MEGALOPOLIS

US, 2024, 138 minutes, Colour.

Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Natalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shire LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Dustin Hoffman.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Those who are old, who have lived a full life, deserve the opportunity to reflect on the past and what it has meant, to ponder the present and raise issues, to hope for the future. And this is what Francis Ford Coppola, memories of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has ventured, and the-the-top extravaganza into science fiction, futuristic fantasy, a megalopolis. It was released as Coppola turned 85. And, this review is written from the perspective of someone who is four months and one day younger than Coppola.

The setting is New Rome, a New York of the future, focus on the glitter of the Chrysler Building, other landmarks, but Coppola wants to highlight the decline of American society by likening it to the collapse, before the ultimate fall, of the Roman Empire. And the characters have evocative Roman names, Caesar, Cicero, Julia, Crassus, Clodio…

Coppola has gone for the spectacular, lavish sets, skyscrapers to a neo-coliseum with Ben Hur chariot rides and gladiator wrestling, but in the context of technological and communications developments. There is a powerful inventor of a new creative substance with multi-use, played by Adam Driver, a blend of the idealistic and the self-indulgent. He is the Caesar. There is t Mayor, Giancarlo Esposito, clinging to power. He is the Cicero. There is the ageing banker, Jon Voight, poised for a fall, manipulated by his crazy-ambitious grandson Shia LaBoeuf, and his manipulative wife, Aubrey Plaza. Voight is the Crassus. But, acknowledging the mundane glamour of media, Aubrey Plaza is Wow Platinum.

Dustin Hoffman plays a political manipulator and there are Coppola regulars from the past, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire (his sister) and Jason Schwartzman) his nephew).

This review will enlist the assistance of ideas from psychologist, Carl Jung. It suggests four different perspectives on how Megalopolis might read be viewed and reviewed – and may contribute to an understanding of why Coppola is intended epic has been a box office failure with barbs from critics.

If one looks at the film, really looks, sees the images, hears the music and sounds, is immersed in the sense atmosphere, there is much to dazzle, excite and admire. If one prefers to look beyond this sense excitement, to be excited by ideas, imagination, themes, the New York-N or ew Rome connections, then the film is a feast of intuitions.

There is the more subjective response, personal factors and connections, appreciations of Coppola and his work, the intrigue of the potential collapse of the American Empire, evaluation of the characters and performances, liked or disliked. And, on the other hand, there is a more objective judgement, the perspectives of critics, the question of whether Coppola’s vision is substantial or ephemeral somewhere in between. The issue of whether his insights have depth insight, the consistency of the screenplay, Coppola’s interpretation of the past, his assessment of the present, and the quality of his optimism for the future.

Megalopolis has not been popular with the wide audience, but it surely has its place in the history of cinema.

1. Status of the film? In the career of Francis Ford Coppola? Ambitious, an old man, in his early 80s, filmmaking, screenplay, reflections on message?
2. The visuals of the film, a future New York, New Rome, Chrysler building and reminders of New York City? Parallels with ancient Rome especially the Coliseum, wrestling and chariot races? The special effects, the stopping of time? The editing and pace?
3. The cast, mixture of the young and the veterans, the status they bring to their rules?
4. The use of names, the application of Caesar, Cicero, Crassus, Julia…?
5. The introduction to Caesar Catalina, setting the tone of the film, on the Chrysler building, on the edge, stopping time? His invention, the material and its use? As a person, the death of his wife, the blame, Cicero and the prosecution? His work, ambitions? His lifestyle, the drugs? The encounter with Wow Platinum and the affair? Her role in the media? The antagonism towards Cicero? Crassus and the banking? Clodio and his antagonism? The encounters with Julia, the connections with her father, her attitude, assisting him, managing, the relationship, the pregnancy, her decisions with her father, the baby and her bonding with Caesar? The experience of the banking failure, the consequences? The physical attack, his injuries, hospital, his recovery? His relationship with his mother, her outbursts, seeing her in the crowd at the end?
6. Julia, the initial introduction, the nightclub, her friends, the wildlife, drinking, drugs, sexuality, of relationships? Her relationship with her father? Her changing, the encounters with Caesar, on his side, managing him at events, PR, the relationship, the increasing complications, the pregnancy, the birth of the child? The culmination with her father, her mother, her final choices? The stopping of time?
7. Crassus, the banker, profligate life, drinking, the family, meeting with Wow Platinum, the marriage, her manipulation, the media and interviews, her brashness, with Caesar, opportunist, the marriage, with Clodio, teaming with him, the plan, the management of the bank, to bring down Crassus? His age, careless life, realisation of what was happening, feigning his illness, turning the tables on Clodio and Wow?
8. Cicero, the mayor, his wife, Julia as his daughter, his practice of the law, antagonism towards Caesar? His role in the city, his ambitions, the crises, the conflicts? Relationship with his daughter, the clashes, disappointments? The challenges and his various responses? Mediation, concessions? His reliance on his friend, and sharing the downfall?
9. Clodio, young, his friends, careless, dressing as the Roman woman, partying, yet ambitious, his friend and manipulation, resorting to violence, with Well, the connections, interviews with Crassus, bringing him down, his defeat?
10. Dustin Hoffman as the dealmaker, sinister, his remarks, insinuating, Cicero relying on him – Claudio and turning against him, his death?
11. The chauffeur, his being the narrator, his views on characters and situations, a measure of judgement?
12. The people of New Rome, the populace, the responses to the leaders, victims of the leaders?
13. The film as reflections of an old man, critique of the past, ambivalence towards the present, possible hopes for the future?