Many are quick to announce a particular film as important but are reluctant to consider why they stand by such a film. For me, even though there are other films that people would adamantly admit are much better I can not think of a better one in the past 25 years than THE RIGHT STUFF. Now, let me give you three reasons why (much of what I will say has already been said by Roger Ebert but I cannot word it any better).
1.) Very few movies do a better job referring to the topic of heroism and courage (two important American topics). In the beginning of the movie we see a cowboy riding through the desert as he stumbles across the X-1 plane(the first plane to break the sound barrier). By the end of the movie the seven Mercury astronauts are cheered for what they have done. Those two images say everything about the movie because they show that what we perceive as heroism has changed. The original American heroes (cowboys) were loners. The heroes of today are team players who act as public-relations people where the one or two spokesmen are the ones credited for their efforts. The fact that this movie does a great job demonstrating that our ideals have changed (no necessarily for the better or worse) is testament to how such a great American film this is.
2.) The movie manages to do a lot without going off track. It manages to be a comedy, an action-adventure film, a social and political commentary, a docu-drama, and a satire. The fact that this movie is able to do so much while, at the same time, pull it off is an incredible feat.
3.) The movie also showcases a lot of talent; Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid, Barbara Hershey, Pamela Reed, J.P. Ryan, Kim Stanley, Veronica Cartwright all give some of their best performances to date. Even some of the best films of all time have two or three standout performances. THE RIGHT STUFF has several times that number.
I think that by my three reasons I have justified why THE RIGHT STUFF is the best American film of the past 25 years.
1.) Very few movies do a better job referring to the topic of heroism and courage (two important American topics). In the beginning of the movie we see a cowboy riding through the desert as he stumbles across the X-1 plane(the first plane to break the sound barrier). By the end of the movie the seven Mercury astronauts are cheered for what they have done. Those two images say everything about the movie because they show that what we perceive as heroism has changed. The original American heroes (cowboys) were loners. The heroes of today are team players who act as public-relations people where the one or two spokesmen are the ones credited for their efforts. The fact that this movie does a great job demonstrating that our ideals have changed (no necessarily for the better or worse) is testament to how such a great American film this is.
2.) The movie manages to do a lot without going off track. It manages to be a comedy, an action-adventure film, a social and political commentary, a docu-drama, and a satire. The fact that this movie is able to do so much while, at the same time, pull it off is an incredible feat.
3.) The movie also showcases a lot of talent; Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid, Barbara Hershey, Pamela Reed, J.P. Ryan, Kim Stanley, Veronica Cartwright all give some of their best performances to date. Even some of the best films of all time have two or three standout performances. THE RIGHT STUFF has several times that number.
I think that by my three reasons I have justified why THE RIGHT STUFF is the best American film of the past 25 years.