Films/DVD Asylum

Movies from comedy to drama to your favorite Hollyweird Star.

Return to Films/DVD Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

First Man

23.125.184.79
Posted on October 12, 2018 at 20:53:16
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12364
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 First Man is an expansive and maybe even majestic look at the US manned space program from the perspective of Neil Armstrong. It acknowledges the entire program but spends most of the time on the Gemini and Apollo phases.

There's a lot of "human interest" development where we're introduced to Armstrong, his family and close associates as well as the space program itself. The developmental scenes are punctuated by relatively short but intense action scenes that help define the various phases of the space program as it progresses. Many of these scenes are shot in a way that places the audience in the middle of the action and the effect is pretty dramatic. I can't imagine viewing this on the small screen. As we know, everything leads to the first lunar landing where the story ends.

I found this film both nostalgic and inspiring. The period in which the story takes place was pretty accurately portrayed. Controversies were also acknowledged including some of the human costs, government budgets and public protests over spending. Its amazing what was accomplished within the manned space program considering the technical resources avail at the time. Technical progress was rapid and the film shows us that progress fairly accurately as the program moves from Gemini to Apollo. They even got the Quindar tones right and there's a clever nod to 2001 in one scene. Obviously, there was much attention to detail which warrants seeing First Man on the biggest screen you can find.

Overall, I liked this film and recommend it. It's a tribute to what man can achieve when there's a national unity of purpose. OTOH, some may find that the development scenes slow the pace to the point of distraction. This is probably one of those no-middle-ground films: you'll either love it or be totally indifferent. Interestingly, I attended a late afternoon IMAX showing and the place was empty: maybe 15 people in a 600 seat auditorium so word may already be out....not for millennials.

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
RE: First Man, posted on October 13, 2018 at 07:57:07
RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001
 I saw it tonight and enjoyed it - I don't think there is a pacing problem so much as everything else seems to cater to ADHD. If something doesn't happen every 6 seconds it will be deemed "slow." Still, they probably could have cut 10 minutes. Not a huge failing.

Spoiler ****

I wonder if the Karen bracelet thing really happened?

 

RE: First Man, posted on October 13, 2018 at 11:14:58
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12364
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 FWIW, I thought the pacing was appropriate but I suspect a significant and desired movie going demographic will find some of it slow to the point that word-of-mouth may keep audience down. Also FWIW, I see that RT reviewers give the film a higher rating than does audience.

I doubt the bracelet thing actually occurred. Recall during a press conference one of astronauts stated that he planned to take some of his wife's jewelry into orbit. When Armstrong was asked the same question, he indicated he had more important things to do/wanted more fuel more-or-less. The real answer may be researchable: apparently Armstrong's wife was able to contribute to the story before she passed. I liked what I saw in the film so I'll leave that for others.

 

RE: First Man, posted on October 13, 2018 at 14:00:57
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 Great detailed review. Thanks. The stuff in the beginning where characters are defined if you will won't bother me.



ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

No flag, no Wonka . . ., posted on October 13, 2018 at 17:27:41
Billy Wonka
Audiophile

Posts: 3761
Joined: April 25, 2013
Contributor
  Since: October 15, 2013
 I will not submit to globalist social engineering.

 

Gosling sells more tix than that tired old thing..., posted on October 13, 2018 at 17:40:56
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31874
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since: January 28, 2004
 Matter of fact I wasn't much interested in seeing it 'till realizing he's in it.


"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

There were plenty of flags in plenty of scenes..., posted on October 13, 2018 at 18:35:12
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12364
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 ...including the scene you were misled to believe wasn't there. Also recall Armstrong's carefully chosen words as he stepped onto the lunar surface for the first time. That wasn't "fake news" despite the premise of another truly great lunar landing film: "Capricorn One". Personally, I was upset that Armstrong was played by a CANADIAN.

I suggest you go see it and just say you didn't. You'll be better for it.

 

RE: There were plenty of flags in plenty of scenes..., posted on October 14, 2018 at 07:47:28
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10581
Joined: April 12, 2002
 Wasn't he supposed to say a small step for "A man"?
Doesn't really make sense with the "A" missing, does it?
"Man" and "Mankind" are the same thing.

 

Okay, I'll give it a whirl. *, posted on October 14, 2018 at 08:11:16
Billy Wonka
Audiophile

Posts: 3761
Joined: April 25, 2013
Contributor
  Since: October 15, 2013
 .

 

RE: There were plenty of flags in plenty of scenes..., posted on October 14, 2018 at 08:38:01
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12364
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 The words were carefully chosen and less carefully spoken? While "a man" is probably more grammatically consistent with the rest of the phrase, I think what we actually heard rolls off the tongue a lot better. And we all knew exactly what was meant regardless of the grammar.

 

RE: There were plenty of flags in plenty of scenes..., posted on October 14, 2018 at 08:45:52
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10581
Joined: April 12, 2002
 There was some discussion about it at the time.
There was a glitch in the transmission on "A giant leap for Mankind.
Nasa tried to say that garbled the word "A" in the first sentence.
But that made no sense.
He just said it wrong.
And yes, we know what he meant.
But it was a Story at the time.

 

One review pegged this one as an American feel-good flick ..., posted on October 14, 2018 at 10:17:57
free.ranger
Audiophile

Posts: 16951
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Joined: April 8, 2004
Contributor
  Since: January 7, 2005
 ... based on the huge many flags shown, start to finish. Yes, this guy counted.
Movie crowd social engineering.


 

Is "social engineering" a good term for what's claimed to be going on?.., posted on October 14, 2018 at 11:01:28
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12364
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 ..."revisionist history" or "revisionism" seems better suited. For the record, I detected nothing I'd describe as revisionist in the film although I wasn't really looking for it.

 

I have no idea. I doubt anyone does., posted on October 14, 2018 at 11:57:59
free.ranger
Audiophile

Posts: 16951
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Joined: April 8, 2004
Contributor
  Since: January 7, 2005
 It's one of those currently fashionable nebulous buzz phrases that people throw around when they want to demonstrate political stances, based on attitudes. Usually used in some negative, cynical context.

Broadly, it can describe attempt to steer thinking or massage mindsets in populations.
I think revisionism is a subset of this catch-phrase concept.
And I think about everything is some degree revisionist in these times; even mathematics.

The movie sounds like a good one, regardless of real or imagined "engineering". People see what people see. Anything in these times that helps make Americans happy is a good thing.

 

the family scenes were a bit dry and the flight scenes were almost harrowing, posted on October 14, 2018 at 12:04:59
PhilJ
Audiophile

Posts: 2826
Joined: January 20, 2002
 overall a mixed bag but if you wonder what it was like to be an astronaut back then I can not imagine a better portrayal.

 

Saw it this morning., posted on October 14, 2018 at 12:05:02
volunteer
Audiophile

Posts: 5666
Location: Louisville, KY
Joined: January 7, 2012
 Thought it was excellent. I turned 18 that July and was a space geek. Brought back lots of memories. They left out much about the Gemini and Apollo programs but the film would have been 4 hours long to cover it all. Young folks may not care because they have no reference. For old guys like me it's a winner.




-Wendell

 

RE: Is "social engineering" a good term for what's claimed to be going on?.., posted on October 14, 2018 at 12:06:50
volunteer
Audiophile

Posts: 5666
Location: Louisville, KY
Joined: January 7, 2012
 What did you detect as revisionist?


-Wendell

 

RE: Is "social engineering" a good term for what's claimed to be going on?.., posted on October 14, 2018 at 13:10:07
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12364
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 I found nothing I'd consider revisionist. Everything seemed about as I remembered from my innocent and impressionable youth. I'm sure there minor distortions of the pure truth in the interests of storytelling.

Recall up above BW stated he wouldn't be seeing the film due to something about flags. He implied the flag thing was a result of "social engineering. Although I don't agree with that assessment, I thought revisionism might be a better term if I did. That's all.

 

Just sawr it and must say . . . , posted on October 14, 2018 at 14:18:10
Billy Wonka
Audiophile

Posts: 3761
Joined: April 25, 2013
Contributor
  Since: October 15, 2013
 No other space film has made me appreciate the heroism of both the astronauts and their families like this one. All these people, past and present, are heroes for sticking with this vocation despite glory or death. I think the strain on the families were conveyed nicely and was relieved to see two shots of the flag in the distance.

Well done, this film is far more important than its production values and actors. Looks like an Oscar magnet to me.

 

I agree, the meaning is easy to guess., posted on October 14, 2018 at 14:41:47
beach cruiser
Audiophile

Posts: 7054
Location: so cal
Joined: September 24, 2003
 As a child, hearing the first words spoken from the moon, i was confused at a sentence construction that was nonsensical. Once he got back , the man stated that he made a mistake in his excitement, and didn't recite his planned phrase correctly, leaving out a modifier critical to understanding.

one step for man has an interchangeable meaning with one step for mankind, no matter the circumstance.

A step for a man, is about one, singular man . As in, the history of man , or the history of mankind, both are understood as equal, the short version is more popular. The history of a man, very different.

I'm sure you know this, and I understood your point. I spelled it out for those who might not speak english well.

the singular modifier is critical to meaning. and a grammatical error that turned the first words spoken by a man, on behalf mankind, from the moon, into nonsense, went into history.

 

RE: First Man, posted on October 15, 2018 at 08:21:52
Hornlover
Manufacturer

Posts: 2529
Joined: March 8, 2002
 For anybody interested in the early space program, I highly recommend 'For All Mankind'. Perspective from many of the astronauts that went to the moon, with music by Brian and Roger Eno, and Daniel Lanois.

 

Which..., posted on October 15, 2018 at 12:27:47
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31874
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since: January 28, 2004
 Flag?
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

Confederate . . ., posted on October 15, 2018 at 20:12:37
Billy Wonka
Audiophile

Posts: 3761
Joined: April 25, 2013
Contributor
  Since: October 15, 2013
 I think it was inserted for our market.

 

I've seen that movie before ..., posted on October 18, 2018 at 16:02:11
geoffkait
 The actual one on Tv, The Right Stuff, Apollo 13 and The Martian. Thanks, but no thanks.

 

The Hollywood Stuff, posted on October 22, 2018 at 07:01:20
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55317
Joined: April 5, 2000
 It is fine as entertainment, but seriously, anyone really interested in how space flights developed, should read the memoirs of people who were actually involved in it.

I have read quite a few written by the Russians, and they are incredibly revealing, forcing you to see it all in totally different light. The level of detail there is incredible. At this moment I am still reading the books by general Kamanin. If you don't know what that is, that means you really need to catch up on your space history.

If you were to limit yourself to just two authors, then books by Chertok and Kamanin would be it.

I am wondering if anyone could recommend similar reading on US space program.


 

Space program..., posted on October 22, 2018 at 20:15:52
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
 ...I'm reading a book called "The Future of Humanity" by astrophysicist Michio Kaku.

"Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth"

Fascinating - what the future holds for our space program and the technology that will get us there.

 

Might be interesting too, but I would like to..., posted on October 23, 2018 at 05:41:58
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55317
Joined: April 5, 2000
 ...read the day by day account of someone on the inside.

With the space program there is always a facade there, much less with the US one, but still. The real heroism and real struggle are always invisible to the public, but that is where the Right Stuff is, not on your TV screen.

Anyway, I checked, and Chertok's memoirs are available in English translation, so I highly recommend them. Tons of technical details for the tech junkies like myself.

Staying with the movies, the soviets had their own version of The Right Stuff - it was called Taming of the Fire. Kinda as superficial and silly as TRS, much along the same lines.


 

Saw an interesting documentary years ago . . ., posted on October 23, 2018 at 12:12:26
Billy Wonka
Audiophile

Posts: 3761
Joined: April 25, 2013
Contributor
  Since: October 15, 2013
 That said the US and Russia split up Germany's rocket scientists and that Von Braun's crew played to their new home crowd as evidenced by booster rocket flare. Von Braun's boosters burned in a brilliant yellowish glare almost like it was a firework while the Russian boosters burned a smaller, less colorful flame and they lifted heavier payloads. Von Braun was giving the US a "show" while Russian scientists were less interested in show and more interested in go.

It also stated that the acquirred German scientists worked with their Russian counterparts and when they had fed them all they knew they were banished to a miserable post-war lifestyle while the new Americans were enjoying civil service pay and our post war boom.

YMMV.

 

Might be interesting..., posted on October 23, 2018 at 12:33:27
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
 ...while history is interesting and I've read plenty of it, I prefer to look forward rather than look back.

The people planning for the future based on all of the changing things going on today are really fascinating.

 

RE: First Man, posted on October 25, 2018 at 08:28:07
stan2
Audiophile

Posts: 8967
Location: norcal
Joined: April 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since: March 10, 2004
 Saw it last week on a big THX Cinemark XD screen. I was glad I got it on that big screen. I liked the film, altho I think it could have been a little shorter. I was more interested in the rockets and astronaut stuff than the personal family stuff, but that's just me being ADHD, probably. The main impression I was left with was that those guys obviously had some serious bolas to strap themselves into those antiques. That first trip could have taken an entirely different turn. Little bits like the shitty wiring or other quality control failures drove that point home.

As for that bracelet, I have one just like it. Interesting that they gave those things to babies. They're crimped together with lead, like fishing weights, right where babies need them to be to suck on their wrists. Babies born back then probably lost a lot of IQ with those. I sucked in a minus 20 IQ points myself, no doubt!

 

Page processed in 0.034 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]