Bill Conti is the mastermind behind one of the most famous themes in movie history, that being the theme from Rocky. It was a score that should have won him the Oscar for best dramatic score but unfortunately it didn't. However, his talent for composition was recognized several years later when he won the Oscar for his marvelous score for the epic drama The Right Stuff. This score is indeed one of his best and probably after Rocky, one of his most popular as well. Many have commented on the similarities between Conti's work and the Gustav's Holst's The Planets, well d'uh! Actually, the similarity was intentional. The director of The Right Stuff, Phillip Kaufman, wanted to incorporate The Planets into the score since after all the movie is about the space program. However, the score that is presented on the CD is by no means a slightly altered version of The Planets. There are only brief pieces that resemble the symphony by Holst, all the rest is pure Conti. The score is used to highlight the heroics and exploits of America's first astronauts and it is a perfect complement to the movie. The track Yeager's Triumph is presented here in its original form, a newer version was included in the double set entitled Space and Beyond released last year. While the newer version is of a slightly faster tempo, the original version is better. The first track, Breaking the Sound Barrier and the third track The Training are both excellent renditions of the main themes and are the highlights of the score.
For those of you who are too young to remember or even recall, North and South was a mini-series about the Civil War presented on ABC in the early 80's. Even I barely recall seeing some of it, but nonetheless, the music is a sweeping epic in itself. The contrast between this and his score for Rocky or television shows such as Dynasty immediately shows the real talent that this man has. The Main Title is a romantic piece recalling the main theme from Gone with the Wind but make no mistake, this is in no way a rip-off of that theme. Seeing as how the series was on the air so long ago, I can barely place some of the music with particular scenes in the movie but it doesn't matter because they are beautiful enough to create images in your own mind.
The only drawback to this album is the fact that although both of the movies that are on the CD were over two hours long, there is less than 40 minutes of music total. There was plenty of more music that could have been included from The Right Stuff but I'm happy just the same since the best pieces are included on the CD. Released by Varese Sarabande Records, it has become harder to find, indeed, I found it after searching for about two years and then only after nabbing it before another gentleman had a chance to take it. There was an exchange of blows for rights to the CD but in the end I won and he won a bloody lip. If you can find this CD I think it is well worth getting, but for God's sake, don't fight! Can't we all just get along?
Total time: 37:13
The Right Stuff
1: Breaking the Sound Barrier (4:49)
2: Almost Ready (1:30)
3: The Training (1:20)
4: Glenn's Flight (5:23)
5: Yeager's Triumph (5:10)
North and South
6: Main Title (3:50)
7: Southern Life (1:42)
8: Love in the Chapel (4:09)
9: A Close Call (2:06)
10: Returning Home (2:17)
11: Last Embrace (3:02)
12: Final Meeting (2:28)