxiing Cessna or something, but no. The world is imperfect, so Val Kilmer gets cancer before receiving a long-overdue career reappraisal, and all we’re left with is Firefox.
POPCORN & PRIZES: The first 50 guests to arrive for this screening of Top Gun will receive a FREE small popcorn, courtesy of Summer Classics series sponsor Bank of America. And everyone in attendance* will be entered into a drawing to win a gift basket of summertime goodies from Bank of America and Tampa Theatre, including a picnic backpack, a Corkcicle insulated tumbler, movie tickets and more!
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VIEW the full Summer Classics series, showing June 1 – August 31 at https://tampatheatre.org/movie-categories/summer-classics/.
The Summer Classics Movie Series is presented by Bank of America, series sponsor since 2015. Promotional support for the series is provided by WEDU PBS and Axios Tampa Bay.