The sons of Neil Armstrong are defending Damien Chazelle’s docudrama about the moon landing after conservative pundits decried the film’s lack of emphasis on the American flag’s planting on the lunar surface.
In a statement Friday, Rick and Mark Armstrong, along with ‘First Man’ author James R. Hansen, denied that Chazelle’s film is ‘anti-American in the slightest.’
Though ‘First Man’ includes several shots showing the American flag on the moon, it does not depict the flag planting.
In a statement Friday, Rick and Mark Armstrong, along with ‘First Man’ author James R. Hansen, denied that Chazelle’s film is ‘anti-American in the slightest’
After the film premiered earlier this week at the Venice Film Festival, some commentators on social media who hadn’t seen the movie criticized the film. Including Senator Marco Rubio
After the film premiered earlier this week at the Venice Film Festival, some commentators on social media who hadn’t seen the movie criticized the film.
‘This is total lunacy. And a disservice at a time when our people need reminders of what we can achieve when we work together,’ said Senator Marco Rubio.
‘The American people paid for that mission, on rockets built by Americans, with American technology & carrying American astronauts. It wasn’t a UN mission.’
‘This is a film that focuses on what you don’t know about Neil Armstrong. It’s a film that focuses on things you didn’t see or may not remember about Neil’s journey to the moon,’ the letter reads
Neil Armstrong’s son and the author’s letter addressed people’s qualms, adding that most hadn’t even seen the movie, which hits theaters October 12.
‘We’ve read a number of comments about the film today and specifically about the absence of the flag planting scene, made largely by people who haven’t seen the movie. As we’ve seen it multiple times, we thought maybe we should weigh in, they said, according to Vulture.
‘This is a film that focuses on what you don’t know about Neil Armstrong. It’s a film that focuses on things you didn’t see or may not remember about Neil’s journey to the moon.
‘It’s a very personal movie about our dad’s journey, seen through his eyes,’ the brothers added
‘The filmmakers spent years doing extensive research to get at the man behind the myth, to get at the story behind the story. It’s a movie that gives you unique insight into the Armstrong family and fallen American Heroes like Elliot See and Ed White. It’s a very personal movie about our dad’s journey, seen through his eyes.
‘This story is human and it is universal. Of course, it celebrates an America achievement. It also celebrates an achievement ‘for all mankind,’ as it says on the plaque Neil and Buzz left on the moon. It is a story about an ordinary man who makes profound sacrifices and suffers through intense loss in order to achieve the impossible.
‘Although Neil didn’t see himself that way, he was an American hero. He was also an engineer and a pilot, a father and a friend, a man who suffered privately through great tragedies with incredible grace.
‘This is why, though there are numerous shots of the American flag on the moon, the filmmakers chose to focus on Neil looking back at the earth, his walk to Little West Crater, his unique, personal experience of completing this journey, a journey that has seen so many incredible highs and devastating lows.
Ryan Gosling, who is playing Neil Armstrong, said: ‘I don’t think Neil viewed himself as an American hero, quite the opposite’ he added. ‘Neil was someone who was extremely humble, as were many of these astronauts…the way we made the film was to honor the way Neil viewed himself’
‘In short, we do not feel this movie is anti-American in the slightest. Quite the opposite. But don’t take our word for it. We’d encourage everyone to go see this remarkable film and see for themselves.’
The sentiment had been shared by Ryan Gosling, who is starring as Neil Armstrong in the movie.
‘Full disclosure, I’m a Canadian, so this might be some form of cognitive dissonance, but I think this achievement was widely regarded not as an American, but as a human achievement, and that’s how we chose to view it,’ Gosling said, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
‘I don’t think Neil viewed himself as an American hero, quite the opposite’ he added. ‘Neil was someone who was extremely humble, as were many of these astronauts…the way we made the film was to honor the way Neil viewed himself.’