The Story of Francis Ford Coppola’s Four-Decade-Struggle to Make Megalopolis

This summer, it appeared trailer of megalopolisthe movie that Francis Ford Coppola spent half his life trying to make. It took the bold approach of starting with a quote from a review of his previous photos, rather than something positive. When it was first released, Rex Reed called. apocalypse of hell “Epic trash”, even godfather At least, according to those involved, “its artistry has declined.” Pauline Kael. But movie review buffs immediately smelled something fishy, ​​and it took minimal investigation to discover that Reed and Kael weren’t alone. godfatheras did most others), and none of the quotes in the trailer were real.

All this is evidence of the constant failure of critics Coppola’s vision seems to have been: made with artificial intelligence system. this is some bad press megalopolis I could have done it without it. Behind-the-scenes stories of troubled production It had been in circulation for months. But Coppola has been through much worse during his long filmmaking career, including filming extremely long, hellish films. apocalypse of hellor the fire sale of Zoetrope, the studio he founded after a box office disaster. one from the heart. what he was able to obtain megalopolis Just getting it into production, let alone completing it, is considered a victory of sorts.

of Be Kind Rewind video above tell the story behind megalopolisIn essence, it is “a story about Coppola himself, influenced by his own ambitions, setbacks, times of good fortune, and times of loss.” When he completed the first full draft of the script in 1984, he had no idea what was in store for the project in the coming decades, especially with his own personal and professional crises and mass crises. I could never have predicted that the project would fail so many times. Disasters such as 9/11 and COVID-19. Completed at a cost of $120 million, which Coppola raised by selling part of his winery, the film is a spectacle that meditates on civilization, modernity, and utopia, and despite its early release, it is a spectacle that astounds. ridicule, and — most commonly, sheer mystery.

The film alternates between grandiose rhetoric and borderline screwball comedy about government and the modern city, quoting Marcus Aurelius and other ancient thinkers, and featuring a rollicking performance by cast member Laurence Fishburne. Narration discusses gaps in the story, and superimpositions and split-screen mosaics fill the screen, including images that are not meant to be taken literally. Matt Zoller-Seitz of Rogerebert.com writes:. “Movies like this only seem ‘luxury’ because we’re deep into an era where everything has to be out-and-out fan service. It’s like cooking a Whopper just the way you dreamed it.” megalopolis It is, it is Be Kind Rewind‘s final analysis is “an apotheosis of autism, an unbridled spectacle that amplifies Coppola’s best and worst instincts on a grand scale.” Personally, I can’t wait to see it.

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Based in Seoul, Colin Mbemust write and broadcastIt’s about cities, languages ​​and cultures. His projects include the Substack newsletter books about cities and a book Stateless City: A Stroll Through Los Angeles in the 21st Century. Follow him on Twitter @Colinbemust or facebook.