TunePlay - THE RIGHT STUFF (1983) Bill Conti
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- Опубліковано 11 лют 2013
- "Dear Lord, don't let me f**k up!". When audiences read the "test pilot's prayer" in Tom Wolfe's 1979 book THE RIGHT STUFF - a retrospective on America's early Project Mercury space program; it's story tethered to that of iconoclastic test pilot Chuck Yeager - they knew they weren't in for a standard dry historical treatise. A patented "Wolfe-sian" high-wire balancing act in difficult tonality, it was a look, satirical AND reverent at once, on media-influenced national mores merely FILTERED THROUGH that history.
For example, gleaned through hundreds of hours of personal interviews and research with all involved, Wolfe makes it (hilariously) clear in one chapter how early NASA medical teams charged with choosing astronaut candidates, had absolutely no idea where to start or what to try - therefore they clumsily tried EVERYthing. Yet, while still proceeding to (almost Don Quixote-like) place their lives on the line by willingly sitting atop "a huge Roman candle, then waiting for someone to light the fuse", the Mercury astronauts - in the most ironic manner - exercised the true bravery necessary to the national morale of the day. Now, while a difficult tone to capture in book form, it would prove more elusive to realize on film, which is why many considered THE RIGHT STUFF to be un-adaptable. Just as foolishly / bravely, however, two men would attempt, and they too would utter "the pilot's prayer".
In 1979 independent producers Robert Chartoff & Irwin Winkler (riding high on the success of ROCKY) purchased the rights to Wolfe's book and found a home for it at United Artists. After HEAVEN'S GATE sent UA into bankruptcy, the project was rescued by The Ladd Company (OUTLAND, BLADE RUNNER) to be distributed by Warner Bros. The first script by William Goldman (ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN) dropped Yeager to focus on the seven Mercury Astronauts, and was more "gung ho" patriotic. After directors Michael Ritchie and ROCKY's John Avildsen came and left the film, Philip Kaufman (writer on THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK; director of THE WHITE DAWN and 1978's INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS) came aboard. But he, not thrilled with Goldman's "guts and glory" take on the material, fashioned his own script more tonally in sync with Wolfe's difficult (and at times uncomfortably "sacrilegious") historical drama / satire combo. Missing one play date, and with another fast approaching, the film's "tonal balancing act" problems continued with the all important musical scoring. Original composer John Barry was dismissed, and Chartoff / Winkler old gun Bill Conti (ROCKY, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY) was called in to start from scratch with less than four weeks to THE RIGHT STUFF's world premiere at D.C.'s Kennedy Space Center.
At first at creative loggerheads, Conti was finally able to zoom in on Kaufman's intended dichotomous film "vibe" when the director presented him with a detailed "temp track" comprised mainly of Holst's "The Planets" and Henry Mancini's score to Kaufman's own arctic adventure THE WHITE DAWN. Urged to "get closer" to the temp material, Conti, while his first loyalty is always to the director, was rumored to have said, "If I get any closer, I want a disclaimer". But he pressed on. Calling himself a "worker bee", "adrenaline junkie" and "bullfighter", Conti not only delivered a simultaneously majestically classical and (at times) experimentally intimate work, but he'd also colluded with sound effects designers to create the "dragon roar" of Yeager's X-1 test craft and the "buzz" effect heard when the relentless press corps appears throughout the film. Frequently the musical director / conductor of the Academy Awards ceremony / telecast, Conti's efforts on THE RIGHT STUFF would lead to his first (and to date only) Oscar win for Best Original Score.
Of particular interest - note the energetically swirling "Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity"-like strings and woodwinds of "Breaking The Sound Barrier", the Gliere inspired (yet sinister) balalaika of "Russian Moon", and the soaring mini baroque brass fuge heard during the launch of "Glenn's Flight": multiple musical influences seamlessly combined to produce what could only be called a magnificent one of a kind "Bill Conti score". He far from f***ked it up!
CEJ
1) Breaking The Sound Barrier (0:00 of 14:59)
2) Light This Candle (4:45 of 14:59)
3) Training Hard / Russian Moon (7:30 of 14:59)
4) Glenn's Flight (9:48 of 14:59)
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The Right Stuff was a great movie about the astronauts of Mercury Project, today all of them are dead but their contribution show the path to the stars. The actors were excellent, Ed Harris was John Glenn amovie well made.
Excellent movie! Bravo America!
Those Test Pilots definitely had The Right Stuff 🇺🇸💥🇺🇸💥
I'm playing this about two months or so since Gen. Chuck Yeager passed away.
Ironically General Yeager outlived Sam Shaperd who portrayed him in "The Righr Stuff".
I remember feeling real pain when I learned John Glenn had died and it dawned on me that ALL of the SEVEN were gone. An era had ended, and a former little girl was entering old age.
I was 13 when this came out. Begged my dad to take me. It has become my all time favorite movie. Heck I even spotted Yeager in his cameo then. Tell me how many 13 year olds in 83 or even today could pick out Charles Elwood Yeager
I agree with you. Jaws was my favorite, but THE RIGHT STUFF is now above it. I would love to see it again in a theater.
This is a truly beautiful soundtrack, some of Bill Conti's finest music!
Absolutely beautiful soundtrack and an excellent movie.
Best film ever, great score.
Wonderful movie. They do not make them like this anymore!
Aeronautical advancement took many lives of test pilots, those who pushed the envelope and paid the ultimate price: Malmstrom, Bong, McGuire, McConnel, Kincheloe and many others whose names live in obscurity. BTW I worked with Col. Malmstrom's son many years ago, sadly, Jim has now joined his parents.
Inspiring history, magnificent movie, music score so fitting!
Muy buena pelicula y un fondo musical excelente
thank tou so muts one of the best movies with one of the best soundtrack greetings from Hellas [Grecce]
I agree on both counts! Thanks for the comments. And thanks for "like"-ing the GullCottage FB page. The Zerokomma UA-cam channel rules!!! Great to meet another who also loves all those great 70s era scores by Schifrin, Ellis, Shire, Williams, Fielding and others. Keep flying the creative flag high and proud bro!!!
I love this stuff❤
Thanks chief, your chanel and fb page are terrific! Glad to find some like minded people in here.Keep them awesome vids and posts coming brother!
Will do!
General Hummel before he led the Marines rebellion in The Rock...
Or just adjusting something right now but anyway we're coming back
"THE RIGHT STUFF"................FORGOTTEN..............CULT MOVIE !!!