Creative Writing Exercise #6

TOP GUN: FROM TRUMP TO TARANTINO

by Laura Lai/ Uncategorized

When I was a student, I was studying all Political Sciences’ subjects in English mainly with American professors: the courses, the seminars, the presentations, the papers – they were all in English. And I was learning from Quentin Skinner – the philosopher. Now that I’m not anymore a student, although still studying as one, I’m learning from Quentin Tarantino – his video writing master classes, his writing tips, interviews, etc. First, Quentin Skinner, then Quentin Tarantino… Life unfolds alphabetically?! If it so, then I'll get to ‘W’ from ‘Writings' Publishing’! Well, at least it looks like I kept the habit of learning from the best.

In a writing advices collections Quentin Tarantino says that the best written script is from his point of view ‘Top Gun’, directed by Tony Scott and Joseph Kosinski. He considers the writing sub-version (or subversion) as being at an art level. And I consider the writing sub-version as being very interesting now that I understood what Tarantino means by it. For my work-in-progress that is a political drama on BREXIT I can’t use this technique, because I try to be so objective that the reader to find it impossible, if possible, to guess which side I am on this political topic.  However, the technique of the sub-version dialogue is brilliant! It makes two stories – a visible one and a-between-the-lines one, also visible, but one must be Tarantino to see it – unfolding simultaneously and chronologically. Fascinating!

But it is not from Quentin Tarantino that I’ve got to ‘Top Gun’ – a movie I watched two or three times, because I do so with movies I like (‘Schindler’s List’, ‘Titanic’ etc.). At this one I like the way the story of a top fighting pilot student, Maverick (Tom Cruise), is presented. On the one side I’m watching the learning and brilliant student, his competition with other brilliant students (Iceman (Val Kilmer), for example), his beautiful friendship with Goose (Anthony Edwards), and his love story with Charlie (Kelly McGillis). And the soundtrack of this movie is sensational! From a documentary counting 7 things viewers may not know about ‘Top Gun’, I learned that the love story was completed at a later phase. Anyway, all different aspects of Maverick’s life are so well combined that I have the whole picture of Maverick as a student, who – on the other side – goes … global by engaging in a pilot fight with Russian top fighting pilots. Following this fight, Goose died. Then I followed the downfall of a young man and brilliant student wounded by his tragic loss. And I watched him rising again at the end of the movie, when he showed up at the graduation ceremony, Iceman being among the first to give him a friendly welcome.

            It is due to Donald Trump that I remembered this great movie, ‘Top Gun’, because I’m a subscriber to the ‘White House Newsletter’. The U.S. President Donald Trump has recently participated to the graduation ceremony of the Air Force Academy, where he delivered a speech. Chronologically, I first heard the speech, then remembered ‘Top Gun’, and last but not least came across Quentin Tarantino’s illuminating remarks on the-in-between-lines story unfolding as an artistic magic trick.

            And I thought: How would that be if the end of the movie ‘Top Gun’ – when Maverick shows up at the graduation ceremony – would overlap with Donald Trump’s discourse at this year Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony? Inspired by what was really said on this occasion, here is the way the overlapping would sound with the U.S. President Donald Trump taking the floor:

            ‘Thank you! Please! You just like all those brand new, beautiful airplanes that we’re                         buying!

(Laughter)

Hello, Air Force Academy! It’s been a long time since I’ve been here. And what a place! (…) I’m thrilled to be here with all of you as we celebrate the incredible class of 2019!

(Audience cheers)

And you truly make America proud. You make all of us proud. Thank you very much! Great job! Great job!

(Applause)

And I want to thank Secretary Wilson for the introduction and for her two years of service as the first graduate of this academy. And I want to thank three other remarkable former cadets….’:Iceman!

(Applause)

‘I thought you’re younger than that!

(Laughter/Applause)

Thank you! Great job! Respected by everybody.’

Maverick! Where are you Maverick? Please stand up! Get up Maverick!

(He stands up/applause)

And Goose! I would like everybody to stand up and pay respect for his tribute by taking a moment of silence.

(There is a moment of silence)

Goose, we applaud you! We salute you all!

(Applause)

‘And that is what your time at this great academy has been all about: preparing you to do whatever it takes to learn, to adapt and to win, win, win. (…) Over the past four years that’s just what you’ve done. You’ve worked. You’ve preserved – persevered. You’ve excelled. You’ve done so many things that nobody else can do. And in the end, you’ve come up on top. (…)’

(Applause)