“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”
Nathalie Emmanuel, who plays Julia, utters these lines quoting Marcus Aurelius in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis.”I’ve read the quote may be wrongly attributed and a comma may be missing after the word escape. Julia is in love with dreamer, architect and builder Cesar (Catalina) played by Adam Driver. Cesar is a nemesis to Julia’s father, Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) of New Rome — a futuristic alternate New York City.
There are party and banquet scenes with guests wearing laurel leaf crowns and togas. Women wear a mix of modern day club wear and Greco Roman fashion pieces in a roaring twenties color palette of black and gold — disco meets Gatsby meets Julius Caesar.
Cesar also spouts Shakespeare, while his right hand man Fundi Romaine (Lawrence Fishburne) narrates and philosophizes over the course of this two hour and twenty minute film.
Joining the cast are Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf and Talia Shire; “Megalopolis” also reunites the leads from the 1969 classic, “Midnight Cowboy:” Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight.
“Megalopolis” has been Francis Ford Coppola’s simmering and stewing project for about four decades. However, no studio or producers wanted to bankroll Coppola’s long-held vision, so he sold part of his winery business to finally get the film off the ground. For 120 million dollars, he got to make the film on his own terms.
Coppola is probably best known for “The Godfather.” “Apocalypse Now” has been my personal favorite, I also enjoyed his “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” And how can I forget his take on S. E. Hinton’s “Rumble Fish?” It was released 41 years ago and was unlike most teen movies of the era — it was shot in black and white except for the red and blue fish in the film and the soundtrack was by Stewart Copeland.
“Megalopolis” combines the surreal, over the top elements of Coppola, with some of Fritz Lang’s 1927 film “Metropolis” and Ayn Rand’s novel, “The Fountainhead” thrown in.
“Megalopolis” makes statements on philosophy, modern day (American) society and politics and love. Ideas fly by, absurd things and people abound on screen.
Some moments are also oddly comedic — like the scene with Jon Voight using a child’s fancy bow and arrow set. It doesn’t look like “Megalopolis” will make money at the box office. Nor does it look like this will earn Oscar nods. But I have to say it was brave and interesting.
Most of the movies I’ve been seeing lately are products of the studio system, which means there’s a formula involved and most of the time, not much thinking is required of the viewer.
“Megalopolis” can sometimes be all over the place with ideas but you’re at least trying to chase and react to them. It’s not for everyone but, if you’re a fan of film and filmmakers, this might be worth a watch. If only to behold a rarity in 2024.
I looked at the comments section to one of the reviews and liked what this person called “Joe” said: “We are a stupid incurious people. But some of us want more. I would prefer failure to formula. Any time.”
I guess it boils down to what film (or the movies) is to you — show business or art?
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