With the self-financed mammoth project “Megalopolis”, director legend Coppola puts everything on one card. No company wanted to invest money in the film. After the premiere in Cannes, there is an idea why.
For decades, cult director Francis Ford Coppola pursued the idea of a film about the future of humanity. But the project was too megalomaniacal for investors. In the end, the 85-year-old reportedly invested over a hundred million euros himself.
Because no company wanted to finance the film. Now the director’s highly anticipated mammoth project has premiered in Cannes. At the same time, there was criticism that Coppola had behaved inappropriately towards extras on the film set.
Exuberant and full of ideas
“Megalopolis” is a political science fiction film and is as many viewers had already suspected: extravagant, grotesque, full of ideas. “The industry has recognized that this film will never find a wide audience, and we can only agree with that,” wrote the industry magazine “Hollywood Reporter.” The reactions were diverse and ranged from enthusiasm and fascination to irritation and complete rejection.
But even in negative reviews – for example in the British newspaper “Guardian”, which described the film as “extremely inflated and extremely boring” – Coppola’s great legacy was always emphasized. Not only is his “The Godfather” trilogy one of many people’s favorite films. His Oscar-winning masterpiece “Apocalypse Now” was screened in competition at Cannes 45 years ago and won the Palme d’Or. In 1974 he had already won the festival’s main prize for “Der Dialog” (original title: “The Conversation”).
Report about unsolicited kisses on a film set
“Megalopolis” is also running in the competition. But Coppola’s new film is also overshadowed by negative headlines that have only tangentially to do with the work itself. The Guardian reported, citing several anonymous sources, that Coppola tried to kiss extras during a scene on the set of “Megalopolis.”
In response, a spokesperson for the director pointed to a public statement from executive producer Darren Demetre to the New York Times, in which he said: “I am not aware of any complaints of harassment or bad behavior during the project.”
At the same time, he elaborated: “Over two days we shot a boisterous Studio 54-style club scene, during which Francis walked around the set to set the mood of the scene by giving friendly hugs and kisses on the cheeks to the actors and background actors. That was his way of initiating and promoting the club atmosphere that is so important for the film.”
Coppola did not have to answer any questions about this at a press conference on Friday – although many of the journalists present were unable to ask their questions due to limited time.
Instead, Coppola stated that he was not worried about the financial risk and had no money problems. “The money doesn’t matter,” he said.
The actors present at Cannes, including lead actor Adam Driver, spoke positively of their experiences on set. The 40-year-old described Coppola as “generous.” He described making the film as follows: “It felt like experimental theater, and that’s exactly what made it rebellious and exciting. I think that’s reflected in the film too.”
Adam Driver as a visionary inventor
“Megalopolis” is designed as a historical epic that makes reference to the Roman Empire. The action takes place in a city based on New York called New Rome. A dispute breaks out between mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) and visionary inventor Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) over how the city is governed and how it should be redesigned.
While Cicero wants to stick to the status quo, Catiline has utopian ideas. He won the Nobel Prize for a new building material called “Megalon”. Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), who falls in love with Catiline, stands between the two fronts.
The film is anything but subtle. The visuals are heavily digitally edited and full of glittering visual effects. The characters, some of whom are cartoonishly exaggerated, mostly speak in philosophical quotations. This results, for example, in a scene in which Adam Driver walks on a giant clock in the sky and thinks about the future of humanity.
Over the course of the film, various family members of Catiline’s dynasty are introduced, each with their own agenda. Strong is Shia LaBeouf, who plays a nasty cousin with a mullet ponytail. He is playful, mischievous and strange in many amusing ways. Dustin Hoffman can also be seen in a small role. But the female characters come off as pale. They are all just introduced through their relationships with different men. Coppola apparently had no interest in complex female roles.
Anti-imperialist message
However, he relishes the decadence of a city that is doomed. He transports stylistic borrowings from ancient Rome into the present day. A wrestling match takes place in a coliseum with neon signs.
As a precaution, Coppola prefaced the film in a prologue stating that “Megalopolis” should be understood as a “fable”. The message he conveys – which is reminiscent of “Apocalypse Now” in its anti-imperialist gesture – is that the US Empire is not that different from the Roman Empire. Are the USA now doomed – or can its residents still save the country? Ahead of the presidential election in November, this question is likely to resonate with many people.