In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan, enthusiastic patriotism and the popular blockbusters of the day — the RAMBO and ROCKY franchises among them — were part of the defining Americana at the nation’s core, which is why Tony Scott’s TOP GUN became a hit, and the highest-grossing film of 1986. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the iconic aerial actioner starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis. In spirit, we dug up a June 1986 article from the American Film™ archives, featuring interviews with the cast and crew — including Cruise, who plays naval fighter pilot Maverick. Read the original article — which explains…

Last week, first and second year AFI Fellows arrived on campus, and got to hear from two of their own alumni — Ed Zwick (AFI Class of 1975) and Marshall Herskovitz (AFI Class of 1975), respectively the director/writer and co-writer of JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK. Two months ahead of its October release, the film also screened for Fellows, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers moderated by Jan Schuette. Below, see a clip from the talk where the two discuss filmmaking, and the making of Zwick’s film 1989 GLORY. Pictured above: Ed Zwick (L) and Marshall Herskovitz (R)