Just when it seemed that the story of the Francis Ford Coppola
movie Megalopolis
could not get any stranger, there has been an epilogue added that means many people may never have the option of seeing the celebrated filmmaker’s most ambitious and divisive movie.
According to new details revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, anyone looking for Coppola’s mind-bending “art” movie will notice that it is impossible to (legally) watch the film in any capacity right now, as Megalopolis has no streaming home, has not received or planned a DVD or Blu-ray release date, and has just seemingly dropped off the face of the earth since its muted theatrical run. This, it seems, is not because no one wants the movie, but because Coppola doesn’t want anyone to see the film in anything other than its intended format – on a cinema screen.
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No, Megalopolis Isn’t as Bad as Everyone Says
Francis Ford Coppola’s polarizing sci-fi epic Megalopolis deserves more praise than it’s received.
Streaming has instigated a trend in Hollywood, where movies that underperform at the box office have a big impact several months later when viewers flock to watch them on a streaming platform they are paying a monthly subscription to and, by proxy, allows them to watch movies for free rather than shelling out the cost of a movie theater ticket. While many would probably be planning to do this with Megalopolis, out of curiosity if nothing else, they will potentially never get the chance if Coppola has his way. According to a source quoted by the report:
“He wants it to play in theaters, the way it was intended.”
This has become apparent recently with Coppola effectively taking the movie on tour, as following his recent AFI Life Achievement Award event on April 26, he flew to a sold-out screening of the movie in Boston, and will be doing the same in Detroit this month. One of the biggest benefits of not being beholden to a studio and funding a movie yourself, is that you have the final say in what happens to it.
Is ‘Megalopolis’ a Bad Movie, or a Misunderstood Masterpiece?
Megalopolis was – even if Coppola would not call it one – a personal passion project that would have never been made if the legendary director had not funded it himself. Like several other filmmakers of his generation, there is something sacred about the moviemaking process that goes beyond commercial value and bottom-line profits. Coming in with a price tag of around $120 million of his own money, Coppola has more than earned the right to show his movie how he wishes – and in the end, what else was he going to do with the cash?
With an incredible cast, possibly one of the greatest assembled in the last 20 years, Megalopolis was the vision of Coppola without any outside interference or input. After being in Coppola’s mind for over 50 years, the film was finally put into cinemas in 2024, and became a mess of AI controversy, divisive opinions over some “canceled” actor castings, and a film that many people just simply did not understand at all.
In the past, there have been several “classic” movies that were torn to shreds on their initial release. The Shawshank Redemption, often cited as one of the greatest movies of all time, was a flop when it was released in 1994. It’s a Wonderful Life had a controversial production and was destroyed by many critics back in 1946. It is just possible that Coppola’s Megalopolis could be another of those movies that just needs time to be appreciated – if anyone gets to see it again, of course.
During his AFI tribute, Megalopolis star Adam Driver hailed the filmmaker’s “brave” stance in Hollywood, not worrying about how much money his movie would make, but about the integrity of putting something on screen that could, in time, cause an “aftershock” in the industry in the future. Driver said:
“Francis took $120 million and created a singular gesture for what he thought film could be, and I think that’s pretty great. That kind of move has an aftershock that certainly will be felt in his films, will be felt throughout time, and is obviously felt in this room. So, I know you have complicated feelings about awarding Francis, but to echo what everyone else has been saying, you more than deserve this moment. Congratulation on all you’ve achieved, and I’m honored to be here to celebrate you, your generosity and your bravery.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Megalopolis
1.5
/5
- Release Date
-
September 27, 2024
- Runtime
-
138 Minutes
