Is Coppola’s “Major Cities” an artistic failure? “Shallow and poorly played”

The film has divided critics, which is evident by the fact that it is currently showing on the aggregation site RottenTomatoes 48 percent positive reviews. However, even these warmer views are far from enthusiastic; The most favorable reviewers point out, for example, that the film, for all its chaos, is At least it’s not boring.

Critics’ disappointment

While Kevin Maher from the British newspaper “The Times” believes that the city of “Megalopolis” is “An amazing 138 minutes Ill-considered themes, incomplete scenes, and ugly visualizations.

Screen International’s Tim Grierson wrote of “Excess paralyzes“You can feel Coppola’s anger and sadness at the decline of his beloved America, but the coherence of the narrative is much less clear,” the critic says.

According to Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian, “Megalopolis” is “A passionate act of emotionWe read: “The picture is bloated, surprisingly shallow, full of textbook facts about the future of humanity, and at the same time poorly acted.”

Additions harassment charge

Coppola’s problems don’t end on screen. Earlier, The Guardian newspaper itself published a report stating: The creator is now 85 years old “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” He harassed the extras On the set of his latest movie “big cities”.

Coppola hadHe attracted women to him and forced them to sit on his lapMoreover, “witnesses allege that while working on a nightclub party scene, Coppola came onto the set and… Try kissing some topless or semi-nude showgirls” – reported The Guardian. The manager allegedly claimed that in this way he was trying to put female employees in the right mood.

Product Statement “Megalopolis”

The executive producer immediately defended the director “Big cities” Darren Demeter. He admitted in an interview with Variety that although there may be some truth to reports about “putting people in the right mood,” From his point of view the situation was completely different.

Over the course of two days, we worked on a scene in a club inspired by Studio 54. Francis walked around the set to get the crew in the right mood. Talk to cast members and extras in a friendly manner, hug them and kiss them on the cheek. It was his way of creating a club atmosphere, which is very important to the film. During work I have not received any complaints of inappropriate behavior or harassment From Coppola – said the producer.

Plot to destroy Coppola

World of Reel, in turn, published part of an email from an anonymous Hollywood producer who believes so The whole thing is nothing more than a conspiracy Aiming to discredit the famous director.

“It’s exclusive A smear campaign by frightened studiosA threat to their business models. “It is a plot to destroy Coppola,” we read.

40 years of work in “Megalopolis”

“Megalopolis” is the director’s dream project. Coppola wrote the film’s screenplay Back in the 80s He got the project Green light in 2001but The attack on the World Trade Center on September 11 It caused Hollywood producers to withdraw en masse from producing escape shows — and “Megalopolis” also fell victim to that. Ultimately, Coppola paid for the production $120 million out of his pocketBy mortgaging part of the property.

The events of the film take place in a place that was destroyed after a huge disaster New Rome, a utopian version of New York. The stellar cast includes Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Voight.