TMT: Everyone’s Right Stuff
This is the next entry in a Theatre… a Movie… and a Time, a series that was begun here. As I’ve said before, “There are movies that you know instantly are great as you watch them…” Richard, who I’ve spotlighted some weeks ago for his Bond poster article over at Kirkham A Movie A Day, is now a regular contributor over at another fave site of mine, Fogs’ Movie Reviews. This week, he offered up a wonderful testament to what I just said of a 1983 film that fit that, care of his entry in the Movies I Want Everyone to See series.
“Had the movie been a bigger financial success, I’m sure it would have mopped up at awards time. The lack of box office tainted the film a bit so that it is critical success that defines it today rather than awards. Those of you who have read my material before know that “The Adventures of Robin Hood” and “Jaws” are my two favorite films. This would probably make my top ten list most days. More important however is the fact that this is the favorite film of my spouse of 33 years. Had I not made this recommendation I would have to answer to her.”
Theatre
Movie
Time
October 15, 1983: Movie previews…gotta love ’em. Today it seems absconding an invite to a pre-release screening means you’re in a particular age bracket. That Hollywood target audience those minions the studios task to fill such a movie house with for a particular feature. The same ones they wish to market it. Like Rich over at The Cinematic Katzenjammer, I don’t qualify these days to be singled out by those spotters hanging out at the megaplexes here at my L.A. hometown. Planted there to offer ticket buyers a chance to see ‘the next big thing’.
Century City, the commercial and residential district, having come into existence because of one notorious 20th Century film and its disastrous failure at the box office which caused the studio to sell off part of its lot to recover financially.
All for free…as long as you complete a questionnaire and/or agree to provide feedback as a test subject. They look right passed me these days. Sad. Wasn’t always like that, though. As in previous years, I had chances to these. And all via reading an ad blurb joined to a movie listing in a newspaper’s entertainment section. Ah, the good ol’ days. A decent part of the time, I ended up at Century City’s Plaza Cinema. The venue was close by to where she-whose-name-is-not-to-be-uttered and I were living (in sin as my mother may have added). She, though, again was working an evening shift that Saturday.
Of course, I was not deterred then by this. Had gone to many a movie as a single. Hell, I was young. It’d take years before someone to utter, “Look at that old guy sitting all by himself at the movies. Kinda sad, really.” Yeah, you just wait. Still, I was intrigued to see the adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s 1979 tome of the Project Gemini astronauts, The Right Stuff. A book I’d heard of, but had not read to that point. The hall, one of the twins, was fairly full that night, I recall. And I could not have cared less as I watched a movie that enthralled me to no end. A film I knew to be great, and seen before the many who would go on to ignore it when released.
The entire series can be found here. If you’re interested how it’s put together, click here.
It Rains... You Get Wet 
15 Responses to “TMT: Everyone’s Right Stuff”
Nice post. I’m a big fan of The Right Stuff. Reading this makes me want to buy the new blu-ray copy.
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Can’t wait for the BD. This is one of those films where I’ve owned the VHS, the initial DVD, and the Special Edition 2-Disc versions. There are only a few films that keep me keeping coming back, this being one. Thank you.
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That was such an awesome film and way pre CGI days. Once you have read the book, then check out the autobiography of Chuck Yeager.
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Hey, Kevin! Good to hear from you. I have read this, but still have not read Yeager’s autobiography. Need to, I reason, now that you’ve recommended it. Thanks, my friend.
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I remember the days when I was a target for the cinema trackers, now I am way out of the demographic. Those theaters in Century City were nice. Thanks for the shout out, glad to read your post here. And isn’t it a great movie?
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My pleasure, Richard. It really is a fantastic film and worthy of the label and that series. And yes, those old Century City twins (before they split them into a four-pled) were nice. I miss them. Thank you very much.
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Interesting post. ‘The Right Stuff’ was a good one; I missed the read, but was impressed with all the acting. I thought it did a great job creating the historical climate. I liked it alot better than Hanks’s film ‘Apollo 13’.
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I did enjoy APOLLO 13, but in comparison to THE RIGHT STUFF, a film Ron Howard attempted to emulate, I’ll take the latter every time for its scope and execution. Thank so much, Cindy :-).
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LOL, I think invoking the phrase “she-whose-name-is-not-to-be-uttered” was the best part of this particular post for me. 😀 I think we all know some incarnation of her…
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Right you are, Fogs. Right you are. Thanks for the read and comment, my friend.
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Ahhhhhhhh… The “She Who Must Be Obeyed” Codicil!
It’s still one of the best “Old School”, non CGI films around. Kudos to your wife!
Excellent cast and ensemble work from the days of “Our German Scientists” and “Their German Scientists”. I really enjoyed how much time was given to the wives and evil “Nurse Ratchet” prototype at the Holloman Aeromed Lab.
“Where’s the window?”
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I love those lines from the film! So, too, those scenes on the aircraft carrier with the seasick Harry Shearer and Jeff Goldblum. They’re just so many great scenes and quotes from this film. Thanks very much, Kevin :-).
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Any interest in putting this into our duo post queue? I’ve not read the book or seen the movie and I’d really like to. Might be a nice way to kick off next year…
I go to movies by myself all the time (and a lot this week due to the film fest in town) and I’ve never thought of anyone noticing me there alone. Does this mean that it’s just a matter of time before I overhear someone pitying me??? It never occurred to me that it’s weird to go to the theatre alone but Jeff would never do so and can’t believe that I actually do. I’d never really thought about it.
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Oooo…this would be a great book/film combo to examine in 2014, Rachel! I don’t think I could do it justice as Richard did, but I’m willing to re-read and re-watch this great book and film.
No, I don’t think you’ll ever gather a comment like that. It’s just us old guys this happens to ;-). Interesting to hear you’d go to movies alone, but not Jeff. Thanks very much for the read and comment, Rachel.
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ONE of the things I love about these TMT posts is that I learn about films that I may not have ever seen before. This is one of those times. Thanks for sharing your love of this one.
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