I found a movie called Pod nohama nebe during just switching between TV channels on Friday evening. What’s so special? It turned out to be Czechoslovakian communist Top Gun. It has been shot in 1983 three years before Top Gun. The funniest thing on watching was it contained the same as Top Gun, but in grey communist normalization version. Love story of a pilot and a girl from the base, the pilot who should be the best, but fights with the ghosts in his head instead, life at the base, tough but caring commanders … you name it. See a few comparisons (click to enlarge).

Opening credits

Pilots on the runway at the base

Pilot’s lockers

Femme fatale (Marketa Fiserova vs. Kelly McGillis)

Commanders in parade uniforms

Bodies on display

Cars scenes after leaving the base (this one is particularly bizarre – Skodas & Wartburgs compared to whatever what were the regular American cars of the eighties)

During my couple of minutes long watch I noticed two things which the Czechoslovakian movie featured, but original American version did not. Those might  be the difference between Czech and American movies even today – drinking and the nudity :)