I visited our local cinema last night with my son, the whole evening suffered from torrential rain, local flooding and road closures. Perhaps it was a sign!
After watching a film, the drive back home is usually full of discussion; of scenes we loved, the music and the action sequences that wowed us, but last night there was complete silence. Until my son chirped up with, “Let’s just say that was a bad film.”
# there were caricatures but no characters
# it was message before story, theatre before film (the scenes felt overly ‘staged’)
# the film was too earnest in trying to make a profound point, by quoting Shakespeare and Marcus Aurelius
# the slogan “Let’s Make America Great Again” and the rioters with the MAGA caps was just too on the nose
# the music too, disappointed us as mere background noise, save for the use of the allegretto from Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.
# [SPOILER ALERT] the ending, true, I think was an homage to Metropolis where all is reconciled for the adversarial main characters; the music for this was definitely Langesque .
The film had been on our radar for some time and we were looking forward to it, but came away speechless - which is very unusual for us as film lovers. There has always been something positive to say about a film, even if we didn't enjoy the whole experience. Megalopolis is probably the first time we’ve come away speechless and frustrated at what should have been a glorious swan-song for Francis Ford Coppola.
The box office is also showing bad signs and looks like it won’t raise much of a ROI for FFC and a big loss for the distributors, Lionsgate.
How about you? Have you been to see the film? What did you think?
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from what I read on Wikipedia about the film, it can be concluded that this is not science fiction. this is the reason for the failure of the film. all the viewers from the trailer realized that the film does not have science fiction that they are interested in.
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Arthur Charpentier yes, indeed. There was no information given as to why or how Cesar (Adam Driver) invented or discovered the Megalon - which would have grounded the film more for the audience, IMHO. I think the film fits into the realm of a political statement or philosophy, about the future of America;, a kind of values statement that some will be happy with and many more won’t, which I suppose kinda limits the audience.
The opening weekend figures show this, at $4 million. I think it’s sad. I was rooting for this film to buck the negative trend of the naysayer before its release, but alas, this doesn’t appear to be the case.
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I was also disappointed in it. It was too one-the-nose indeed, I didn’t like the special effects, and I didn’t feel connected to the characters. I think I need to watch it a second time to try to appreciate it, maybe one day… But I found the backlash it got in Cannes quite sad, given Coppola’s legacy and his hard work for the film.
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Over here in NYC, ppl have been flocking to see... but Im gonna wait for streaming. Seems ppl are either love it or hate it.
Anyways, all of us wish we have $130M+ to spend on a hobby we love. The box office numbers dont matter at all.
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Went last Friday. I'm in the (conditional) love it column. Challenging, infuriating, eye-popping. Though flawed, ultimately it's fascinating.
It's like passing a bad car wreck you can't take your eyes off of.
This is not a film about the invention of Megalon. That would be a traditional narrative which "Megalopolis" is distant from. Who cares anyway? Films that don't dive into plot with convenient exposition are very common. See many horror films where evil just... is. Megalon just... is. It's what the invention means to society that's important.
This is a film of ideas told through symbology of which it is rich. It's about hope for a bright shining future absent the repression of a few men.
In the last few months I've seen most of the new releases. There's not one in a bunch of a dozen or so films - from indies to Tentpoles - that was worth the time to visit it. At least "Megalopolis" was engaging and bold. And certainly not a bore.
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Geoff Hall, megalon acts as a magical artifact, so it would be more appropriate to use the fantasy genre.
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I felt the same. actually after I left the theater I was angry at Mr Coppola. bad acting, bad dialogues, bad everything… why this giant filmmaker couldn’t just go retire and enjoy some Coppola wine with his family ? why does he have to make me hate him after he was an exemple for me as a filmmaker my entire life ? such a disappointment…
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Osiris Doumbe I agree, Osiris. You’d have expected Cannes to be more auteur-friendly with FFC. I alway want the auteurs to succeed.
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Dan MaxXx well, I suppose the box-office numbers matter to Lionsgate. They must be disappointed. Perhaps the draw for some people is to do with political persuasion. So, if you had $130m to spend on your own film, what would you make?
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E Langley Hi E, “It's what the invention means to society that's important.” But I don’t think we saw what it ‘meant to society’, as they only seemed to be up in arms with the fact that peoples’ home were being bulldozed to make room for the Megalon structure.
I didn’t feel the need for exposition, I’d have gone along with the characters, if I could’ve connected with them. Sadly, I can’t see it resonating with an audience outside the US, but as I keep saying, I hope I’m wrong.
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Arthur Charpentier but then its homage to Metropolis, with its strong science-fiction angle, with the Rotwang the inventor, would suggest sci-fi and not fantasy. Even fantasy has a little exposition or revelation of its properties.
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Hicham Hajji wow, that’s some strong feelings there, Hicham, but I know what you mean. When you see films like Apocalypse Now and The Godfather, this doesn’t seem to be made by the same filmmaker.
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More for Arthur, Geoff. It's revealed Megalon had the properties to defy the laws of physics, pause and manipulate time, and create transparent material. It's like nothing on Earth, and he alone wields its power because the source is Cesar's love for a wife who died in a car crash. Megalon harnesses the power of dreams and memory. The film feels like it takes place in the hypnagogic border between waking and dreaming.
Cesar creates a wondrous, shining city from slums greedy landlords operate. Can't have the new without the old swept aside. The Russian satellite had a big part in the process of beginning urban renewal.
"Megalopolis" is in the same experimental vein as "One From the Heart." Neither lessens FFC's genius. In fact, they expand it.
The film did not deliver for you, Geoff Hall . We'll agree to disagree. BTW, I saw no MAGA hats.
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The only time I will waste on MEGALOPOLIS is contemplating how many movies I could make with the movie's budget of $120 MILLION... I'm imagining 17 movies.
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Open a successful winery and ancillary businesses and go all in to make one or 17 films.
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Glad we can help.
Edit: LOL Looks like Norman Welthagen folded their tent and skulked off.
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I haven't seen the film yet but I am eager to. His films are so definitional to me and that alone deserves a watch. Now this chain makes me want to see it even more.
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Geoff Hall, I'm always thankful to hear the transparencies with these topics, Haven't seen the film. I am one of those who had much expectations for the film! However anyhow, there's is now so much heighten curiosities and anticipations with film and the industry, all around the world, that just maybe it can make an impact. I think at this time in history, it's a great chance to study the in-depth perspectives of audiences in general! Maybe that's the intended objectives!
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We had one of the producers from MEGALOPOLIS on our panel at Cannes this year if you want to watch, she talks about the journey: https://www.stage32.com/blog/stage-32-presents-meet-the-producers-from-t...
I just made my guess about the reasons for the low interest of the audience in the film. As a fan of fiction, I didn't see anything fantastic in the trailer, and it seems like many other people didn't see it either.
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I get that. The trailer also doesn't make it appear the film is a RomCom.
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E Langley Hi again, E. Perhaps we view it differently living outside the States and that we have no skin in that game? Perhaps living in America you see it in a different light, a perceived profundity? PS the nod to the MAGA hats were in the riot scenes and the red caps.
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Scrubbed through the entire riot scene. There's one individual wearing a red baseball hat (in pix). There's also a rioter wearing an indigo-colored hat. Most men do not wear head coverings, some women do.
Given the US zeitgeist, MAGA supporters would not be rioting. They would be anti-MAGA as they're immigrants specifically mentioned in the scene. As a reference, it would be like Haitians wearing MAGA hats. The sad cat/dog debacle must've made news in the UK.
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From an IndieWire article on the Production Design:
“Speaking of the circus, the depiction of Madison Square Garden was made to look like a Roman gladiator blood sport of politics, money, and sex. “I think all of Madison Square Garden, in a way, is a big metaphor that is truly the circus of what New Rome is with all of the social classes and the economic classes all coming together,” added Rubin. “And you read the metaphor of current politics, from the people wearing what look like MAGA hats, carrying flags and running in and trying to take over.””1 person likes this
So?
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E Langley So? For clarity. I wasn't imagining things when I mentioned we'd seen the 'MAGA' hats in the riot scenes.
Geoff,
For clarity, screenshots from all riot scenes. Hardly a MAGA-fest. Red headgear - not typical MAGA hats. And scenes with anti-MAGA protestors who would not wear that garb.
I take my own counsel and the documentary evidence.
So?
So?