Movie Description
This epic chronicle of the seven pilots chosen to become astronauts for Project Mercury is based on the novel by Tom Wolfe. Deep in the desert during the 1950s, army test pilots courageously fought to break the sound barrier. These maverick men would stop at nothing to achieve winning speed. Led by their champion, Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard), they caroused at the local watering hole while sharing tales of extreme sport and bravery--until the Russians successfully sent their Sputnik satellite into the skies, and the United States government panicked, quickly launching a space program of its own. In an effort to find the right men for the job, the government searched the desert and the seas, compiling a crew of daredevil space cowboys willing to do anything for the chance to represent America in the space race. After grueling medical, physical, and psychological tests, seven men were left standing, led by American hero John Glenn (Ed Harris), test pilots Gordon Cooper (Dennis Quaid), Gus Grissom (Fred Ward), and Scott Carpenter (Charles Frank), and Navy man Alan Shepard (Scott Glenn). With the help of the media and the government, these men became overnight heroes, sacrificing their freedom and their families for the dream of space travel. This piercing exploration of the men and wives behind the mission serves as a testament to the determination of America to dominate the field of space exploration, while offering an intriguing portrait of a period in which America wanted to believe in perfect men and their perfect wives, even if the reality was vastly more complex. Philip Kaufman's gripping film also features fabulous special effects and stunning aerial cinematography.
| Credits | | Cast: | Barbara Hershey, Charles Frank, Fred Ward, Harry Shearer, Jeff Goldblum |
| Details | | Edition: | Special Edition; Two Discs | | Sound: | HiFi Sound, Stereo Sound, Surround Sound |
Notes
DVD Features:
Region 1
2-Disc Set
Digi-Pack
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Scene Specific Commentary - Philip Kaufman - Director, Irwin Winkler - Producer, Robert Chartoff - Producer Caleb Deschanel - Cinematographer, Jeff Goldblum - Star, Veronica Cartwright - Star, Scott Glenn - Star, Ed Harris - Star, Dennis Quaid - Star, and Barbara Hershey - Star.
Featurettes - 1. JOHN GLEN: AMERICAN HERO
2. Production Featurettes (3)
Deleted Scenes
Text/Galleries:
Timeline, Look for the cameo appearance by real-life pilot Chuck Yeager as a bartender.
Film was originally rated R by the MPAA but received a PG on appeal.
Editorial Reviews
Included in The New York Times "10 BEST FILMS OF 1983"
New York Times - p.II:15 - Vincent Canby (12/25/1983)
"...Rousing....Probably the brightest and the best rookie/cadet movie ever made..."
New York Times - p.C5 - Vincent Canby
"...Full of beauty, intelligence and excitement....[The film] provides a fresh, entertaining look back at the recent past....[The] cinematography is lustrous and impeccably clean..."
Variety - Cart.
"...One of the best Hollywood movies of the past 20 years..."
USA Today - Mike Clark (01/15/1993)
"...Kaufman's love for the Yaeger character pays off in the magical closing sequence of the film..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (02/16/2003)
"...Flying at its coolest..."
Entertainment Weekly - Jamie Malanowski (12/19/2003)
"[The film] delivers real exuberance....Time has been good to it."
Premiere - Andy Webster (03/01/2004)
Awards
1983Academy AwardsBest Film Editing, 1983Academy AwardsBest Film EditingTom Rolf, 1983Academy AwardsBest Original ScoreBill Conti, 1983Academy AwardsBest Sound Effects Editing, 1983Academy AwardsBest Sound
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An action-packed "historical fiction"
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