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'The Right St By Julie Jameson tl --a 1- ^ ' i ncic sai ^nucK i eager ai rancno uonzaiez' Dar, swallov ing his Jack Daniels and looking out at the carmel orange ( the desert dusk ? out where the demon was calling. A career in flying was like climbing one of those anciei Babylonian pyramids made up of a dizzy progression of stei and ledges, a ziggurat, a pyramid extraordinarily high an steep and the idea was to prove at every foot of the way u mat pyramid mat you were one oj the elected and anomte ones who had "the right stuff'and could move higher an higher and even ? ultimately, God willing, one day ? yo might be able to join that special few at the very top, that eli, who had the capacity to bring tears to men's eyes, the vet Brotherhood of the Right Stuff itself. So Tom Wolfe unveils the philosophy of the test pilot in h best seller, now the movie "The Right Stuff." Philip Kaufman's screenplay and direction of Wolfe's nor fiction novel "The Right Stuff" was a vivid depiction of th excitement that captured the imagination of the unquestionin A mori^on r\i i K1 in t Ko 1 O/lHr onrl ' niuvi ivaii puuiit in iiiw i /tuo auu ^ v/o. ALTHOUGH PORTRAYED by the media as flying saint living a thrilling, supersonic life of a test pilot and astronaut "The Right Stuff" delves into the imposed lives of the "flyin fraternity" and their families. It's a personal history of th events taking place during the premiere of the space age. Kaufman uses wise directorial judgment bringing Yeage (Sam Shepard) in as the centralizing theme of "The Righ Stuff." One of the most exciting, realistic action scenes in the film i: when Yeager blasts upward on the first X-l flight. The histori< event was unpublicized unlike NASA operations that had c constant trail of media mongers. The rocket violently vibrate! and the Mach meter quivers past 0.1, cracks the glass anc Yeager soars through the sound barrier. The actors are colorful depictions of real-life characters. ED HARRIS juggles two contradictory roles in two different films ? one as an abrasive army soldier in Nicaragua ir "Under Fire" and the other as the virtuous astronaut Johr Glenn. Harris is laudable as Glenn. Scott Glenn is commendable as the loner, jokester sometimes insensitive Alan Shepard, the first American ii space. The tragic life of astronaut Gus Grissom is played by Fre Ward. Ward accomplishes the gruff Grissom style, and pull off the difficult scene when Grissom loses "the right stuff" b panicking and springing the safety latch of his floating capsul too soon. PAMELA REED is superb as Trudy Cooper, the wife c Midwest rebel introdu ^^^S^^SBSSlBtStB^^Mm^ i^liM When the wall's come tumblin down Jtyin Cougar Mellencpmp refpasps his full name along with his n 'i 'i \ 'i 'i ' 't 'i'?'< 'i '? 'i'?' '< ' ''?'i 'i fi 'J Vi *1 'i 'i V? 1 'i ^ V? 'i'?Vi ' 'i \ i Vi?1111 i? i?11 < 111 uff' peaks at f ry *m mm i msm -i mmmmmmmmmmmmMmmmmaarn t HHHH||^^^^n|H| i |M > V '" :" 7 ^ " ',; _ ' r ' - - I ! ' . . ;' ' '-"' '': Men with 'the right stuff' The seven Mercury astronauts are introduced to the world med 1 Dennis Quaid as Gordon "Gordo" Cooper, Scott Paulin as Deke Sla 1 Glenn as Alan Shepard, Lance Henriksen as Wally Schirra. ' astronaut Gordon "Hot Dog" Cooper. She shows the stra of living the test pilot's wife role ? jumping at every ti ^ blowout and the terror of having a black car drive into t ^ neighborhood. She knew what it meant. She endures the t< pilot ego ? being dragged up or down the pyramid behind 1 , husband. Ie Mary Jo Deschanel as Annie Glenn accomplishes the timii ty caused by a speech impediment yet refuses to admit Vi f President Lyndon Johnson to her home the day her husbai ces full name, diverse * By Maria Baens |L, "Uh-huh." That's the n; io i anc* a^so means "you'd t Hyf This man's name is Jc : - Since 1976, he has been name given to him as a co ^'~? Hi his former manager. "Couj - notes the tough personalit ll| Only in "American F< - r " III recognize that the singer frc i Wk had come into his own. :M . . kL* tempts to reintroduce 1 f'rtuotir M*?11 <>? ?p-ir?-?i-? I THIS MOST recent alb lyrics ranging from pugnai from pointless to poignant the Midwest heartland whi acknowledge the influence Mitch Ryder, Bruce Spri Rolling Stones. ^In "Authority Song" h< tagiously vigorous defianc fight authority. Authority lost youth, "Growing up' ^W|P old and then to dying/and < "Jackie O" surprisingly / ' Mellencamp taunts high so ^ throaty voice. >.Ujm '* "Play Guitar" is liv mm 'i.ifikff backstreet advice to a younj wiwWwmM suit of "the cheerleader qui Wm&m&iJ? j, r * seems to mock himself anc $*'?&-< ^ ^as c^osen' "AH women a j0 want a phony rock star wlv BUT IN "Golden Gates ew album, Uh-Huh. award-winning rock star " i i ' i > I F op of pyramid BllWMMllMWffHniiriTlllffl flra^B^Wi-tfgggBaiKSi^g^^tf I'BfllmrWT1^^"^'^;* i lfiHHi^M?]H9^H?f?M!t?*k ul --2- --- wa& jfii 1 ' mmr ~.?y jjB^BBS^Bs&^B^^BSBBB&^B^B^BB&i^B^ESmBli^H&B^BBsSGM lia at a NASA press conference. (I. to r.) Fred Ward as Gus Grissom, /ton, Ed Harris as John Glenn, Charles Frank as Scott Carpenter, Scott in takes flight. ire It's been a while since filmgoers have been able to relish a he powerful non-fiction film. "The Right Stuff" is such a film. iSt ler Although the film is by no means complimentary to the U.S. government and does detract from the celestial aura the Ji- American public has had towards the astronauts, we tend to ice walk away from "The Right Stuff" with respect for the men [id aimed towards the moon and with a surge of patriotism. lyrics in new release phony. The song is intensely rendered. It is ime of the album slow, husky and stirring. Heartily, Mellen)etter believe it." camp sings, "Only promise 1 know to be true /are the promises made from the heart." vU n N/1/il 1xir\ ?>-? ?-* /till 1 IV-ClllI^ . John Cougar, a "Crumblin' Down," the first hit of the mmercial ploy of album, springs energetically with a driven >ar" after all con- punch. It gives the impression of someone y of most of his aware of an imminent fall, yet boldly un fazed. doI" did people You can bend me you can break me )m Seymour, Ind. But you better stand clear This year, he at- When the walls come tumblin' down limself as John When the walls come crumblin'rlmvn On the inside cover it is stated that the um is marked by album was "written arranged and recorded :ious to raunchy, during a sixteen day blow-out at THH . He is a rebel of SHACK." Though most of he songs are inevitably must noteworthy, there are three that one could ; of Bob Dylan, down like a six-pack. They are easily forgotngsteen and the ten, fiiled with lyrics that would displease any staunch feminist. e puts up a con- Mellencainp doesn't seem to care. One e as he sings "I could either treat him dubiously or take him always wins / 1 for what he is not too seriously. He is secure i young kid, and enough to try using his own name, and real ' In "Jack and enough to sell more than an image, is reminiscent of leads to growing FOR THOSE who never heard of Cougar Jying to me don't or Mellencamp, "American Fool" serves as a better introduction. Still, this follow-up album is true blue rock 4n' roll. / ? **? - . a icggac vvnn its minor defects aside, the singer/ background of songwriter still comes across with glimpses of on synthesizer, old towns, simple men with failed dreams, ciety with his cold ballad-like memories of a blue-collar past, strong rhythm celebrating earthbound rlpctinior r* A * I 1 * w^iwuva, t?iiu me iougn ana tougn beat ot ely and gritty rebellion. g man in hot pur;en." At times he The Zone, Mellencamp's band, (Ken 1 the business he Aronoff, Larry Crane, Toby Myers andM ike round the world Wanchic) gives ample support in sustaining o plays guitar." tunes that are often sharp and biting. Remember the name is John C. Mellencamp. ," the Grammy- C is for Cougar. Uh-huh. And you'd better is anything but .., believe it. I i i* i ? ; i / , , ' i ) I '