• A triumph of confident and sturdy direction by Philp Kaufman, ensemble acting, and a fascinating narrative laid out by the Tom Wolfe novel.
  • An American epic- often, wrongly, called “the last American epic” by some critics
  • Features a brilliant oscar-winning score by Bill Conti (karate kid and rocky)
  • It takes its time—we’re 1 hour in and we’re introducing major characters casually. There’s a constant forward momentum but not an immediate action or danger that fills so many Hollywood films- I love the confidence here. There is a real story- here’s narrative weight here
  • The in-flight editing is probably the reason we have an oscar for best editing. It’s very sharp. I also love the story structure and how it is laid out with Sam Shepard’s narrative. He’s almost separate from the film. He’s the best single performance—there’s the opening 25 minute mini-story opening on the breaking of the sound barrier. Barbara Hershey is perfect as his gorgeous but also somewhat fatalistic and also slightly off mysterious wife
  • Shepard is such a figure—tall and lean and largely silent—his story is a strong bookend- it’s like a western with him riding off into the sunset—folklore… also reminiscent of the clark gable and spencer tracy test pilot film by victor fleming
  • Shot behind the shoulder of Pamela Reed with the smoke behind her and open prairie—recalls the searchers
  • Reminds me of ragtime by Milos Forman as well
  • Delves into satire at times which is a little unexpected— especially the Goldbloom scenes
  • Much of the film is a satire poking fun of the astronauts in comparison with Shepard’s bravery—the monkey montages add to this
  • Dennis Quaid is really Tom Cruise here in top gun (3 years prior of course). Cocky aviator in aviators. Ed Harris is pitch-perfect as the goody good John Glenn. So clean cut- love the scene of him with two hands up showing how competitive he is
  • Love the scene with ed harris back up his wife over the phone when she has a stutter and doesn’t to be interviewed
  • Reoccurring shot from low close up angle on astronauts—reflection in the windshield mimics 2001—there’s even the light form the controls on their face
  • Shot of the men walking together like that of the wild bunch
  • I thought the ending with the voice over (which wasn’t there before) was a little rushed.
  • The early 1960’s décor is spot on—Kennedy era
  • Highly Recommend quality- top 10 of the year