Rating: 
Summary: Second Star To Right...And Straight On Till Morning
Review: The Right Stuff is a great film from 1983. Based on author Thomas Wolfe's book of the same name, the film chronicles the birth of America's space program, and our goal to beat the Russians to the moon. Written and directed by Phillip Kaufman, the movie highlights the pioneering spirit of the heroes behind the Mercury program, and the highs and lows they had to face, in order to reach for the stars. Heroes like Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard), John Glenn (Ed Harris), Gordo Cooper (Dennis Quaid), Gus Grissom (Fred Ward) and Alan Shepard (Scott Glenn, are all brought to vivid life by a top notch cast. At times, The Right Stuff, takes a few liberties in order to tell the story. But in the end, those times of "revisionist history", never turn the epic into any kind of sham. The film is breathtaking and it even reminded me how important the space program still is--even in the wake of the recent shuttle Columbia tragedy-perhaps, it's even more important than ever before. I am so pleased that Warner Brother's decided to celebrate the film's 20th Anniversary with a two disc DVD set. All of mojor extras can be found on the 2nd disc. The bonus material is combination of film recollections/retrospectives and actual historical footage and perspectives. John Glenn is given an in depth profile called "American Hero", The Journey And The Mission takes us inside the historical events and the film, no less than 3 more documentaries feature cast, crew members and comments from the folks who are portrayed in the film. The 13 deleted scenes are nice to see and as fan of The Right Stuff, is my favorite extra. Award notes (found on disc one),an interactive timeline of the space program, and the theatrical trailer tops off this highly recommended set that should part of anyone's DVD collection
Rating:
Summary: Historic Epic About America's Early Manned Space Program
Review: On the heels of his very successful direction of the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 1981, Philip Kaufman's next film was the Academy-Award winning, 1983 film "The Right Stuff". The film documents the training and subsequent early space missions performed by the original seven Mercury astronauts hand-selected by the infant National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) and did so with all the right plot development and acting that focused upon the men themselves. NASA's original 7 astronauts were Capt. Alan Shepard Jr. (Scott Glenn), Maj. John Glenn Jr. (Ed Harris), Capt. L. Gordon 'Gordo' Cooper Jr. (Dennis Quaid), Capt. Virgil 'Gus' Grissom (Fred Ward), Capt. Donald 'Deke' Slayton (Scott Paulin), Lt. Cmdr. Malcolm Carpenter (Charles Frank) and Lt. Cmdr. Walter Schirra Jr. (Lance Henriksen). Also highlighted in the film was test pilot Col. Chuck Yaeger (Sam Shepard), who did not get involved in the space program. Wives highlighted in the film include Glennis Yeager (Barbara Heshey), Betty Grissom (Veronica Cartwright), Annie Glenn (Mary Jo Deschanel) and Trudy Cooper (Pamela Reed). The film begins with Gordo and Trudy Cooper driving to a lonely AF base in the California desert. Gordo is thrilled with the opportunity to be a test pilot, but Trudy isn't as thrilled. At the base and the nearby bar, Pancho's Happy Bottom Riding Club run by Pancho Barnes (Kim Stanley), they meet Chuck Yaeger and his wife Glennis. On the wall at the bar are pictures of test pilots killed at the nearby AF base. It is also where the pilots routinely drink themselves into a stupor. The newly formed NASA sends representatives to the AF base (and other locations) in search of potential astronaut candidates. Chuck Yaeger isn't interested, but Gordo is. Gordo leaves to be tested and meets other potential candidates. The seven are eventually chosen after grueling physical, mental and medical testing and start their training to become the nation's first astronauts. The film shows several Mercury launches as well as flight tests conducted by Yaeger and other test pilots. Memorable scenes in the film include Yaeger breaking the sound barrier, Gordo's arrival at the AF base, astronauts hurriedly walking through hospital corridors holding their red bags, other medical testing scenes, Alan Shepard before his first Mercury launch, and Grissom's controversial splashdown. At just over 3 hours, the film may seem long to some; but the very exciting and engaging plot and superb acting maintains the attention of most viewers. The film won 4 Oscars for Best Sound Effects, Best Editing, Best Original Music and Best Score. The film was also received Oscar nominations for Best Picture (it lost to "Terms of Endearment"), Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actor (Sam Shepard, who lost to Jack Nickolson for "Terms of Endearment") and Best Art Direction. Overall, I rate "The Right Stuff" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. It is an epic and historical film that may not present everything with 100% accuracy, but certainly captures the very human side of America's successes and failures to send men into space.
Rating:
Summary: The difference between a documentary and a film
Review: If I want to see it EXACTLY as it really happened, I'll head on over to my library and check out any number of documentaries put together on the early days of the Space Program. This review is aimed at the people who have problems with certain innacuracies within the film's story line. Film, even of the historical nature, is at least somewhat about drama. If you watch a movie like The Right Stuff and you are surprised or taken aback by certain details that you know to be innaccurate, you are missing the point. The reason that historical films often contain alterations in fact here and there is the same reason that a band should never cover a famous song unless they think that they can do it better or add an interesting new flavor to it. The early days of the Space Race were exciting, and to alter certain facts to maximize the drama of a movie (and don't forget, it is just a movie) is far from insulting. As a young child, one of my favorite movies was The Right Stuff. I loved the excitement, the characters, and the notion that what I was watching meant a great deal to a lot of people. Years later, even after I learned that the real Jack Ridley died in the middle of the movie's depicted timeline or that John Glenn's ship was not actually guided home by fireflys (which, by the way, only an idiot would think the movie was acutally trying to depict) I still love the movie. It's entertainment, and, believe it or not, most of it really happened. If you've got a bone to pick with the Right Stuff, you've got a bone to pick with every historical film ever released, because part of what makes it a film, or a movie, or whatever you want to call it, is that it does not, and will not ever stick solely to the facts. If it did, why would anyone ever want to watch it when they could just watch some documentary. You don't have to agree, but I think that The Right Stuff is a great movie, fun, informative, and timeless. Five out of Five.
Rating:
Summary: New Stuff
Review: The Right Stuff is Phillip Kauffman's sprawling three-hour epic about the Mercury Space Program. Based on Tom Wolfe's amazing book, the movie is a visual stunner with a top-notch ensemble cast. Sam Sheperd stands out as Chuck Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier. He portrays Yeager as a cowboy who flies jets instead of riding horses. Mr. Sheperd gives a cool and impressive performance. Ed Harris first sprang to attention with his performance of John Glenn. He gives a gentle and passionate performance and the scenes with his wife (who was hearing-impaired) are touching. Fred Ward gives a blustery and gruff performance as Gus Grissom who appears to be on the verge of cracking after his space launch goes awry. Scott Glenn adds a touch of humor to film as Alan Sheppard the first American in space. Dennis Quaid is brash and cocky as Gordo Cooper. This 20th Anniversary two disc special edition is an immediate upgrade over the original dvd, which was one of the first films to be released in that format. The film is perfectly suited for the dvd landscape and while the picture quality was excellent on the original release, the digital transfer adds depth and scope to the film. The real bonus is the 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. The film won four Academy Awards and two were for Best Sound and Best Sound Effects and the remastered audio increases the powerful and majestic tones of the film in home viewings. The extras are great for any space program aficionados as there are interviews with the real life astronauts from the film.
Rating: 
Summary: This Space For Rent
Review: THE RIGHT STUFF chronicles the MERCURY space program like FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON did for the APOLLO program. And this 3 hour film could at times have been broken down into different episodes. Director Philip Kaufman has a great handle on the production, bouncing between high adventure, home spun drama and light comedy (Jeff Goldblum and Harry Shearer play roles worthy of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy). Surprisingly light and bouncy, the film avoids being a drama and comes in as a family adventure, one with enough Americana to be brought out every Fourth of July. The pilots and astronauts put in a great ensemble performance with playwrite SAM SHEPHERD as Chuck Yeager and ED HARRIS as John Glenn giving a much needed depth to the film. Harris' portrayal of Glenn's marriage is one of great over-the-top understanding. The film is filled with a mix of actual NASA footage, miniatures and models (All well done but can't compare with things accomplished today...) This excellent film is at time a bit too quirky, like an overlong mystical visit with some aborogines and a cartoony Lyndon Johnson throwing a huge texas party which includes a rather long "fan dance". the film transfer is nice but there is nothing extra and since the film is a long one, you do have to flip the disc over during play. This, along with APOLLO 13 and FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON will make for great rainy day Saturday matinee material.
Rating:
Summary: Lavish Epic
Review: Timeless saga of the founding of the US space program, thrilling written and directed by Philip Kaufman. All the components work beautiful together...amazingly cast and executed with both heart and humor. It's impossible not to be moved and inspired by this patriotic and important historical recreation. Some say the wives' roles are thankless, but I disagree. While they are small, supporting parts, they are important and beautifully acted. Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid and Jeff Goldblum in a small role all turn in exceptional great performances. The DVD is jam packed with additional special features which make this a must-have for your collection.
Rating:
Summary: FABULOUS
Review: "The Right Stuff", based on Tom Wolfe's book and directed by Phillip Kaufman, was a wonderful American story about the Mercury space program that told the tale of U.S. pilots just brimming with gusto, bravado and...the right stuff. STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM
Rating: 
Summary: A pathetic excuse for a film.
Review: This film is just plain BAD. Every single story depicted in the film is falsified and primitively "sexed up" to fit the narrow minded views of it's producers. I especially hated the way they treated Chuck Yeager - it is just plain disrespectful!
It is because of films like that (add the pathetic "Apollo 13" and "From the Earth to the Moon" to this list of shame), that the general public has so little interest in space exploration.
Instead of squeezing out crap like that, they should make documentaries, talk to real people, tell their REAL story, finally show some of those 1000s of miles of documentary footage that they have collecting dust in the archives. It sure would be more interesting than their cheesy "special effects" and family squabbles.
Rating:
Summary: "Spam in a can!"
Review: When The Right Stuff came out in 1983 it was a big hit with critics but failed to get off the launch pad with audiences. The film disappeared off of almost everyone's radar for the next ten years, only appearing semi-regularly on cable movie channels. After a clunky movie-only DVD (spread over two sides of a single disc), The Right Stuff has finally been given its due respect with a fantastic two DVD set. The second DVD features two scene specific audio commentaries. This is a recent trend that eliminates dead air by only showing footage from the movie that features comments from the participants. The first track features a good portion of the cast, from the major players like Ed Harris and Dennis Quaid, to minor ones like Donald Moffat and Pamela Reed. The track starts off appropriately with Chuck Yeager's comments on the factuality of the scene where he breaks the sound barrier. The cast all tell good stories about making the movie and one gets the impression that the actors who played the astronauts really bonded while filming-a connection that still stands today. The second track features select crew from the movie. It is more informative and technical in nature. "Realizing The Right Stuff" is an excellent retrospective documentary on the making of the film, from the optioning of Tom Wolfe's book to the end of principal photography. The cast and crew tell all sorts of fascinating stories, however, the difficulties with William Goldman's initial drafts of the screenplay are not even mentioned (for more on this check out Tom Charity's BFI book). "T-20 Years and Counting" documents the post-production process. This was before CGI and so all the special effects were achieved simply, using models and other low tech methods with results that still hold up today. "The Real Men with The Right Stuff" puts the film in its proper historical context and takes a look at the real astronauts of the U.S. space program. "Additional Scenes" is ten minutes of footage that was cut from the movie. It is obvious why these scenes were cut but should be of interest to fans. The "Interactive Timeline to Space" provides vintage footage from important dates in the history of the space program right up to the tragic Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. "John Glenn: American Hero" is a feature length PBS documentary on the famous astronaut and takes a look at his life and his most recent achievement of being the oldest person in outer space. The Right Stuff is an important film whose legacy can be felt even today. Without it, there would have been no Apollo 13 or Contact. This forgotten film has finally been given a decent DVD treatment and hopefully this will lead to renewed interest.
Rating: 
Summary: Mercury YES, Right Stuff NO
Review: This movie suprised everyone by NOT becoming a hit... and it was a failure because of the "film makers" who worked behind the camera on this film. The acting on this film is excellent, there are many highly tallented actors in this movie...the fact it stinks is not their fault. This movie is NOT APOLLO 13, nor is it FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON. Those are 5 star hits...largely because Tom Hanks and Ron Howard worked very very hard to keep their films ACCURATE. The true stories of the early space program are better than anything that Hollywood can produce.
Tom Wolfe's book, on which this film was based, is a wonderful read, I highly recomend it. It is filled with lyrical writing and poetic images... none of which translated well into the film.
Rather than simply tell the TRUE story of this incredible time, the "film makers" tried to capture some of Wolfe's imagery... and were about as sucessful as Custer was at Little Bighorn. They never decided if they wanted to tell the story of the space program as it REALLY was; or to turn this film about the very real men and women who worked on PROJECT MERCURY into some sort art piece full of bad lighting and mythic symbolisim...so they tried to do both...thus making a great book about truly heroic men into the sort of undirected self-indulgent mess you expect from someone in their first year of film school. As someone who was raised around the Space Program I actually found much of this movie insulting...at the climax it is impled that John Glenn's sucessful re-entry was the result NOT of the long hours put in by the hardworking people at McDonnel-Douglas who built FRIENDSHIP 7, nor the cool and calm efforts of the folks at NASA who controlled the flight, nor Glenn's (literally) ace piloting skills...no this moive implies that it was an unknown Australian aborignal witch-doctor who "chanted" Glenn home!!
The men (and now women) who had "THE RIGHT STUFF" in REAL life were serious hardworking engineers as well as being calm and unflappable test pilots. They were "steely eyed missile men", who thought logically and rationally, they LITERALLY "did the math" every day. What they DIDN'T do was wander around wallowing in self-indulgent angst about the mythcal symbolisim of what they do...they were to busy REALLY DOING IT! Apparently the "film makers" never did "GET" that key point...fortunately the much more tallented Tom Hanks and Ron Howard did, go see their work instead. Don't waste your money on this. Buy and read THE BOOK the Right Stuff- it is a fantastic first rate read! Buy FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON, or APOLLO 13 on DVD if you want to see something fun and exciting and real, and if you want science fiction buy COWBOY BEBOB THE MOVIE...but this movie is NOT the "right stuff". Avoid it.
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