He’s the youngest ever winner of an Academy Award for best director
When Chazelle won the Academy Award for best director in 2017 for La La Land, not only did he become the youngest ever winner in the category, but he beat a record that had been held for more than 80 years. Aged 32 years and 38 days on the night he received the award, Chazelle broke the record previously held by Norman Taurog, who won the gong for best director for Skippy in 1931, at the age of 32 years and 260 days. The feat is all the more impressive when you consider that one of the main reasons the record had stood for so long was the fact that cinema in the 1930s was such a new medium – when Taurog won in 1931 for Skippy, film was barely out of the silent era and the Hollywood studio system was far more open to young talent largely on account of the fact that cinema was still considered something of a novelty, and therefore lacking the prestige of theatre and literature as an art form.
This, of course, was absolutely not the case when Chazelle won, by which time the profound cultural changes of the 20th century had left their mark on film, elevating it from the poor cousin of supposedly higher mediums to the esteemed art form we know today, creating a much more competitive environment for young film-makers in the process. La La Land was also up for a joint-record of 14 Oscar nominations in various categories, including best picture. That’s the kind of achievement most directors wouldn’t get close to in two lifetimes.
His breakthrough film was more than just a ‘breakthrough’
Before La La Land, there was 2014’s Whiplash. Anchored by a show-stealing performance by actor JK Simmons (for which he took home the Academy Award for best supporting actor in 2015), Whiplash tells the story of an ambitious young jazz drummer and his working relationship with an abusive teacher at a prestigious New York music school. Determined to impress his tyrannical mentor Terence Fletcher (Simmons), Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) pushes himself – and is pushed by Fletcher – to the physical and psychological limits of musical performance, leading to disturbing revelations about the nature of artistic drive and genius. Partly inspired by Chazelle’s real-life experiences as a talented high school musician, Whiplash plays out much like a thriller: packed full of the kind of grit, cuts and bruises and patiently observed detail more common to a police or military procedural than a Fame-like talent school drama. Nominated for five Oscars, including best picture, Whiplash announced the arrival of a major new talent. “Breakthrough” film doesn’t even half cover it.
He’s already an auteur
He has an Oscar for best director under his belt already, but Chazelle is showing no signs of resting on his laurels and bears the hallmarks of a future all-time great of Hollywood. Like all directors worthy of being considered an auteur, Chazelle not only directs but writes and co-writes his scripts, features a set of regular cast and crew in his films (he has now worked on two films each with Ryan Gosling and JK Simmons), and is possessed of that singular vision lacking in more workmanlike directors – a vision that has guided him to some unusual places. While many young film school graduates of his age are more likely to yearn to be the next Tarantino, Chazelle eschews the hip references to new wave cinema for the grander, more romantic vision of old Hollywood. It’s also worth bearing in mind that most great directors don’t hit their strides until they reach their 40s.
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He’s versatile
Not content with reinventing the musical genre with La La Land, Chazelle decided to go with something completely different for his next project – First Man sees the young cinematic maestro tackling the story of the Apollo 11 moon landing from the perspective of Neil Armstrong. Based on James Hansen’s First Man: The Life of Neil A Armstrong, First Man captures the intensity and ultimate triumph of the mission itself, while at the same time providing an intimate portrait of an often misunderstood man. To prove such a deft hand at films so different to each other, and in a relatively quick time, would be beyond reach of most directors. Not so for a talent the size of Chazelle’s.
First Man is already attracting serious Oscar buzz
Could Chazelle be in line for a second best director win? Will First Man pick up the award for best picture – an award that has so far eluded Chazelle, despite his previous two films having been nominated – or could Ryan Gosling take home the statue for best actor for his portrayal of Neil Armstrong? Whichever way you look at it, First Man seems highly likely to be nominated in all of the major categories, and with its remarkable cinematography and note-perfect 60s period touches, there is little doubt that it will pick up a clutch of nominations in the technical categories as well. After the historic success of La La Land, the only records left for Chazelle to break are his own.
First Man is released nationwide on 12 October – book tickets here
