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First Man

HoustonCuse

2020-21 Iggy Winner Lead Scorer & Post Season Rcd
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Neil Armstrong biopic, coming out October 12 (if I missed an existing thread on this, I apologize). I was able to see it last night at a special event. Armstrong is a tough character to play because he was very introspective, even almost aloof. He was so level headed and calm that there isn't a chance for any extremes in playing the character. Gosling does a fantastic job with it though. This is very different from the typical space movie. I'd call it powerful, kinetic, and emotional. Definitely worth seeing.

 
Neil Armstrong biopic, coming out October 12 (if I missed an existing thread on this, I apologize). I was able to see it last night at a special event. Armstrong is a tough character to play because he was very introspective, even almost aloof. He was so level headed and calm that there isn't a chance for any extremes in playing the character. Gosling does a fantastic job with it though. This is very different from the typical space movie. I'd call it powerful, kinetic, and emotional. Definitely worth seeing.

I am a little put off by them not showing the American flag being planted on the moon. (I guess it would hurt sales abroad but it is history
 
I am a little put off by them not showing the American flag being planted on the moon. (I guess it would hurt sales abroad but it is history

Let me address that. It's completely overblown. While it is true that they don't show the actual planting of the flag, they do clearly show the flag on the moon several times. It makes perfect sense; planting the flag on the moon wasn't like Iwo Jima, it was a slow process of assembling the bracket and hammering the pole into the ground - an activity that didn't go very well and took more time and effort than they expected.

Further, the American flag is shown prominently throughout the film, in all the correct places on space suits, rockets, buildings, etc. Everywhere it is supposed to be - it is there - big and bold. They go out of their way in one scene to cut to the Saturn V rocket three different times to show 1. Large US Flag on first stage, 2. Large USA on first stage, 3. United States label on second stage.

I would tell you not to believe the hype on this particular point. The movie leaves no doubt who accomplished the feat of sending people to the moon. I think Gosling and the director fueled this fire with a poorly chosen answer to a question they got in a press junket, but the film doesn't shy away from the stars and stripes.
 
Let me address that. It's completely overblown. While it is true that they don't show the actual planting of the flag, they do clearly show the flag on the moon several times. It makes perfect sense; planting the flag on the moon wasn't like Iwo Jima, it was a slow process of assembling the bracket and hammering the pole into the ground - an activity that didn't go very well and took more time and effort than they expected.

Further, the American flag is shown prominently throughout the film, in all the correct places on space suits, rockets, buildings, etc. Everywhere it is supposed to be - it is there - big and bold. They go out of their way in one scene to cut to the Saturn V rocket three different times to show 1. Large US Flag on first stage, 2. Large USA on first stage, 3. United States label on second stage.

I would tell you not to believe the hype on this particular point. The movie leaves no doubt who accomplished the feat of sending people to the moon. I think Gosling and the director fueled this fire with a poorly chosen answer to a question they got in a press junket, but the film doesn't shy away from the stars and stripes.
Never happened. It was all staged in Hollywood. Fake news.
 
Let me address that. It's completely overblown. While it is true that they don't show the actual planting of the flag, they do clearly show the flag on the moon several times. It makes perfect sense; planting the flag on the moon wasn't like Iwo Jima, it was a slow process of assembling the bracket and hammering the pole into the ground - an activity that didn't go very well and took more time and effort than they expected.

Further, the American flag is shown prominently throughout the film, in all the correct places on space suits, rockets, buildings, etc. Everywhere it is supposed to be - it is there - big and bold. They go out of their way in one scene to cut to the Saturn V rocket three different times to show 1. Large US Flag on first stage, 2. Large USA on first stage, 3. United States label on second stage.

I would tell you not to believe the hype on this particular point. The movie leaves no doubt who accomplished the feat of sending people to the moon. I think Gosling and the director fueled this fire with a poorly chosen answer to a question they got in a press junket, but the film doesn't shy away from the stars and stripes.
That's really good to hear. I don't think over the top flag worship is a requirement of a patriot (or that being a patriot is bad thing but that's a separate matter) but to go too far the other way is just as bad. It's important to talk openly about times in our history where we have failed to live up to the promises in our constitution. But to omit the flag from history when were at our best runs the risk of creating a citizenry that denies that America was ever great.
 
That's really good to hear. I don't think over the top flag worship is a requirement of a patriot (or that being a patriot is bad thing but that's a separate matter) but to go too far the other way is just as bad. It's important to talk openly about times in our history where we have failed to live up to the promises in our constitution. But to omit the flag from history when were at our best runs the risk of creating a citizenry that denies that America was ever great.

Concur. The film handles both perspectives. It also doesn't shy away from showing that, at the time, some
Americans thought it was stupid and wasteful to spend money on a moon shot. After seeing the film, I am surprised the controversy is about this flag issue (a non-issue really) instead of being about giving screen time to contemporary naysayers. This includes the song "Whitey's on the Moon" being performed during the film!

In any event, it is a quality film and worth watching.
 
Let me address that. It's completely overblown. While it is true that they don't show the actual planting of the flag, they do clearly show the flag on the moon several times. It makes perfect sense; planting the flag on the moon wasn't like Iwo Jima, it was a slow process of assembling the bracket and hammering the pole into the ground - an activity that didn't go very well and took more time and effort than they expected.

Further, the American flag is shown prominently throughout the film, in all the correct places on space suits, rockets, buildings, etc. Everywhere it is supposed to be - it is there - big and bold. They go out of their way in one scene to cut to the Saturn V rocket three different times to show 1. Large US Flag on first stage, 2. Large USA on first stage, 3. United States label on second stage.

I would tell you not to believe the hype on this particular point. The movie leaves no doubt who accomplished the feat of sending people to the moon. I think Gosling and the director fueled this fire with a poorly chosen answer to a question they got in a press junket, but the film doesn't shy away from the stars and stripes.
I think, from what I have read (and have not seen the movie) that it was intentionally done so as not to make a point that it was an American accomplishment. The flag, in the background, is fine, but the planting of the flag was a huge moment in history, given the "space race" and the scientific accomplishment of capitalism over communism. That is what planting the flag represented, not colonization of the moon. The left's rush to embrace socialism/communism is the reason (in my opinion) for the intentional and meaningful omission.
As a tangent, I read an enjoyable fictional book, "Whose on First", about the moon landing. The premise was that America was complacent, and that the government allowed the Soviets to steal technology to launch Sputnik, because Kennedy knew that Russia getting to space first would provide a catalyst to energize the populace to get behind the race to space.
 
I think, from what I have read (and have not seen the movie) that it was intentionally done so as not to make a point that it was an American accomplishment. The flag, in the background, is fine, but the planting of the flag was a huge moment in history, given the "space race" and the scientific accomplishment of capitalism over communism. That is what planting the flag represented, not colonization of the moon. The left's rush to embrace socialism/communism is the reason (in my opinion) for the intentional and meaningful omission.
As a tangent, I read an enjoyable fictional book, "Whose on First", about the moon landing. The premise was that America was complacent, and that the government allowed the Soviets to steal technology to launch Sputnik, because Kennedy knew that Russia getting to space first would provide a catalyst to energize the populace to get behind the race to space.

Not sure completely how to address this comment. My own personal leanings are very much not to the left, but I think this idea that the film is intending to be pro communist or anti-capatilism by not showing the flag planting is... let me say not credible. I believe that Gosling and the director sort of answered some questions in such a way as to fuel that idea. Who knows, maybe they are dyed in the wool commies, but I don't think the omission of the actual flag planting is a problem for this particular film. It is hard to describe, but I think if you see the film, you will know that the film is not actually about the moon mission, it is about Neil Armstrong and his family. Also it is a somewhat stylized story about him (albeit based on a lot of facts). In that context, it just really wasn't necessary to show the flag planting.

The screening I was at was hosted by the author of the book First Man, which of course was the basis of the film. It was abundantly clear that he knew Neil and had spent hundreds of hours interviewing him, his family, and his peers. It is also abundantly clear that Neil would not have spent 1 hour with someone he did not trust to tell his life story. He refused countless others over the years. The author had a story that at one point years ago, he convinced Neil to go with him to a hollywood meeting about turning this book into a movie. The meeting was with Clint Eastwood. Neil refused to work with him on a film about his life because felt Eastwood's movies had too much violence in them.

Anyway, he was asked how he felt the film came out in terms of his vision for how his book would be turned into a movie. He seemed generally happy with it and did not give any indication that he thought it had been politicized in any way. I got the sense that he would have resisted that strongly on Neil's behalf if he thought it was happening.
 
Some good insights, including asking Neil Armstrong's sons about the flag issue:

 
I think, from what I have read (and have not seen the movie) that it was intentionally done so as not to make a point that it was an American accomplishment. The flag, in the background, is fine, but the planting of the flag was a huge moment in history, given the "space race" and the scientific accomplishment of capitalism over communism. That is what planting the flag represented, not colonization of the moon. The left's rush to embrace socialism/communism is the reason (in my opinion) for the intentional and meaningful omission.
As a tangent, I read an enjoyable fictional book, "Whose on First", about the moon landing. The premise was that America was complacent, and that the government allowed the Soviets to steal technology to launch Sputnik, because Kennedy knew that Russia getting to space first would provide a catalyst to energize the populace to get behind the race to space.
You still think that after reading the post you replied to?
 
For those interested and who want a primer for the film, watch this video. Best 15 minutes you will ever spend!

 
nicely done. a turmoil never knew existed.. for something you know the outcome it still gets on the edge.
 

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