Heaven’s Gate is a movie of contrasts. East vs West. Rich vs Poor. Confined dark interiors vs expansive outdoor vistas. It makes sense then, that the reaction to its initial release contrasts wildly to its true quality. On a budget of $44 million dollars, Heaven’s Gate was not able to muster even $3.5 million dollars at the box office.

After escaping the jungle with his masterpiece Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola turned his attention to utilizing technological advances at his Zoetrope Studios. Initially conceiving One From the Heart as a simple romantic comedy, Coppola’s ambitions grew larger. The story became a musical, with the soundtrack composed by Tom Waits and Crystal Gale. Gene Kelly was brought in to oversee the dance number.

The Right Stuff came out to near universal praise. The film is an exhilarating look at the Mercury Seven, a group of almost mythical astronauts. These men would go on to be some of the first men to travel to space. Kaufman delivers a stunning ode to American exceptionalism that is not afraid to keep reminding audiences that the country has a long way to go still.