Mégalopolis

Megalopolis, the culmination of more than four decades of anticipation, is both a testament to Francis Ford Coppola's unwavering creative ambition and an embodiment of the risks inherent in artistic obsession. Megalopolis, which took 41 years to bring to the screen, is a film that both dazzles and disconcerts, embodying the duality that has marked Francis Ford Coppola's career - brilliance marred by chaos, genius tempered by eccentricity. With this film, Francis Ford Coppola isn't just trying to tell a story, but to create a cinematic experience that defies the limits of conventional cinema. The result is a project that is as much a reflection of Francis Ford Coppola's legacy as it is a commentary on modern society and the timelessness of human ambition and folly.

At the heart of Megalopolis is the intensely committed character of Cesar Catilina, played by Adam Driver. Cesar is a visionary architect whose dreams for the future are as grandiose as they are controversial. He plans to rebuild New Rome - a dystopian version of Manhattan frozen in the aesthetics of the 1930s - using a revolutionary material he has developed called Megalon. Cesar's utopian vision places him in direct conflict with the city's existing power structures, embodied by Mayor Franklyn Cicero, played by Giancarlo Esposito. Franklyn Cicero, a conservative and pragmatic leader, represents the entrenched interests that resist Cesar's radical ideas for reshaping the city. The story, which draws heavily on Roman history, is a complex tapestry of political drama, personal ambition and philosophical questioning, all wrapped up in the trappings of a science-fiction epic.

Visually, Megalopolis is simply breathtaking. Francis Ford Coppola, inspired by the grandiose aesthetics of Hollywood's silent era and the epic scope of Cecil B. DeMille's films, has created a world that seems both familiar and foreign. The urban landscape of New Rome is a chaotic mix of architectural styles and cultural references, evoking comparisons with the dystopian worlds of Metropolis and Blade Runner, with a dash of The Matrix thrown in for good measure. The Chrysler Building, the film's central motif, serves both as a symbol of Cesar's overweening ambition and as a vantage point for the city he hopes to transform. Yet for all its visual splendor, the film's narrative structure conveys an underlying sense of bewilderment. Characters and plots interweave without explanation, creating a sense of disorientation that reflects the chaotic world Coppola has constructed.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Megalopolis is its production history. Francis Ford Coppola, who financed the film with $120 million of his own money - obtained in part from the sale of a large part of his wine business - put everything he had into the project. This personal investment is not only financial; it is also emotional and intellectual, representing decades of Francis Ford Coppola's unfulfilled ambitions and creative frustrations. The very existence of the film testifies to Francis Ford Coppola's faith in the power of cinema as an art form, even as the industry increasingly privileges commercial viability over artistic integrity. However, this intense personal involvement also means that Megalopolis is a profoundly idiosyncratic work, which risks alienating as many viewers as it captivates.

The performances in Megalopolis are as varied and unpredictable as the film itself. Adam Driver delivers a performance both intense and enigmatic, embodying Cesar's complex blend of visionary idealism and flawed humanity. As Cesar, Driver brings a gravitas that anchors the film, even as the narrative veers into the surreal and absurd. Giancarlo Esposito's Franklyn Cicero counterbalances Adam Driver's Cesar, playing the mayor with a stoic pragmatism that underscores the political and moral conflicts at the heart of the story. Franklyn Cicero is a man of principle, but also a man who understands the harsh realities of power, making him both an antagonist and a tragic figure.

Aubrey Plaza, as Wow Platinum, adds a layer of dark humor and biting satire to the film. Wow Platinum, an attractive and ambitious financial journalist, is one of the film's most memorable characters, bringing a campy energy that contrasts sharply with the dark tones of the main narrative. Her interactions with Caesar, as well as her machinations with Hamilton Crassus III, played by Jon Voight, are among the film's most captivating scenes. Jon Voight, who plays the corrupt and aging banker Hamilton Crassus III, delivers a performance that is both grotesque and strangely convincing, embodying the decaying moral fabric of New Rome's elite.

Shia LaBeouf, as Clodio Pulcher, Cesar's cousin and rival, delivers a performance that is both disturbing and magnetic. Clodio, a transvestite and power-hungry schemer, is a character straight out of a Shakespearean tragedy. Shia LaBeouf brings a manic energy that makes him a perfect counterweight to Driver's more subdued Cesar. Nathalie Emmanuel, as Julia Cicero, the mayor's daughter and Cesar's love interest, delivers a more understated performance. Julia Cicero is a character caught between her father's conservative ideals and Cesar's radical vision, and although Emmanuel plays her with grace and intelligence, the script often leaves her character underdeveloped, reducing her to a symbol rather than a fully-realized person.

Megalopolis is a film that flaunts its influences, drawing on a wide range of sources, both literary and cinematic. The film's narrative and visual style evoke comparisons with works as diverse as Spike Lee's Chi-raq and Richard Kelly's Southland Tales, while its philosophical underpinnings are rooted in the works of Shakespeare, Ayn Rand and Roman historians. The film is rich in references to classical literature and philosophy, from Marcus Aurelius to Plutarch, as well as to more modern thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson. These references are not merely decorative; they are integral to the film's exploration of themes such as power, corruption and the human capacity for creation and destruction.

Yet for all its intellectual aspirations, Megalopolis is not an easy film to grasp. The narrative is deliberately opaque, with plot points and character motivations often left unexplained or only partially revealed. This can make the film a difficult viewing experience, requiring the audience to actively engage with the material rather than passively consume it. For some, this will be a rewarding challenge, offering layers of meaning to unravel over repeated viewings. For others, it will be a source of frustration, as the film's ambition often exceeds its ability to convey its ideas coherently.

Francis Ford Coppola's decision to include a live element during certain screenings - for example, by having an actor come on stage during a key scene to interact with the characters on screen - further blurs the boundary between cinema and performance art. This trick, while intriguing, raises questions about the practicality and viability of such a concept for wider distribution. Is Megalopolis intended to be experienced as a traditional film, or is it something more experimental, a hybrid art form that challenges our very notions of what cinema can be?

Megalopolis is a potentially divisive film. It's not the well-crafted masterpiece some might have hoped for, nor is it a total disaster. Rather, it is a bold, messy and deeply personal work that reflects the complexities and contradictions of its creator. Francis Ford Coppola has made a film of his own, unfiltered by studio demands or audience expectations. The film poses more questions than it answers, and in so doing, invites viewers to grapple with the same uncertainties and ambiguities that have animated Coppola throughout his career.

Whether Megalopolis is remembered as a cinematic triumph or a monumental folly is perhaps less important than the fact that it exists at all. In an industry increasingly dominated by franchises and formulaic blockbusters, Francis Ford Coppola has dared to create something different - something that is as much a statement of artistic freedom as it is entertainment. For those willing to embrace its eccentricities and navigate its labyrinthine narrative, Megalopolis offers a visual experience as exhilarating as it is baffling. It's a film that defies easy categorization, a work that will probably be debated and analyzed for years to come, long after the credits have rolled.

Megalopolis
Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Written by Francis Ford Coppola
Produced by Francis Ford Coppola, Barry Hirsch, Fred Roos, Michael Bederman
Starring Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Grace VanderWaal, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunterk, Dustin Hoffman
Cinematography : Mihai Mălaimare Jr.
Edited by Cam McLauchlin, Glen Scantlebury
Music by Osvaldo Golijov
Production company : American Zoetrope
Distributed by Lionsgate Films (United States), Le Pacte (France)
Release dates : May 16, 2024 (Cannes), September 25, 2024 (France), September 27, 2024 (United States)
Running time : 138 minutes

Seen on September 13, 2024 at the Deauville International Center

Mulder's Mark:

Megalopolis comes on screen, preceded by a mixed reception at the Cannes Film Festival. The film divided critics, from a brilliant film to a failed epic. Francis Ford Coppola, legendary director (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Dracula,...) thought up this film in the 80s, and rewrote the screenplay over 12 years. To maintain his artistic freedom, he sold part of his vineyard to finance this project with a pharaonic budget of 120 million dollars. The film was shot in Atlanta's ultra-modern studios over 5 months and required a year of post-production. At 85 years old, Francis Ford Coppola had fun directing this political fable, lasting more than 2 hours. Unusually, the film reflects this freedom. Unfortunately, the film disappointed me, a disappointment that lived up to expectations.

The storyline is inspired by the plot of Catalina, a Roman noble who planned to overthrow the Republic of Rome. This epic takes place in a futuristic New York, Roman version: New Rome. The city, in full decline, is caught in financial turmoil. Cesar Catalina (Adam Driver) is a genius architect who has the power to stop time. He dreams of an ideal city and opposes the city's conservative mayor, Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). The mayor's daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel) falls in love with Catalina. Nephew of a billionaire banker (Jon Voight), Catalina is hated by his cousin Clodio (Shia LaBeouf), not to mention the resentment of his ex-mistress (Aubrey Plaza).
Love, jealousy, betrayal, money, power, corruption, this political fable mixes so many themes and intrigues that it becomes confusing and resembles a soap-opera. Coppola loves chaos and the film is indeed chaotic. The characters are caricatures, which hinders identification and attachment. The female characters seem to belong to a bygone era. The actors play their characters without restraint, sometimes bordering on the grotesque, like Shia LaBeouf. Far from a poetic reality, the film is visually kitsch, with the exception of the costumes. There are certainly moments of grace, but not enough to avoid boredom.

Spoiler: in some theaters, the public will be treated to the real intervention of a journalist in the middle of the film, during a press conference scene.

Megalopolis
Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Written by Francis Ford Coppola
Produced by Francis Ford Coppola, Barry Hirsch, Fred Roos, Michael Bederman
Starring Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Grace VanderWaal, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunterk, Dustin Hoffman
Cinematography : Mihai Mălaimare Jr.
Edited by Cam McLauchlin, Glen Scantlebury
Music by Osvaldo Golijov
Production company : American Zoetrope
Distributed by Lionsgate Films (United States), Le Pacte (France)
Release dates : May 16, 2024 (Cannes), September 25, 2024 (France), September 27, 2024 (United States)
Running time : 138 minutes

Seen on August, 22, 2024 at Max Linder

Sabine's Mark: