'First Man': The Meaning and Use of Three Very Human Silences in an Inner Spatial Struggle

Damien Chazelle's recent film about space, First Man (2018), tells the story of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), the first man to walk on the moon, in the first person. The film presents Armstrong's public persona but places special emphasis on the private and inner perspective. The facts an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inQuarterly review of film and video Vol. 39; no. 7; pp. 1457 - 1487
Main Author Torras i Segura, Daniel
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Philadelphia Routledge 03.10.2022
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Characters (Roles)
Chazelle, Damien (1985- )
Film studies
Motion picture criticism
Screenplays
Silent films
Space exploration
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Summary:Damien Chazelle's recent film about space, First Man (2018), tells the story of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), the first man to walk on the moon, in the first person. The film presents Armstrong's public persona but places special emphasis on the private and inner perspective. The facts and actions of the screenplay revolve around his life and professional training, but the focus is mostly personal, psychological, and emotional during the lead up to and throughout this unprecedented mission. From the first scene through to the climax and end, First Man uses audiovisual silence and the concept of silence as a vehicle for various narrative goals and motivations, which in fact represent the symptomatic meanings of the film. The First Man, despite being a quiet and generally silent film, can be considered to have been well received by the public.
ISSN:1050-9208
1543-5326
DOI:10.1080/10509208.2021.1944006