As a cinephile who has spent countless hours immersed in the rich tapestry of film history, I find myself captivated by the enigmatic aura surrounding Francis Ford Coppola‘s latest opus, Megalopolis. The discordant reception at Cannes and the polarized reviews online are reminiscent of the initial responses to his masterpieces like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now – movies that were once maligned by critics but have since become timeless classics.
The freshly-released blockbuster “Megalopolis,” directed by the esteemed Francis Ford Coppola, is shrouded in mystery. This high-budget production had its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. After the screening, conflicting reviews emerged, with some praising it to the extent of a 7-minute standing ovation, while others actively showed their disapproval by booing the film.
Following its release, Megalopolis sparked a wide range of reactions online. Some hailed it as Coppola’s finest work, while others criticized it as confusing and disjointed. Despite the polarizing opinions, Coppola himself finds the debate intriguing, viewing it as Hollywood’s attempt to pigeonhole his uniquely unclassifiable film.
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Francis Ford Coppola expressed his disagreement with Hollywood executives who are trying to categorize the film “Megalopolis” into a specific genre. The creator of films like “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” stated that “Megalopolis” transcends any single label and resists conforming to conventional cinematic structure. The article also mentions that certain parts of the film necessitate active audience involvement, a fact which Coppola confirmed.
“The film industry often pushes the idea that every movie should follow a single, specific structure: introducing a protagonist, quickly establishing an antagonist, and adhering to a proven formula for mass-market appeal. When films challenge this norm and deviate from the established pattern, they are seen as too risky by producers who believe that if it can’t be repeated successfully, it’s not worth investing in.”
Francis Ford Coppola Says Megalopolis Is Ahead of It’s Time
Throughout Francis Ford Coppola’s illustrious filmmaking journey, he has often been portrayed as a ‘mystified virtuoso’. Initially, upon the premiere of his current masterpieces like ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Apocalypse Now’, some critics were quite unfavorable towards these films. However, over time, these movies have come to be revered as timeless classics. Coppola is confident that the same fate will be met by his upcoming film, ‘Megalopolis’.
In the course of the interview, Coppola drew a parallel between himself and notable artists who experienced lack of deserved recognition early in their careers, but eventually achieved success later on. Putting it into his own words, the director stated:
“It’s well-known that art we admire, such as Bizet’s Carmen, works by Picasso, Monet, and Matisse, were once deemed too daring or a flop in their time. Apocalypse Now is an excellent illustration of this. When it initially released, people questioned, ‘What on earth is this?’ Yet, they kept going to see it. Similarly, Megalopolis defies categorization, and that’s fantastic – that’s the kind of film I appreciate.”
The latest trailer for Megalopolis attempted to weaponize Francis Ford Coppola’s misunderstood genius. It opens with bad reviews for his older movies, which are now critically adored. However, AI in Hollywood strikes again as it was revealed that the reviews in the trailer were fake, and generated using AI by a PR company. The company has subsequently been fired, and the trailer has been removed from all official sources.
Megalopolis
releases in theaters on September 27, 2024.
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2024-09-01 16:31