Genius artist Cesar Catilina seeks to leap the City of New Rome into a utopian, idealistic future, while his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Genius artist Cesar Catilina seeks to leap the City of New Rome into a utopian, idealistic future, while his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties
Cast:
- Cesar Catilina: Adam Driver
- Mayor Cicero: Giancarlo Esposito
- Julia Cicero: Nathalie Emmanuel
- Wow Platinum: Aubrey Plaza
- Clodio Pulcher: Shia LaBeouf
- Hamilton Crassus III: Jon Voight
- Fundi Romaine: Laurence Fishburne
- Constance Crassus Catilina: Talia Shire
- Jason Zanderz: Jason Schwartzman
- Teresa Cicero: Kathryn Hunter
- Vesta Sweetwater: Grace VanderWaal
- Clodia Pulcher: Chloe Fineman
- Charles Cothope: James Remar
- Commissioner Stanley Hart: D.B. Sweeney
- Claudine Pulcher: Isabelle Kusman
- Huey Wilkes: Bailey Ives
- Claudette Pulcher: Madeleine Gardella
- Aram Kazanjian: Balthazar Getty
- Girl Reporter: Romy Mars
- Sunny Hope Catilina: Haley Sims
- Nush ‘The Fixer’ Berman: Dustin Hoffman
- Zena The Model: Sonia Ammar
- Dr. Lyra Shir: Neri Oxman
- Balin The Fractal: AJ Caba
- Assassin Boy: Michael Mourra
- Felix The Butler: Charlie Talbert
- General: Tommy Lee Driver
- Cesar’s Secretary: Caroline Bloom
- Bandmaster: George Dillard
- Ringmaster: Donald Pitts
- Control Room Engineer: Philip Dido
- Mrs. Gayle: Gayle Hooker
- Laughing Man: James Keane
- TV Newscaster: Sean Hankinson
- Spanish-Speaking Protester: Andrew Ayala
- Mr. Singh: Ritwik Chatterjee
- Servilia: Kendra Stout
- Non English-Speaking Driver: Max Bojorquez
- Board Chairwoman: Renee McNeil
- Wall Street Lawyer: Suzan Norton
- Wall Street Lawyer: Vince Pasani
- Elvis Impersonator: Robert Kim
- Sunny Puppet Dancer: Laura Hawkins
- Townhouse Guard: Henry Louis Adams Jr.
- Dance Instructor: Paul Pudney
- Vesta Lookalike: Vanessa Nichole
- Vesta Lookalike: Nikki Rush
- Vesta Lookalike: Tammy Hurtado
- Fake Vesta In Bed: Emma Anne Wedemeyer
- Lady Justice Statue: Ivy Lightsey
- Mayor’s Aide: Art Newkirk
- Mournful Lady Statue: Savannah Powers
- Jane Doe: Emily Berry
- Self (archive footage) (uncredited): Adolf Hitler
Crew:
- Unit Production Manager: Robert Mazaraki
- Assistant Accountant: Amanda J. Powderly
- Production Accountant: Sandra L. Dixon
- Controller: April A. Janow
- Assistant Accountant: Lauren Michele Reed
- Production Supervisor: Gavin Atilano
- Conceptual Illustrator: Karl Shefelman
- Supervising Art Director: David Scott
- Set Designer: Kristen Jenkins
- Art Direction: Samantha Avila
- Art Direction: Brittany Hites
- Set Designer: Nick S. Cross
- Art Department Coordinator: Molly Hunter Flick
- Set Designer: Daniela Medeiros
- Production Design: Beth Mickle
- Art Direction: Domenic Silvestri
- Set Designer: Ed Symon
- Set Designer: Chris Sanford
- Storyboard Artist: Cristiano Donzelli
- Concept Artist: Dean Sherriff
- Intern: Anna Lazzaro
- Location Manager: Ian Easterbrook
- Production Secretary: Thomas Salomon
- Assistant Location Manager: Josh Dillard
- Intern: Jacob Jackson
- Location Scout: Lenzi Sealy
- Transportation Captain: Hector Tapia
- Casting: Courtney Bright
- Transportation Coordinator: Robert Foster Jr.
- Casting: Nicole Daniels
- Production Coordinator: Jeremiah Cullen
- Location Manager: Dustin Pitan
- Second Unit Director: Roman Coppola
- Director of Photography: Mihai Malaimare Jr.
- Set Decoration: Lisa K. Sessions
- Producer: Fred Roos
- Original Music Composer: Osvaldo Golijov
- Rigging Gaffer: Tom Fendley
- Lighting Programmer: Mark Stuen
- Best Boy Grip: Richard Arnold
- Best Boy Electric: Brad Irvin
- “B” Camera Operator: Henry Tirl
- Extras Casting Assistant: Robb Pendleton
- Grip: Logan Russell
- Extras Casting Coordinator: Rose Locke
- Gaffer: Joseph Harold Page
- Rigging Gaffer: Ryan Basso
- Grip: Jason Davenport
- Video Assist Operator: Ryan Gibbons
- Extras Casting Assistant: Phil Pomeroy
- Dolly Grip: Kenneth Bolton
- Grip: Stephen Lamb
- Rigging Grip: Stoy Fulcher
- Key Grip: Mackie Roberts
- Extras Casting Assistant: Patrick Rokn
- Gaffer: Jeff Murrell
- Rigging Grip: Rick Turner
- Second Assistant Camera: Victoria K. Warren
- Dolly Grip: Nick Baird
- Grip: Josh Rivenbark
- Editor: Glen Scantlebury
- Editor: Cam McLauchlin
- Concept Artist: David Swayze
- Second Unit First Assistant Director: Ross Clyde
- First Assistant Director: Inti Carboni
- Second Second Assistant Director: Laura Brooks
- Boom Operator: Bryce Way
- Production Sound Mixer: Kaylee Yacono
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Philip Banks
- Co-Producer: Mariela Comitini
- Second Assistant Director: Rachel Jaros
- Sound Effects Editor: Josh Brown
- Sound Supervisor: Nelson Ferreira
- Dialogue Editor: David McCallum
- Dialogue Editor: Jill Purdy
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Jessica Taylor Galmor
- ADR Recording Engineer: Matthew Kabby Kabakoff
- Production Sound Mixer: Michael B. Koff
- Additional Second Assistant Director: J.H. Carter
- Boom Operator: Ian Bender
- ADR Coordinator: Jamie Gilmore
- Special Effects Technician: Austin Cody Griffin
- Special Effects Supervisor: Bob Riggs
- Second Second Assistant Director: David Stickler
- Sound Effects Editor: Craig MacLellan
- Sound Designer: Nathan Robitaille
- ADR Voice Casting: Eric Tiede
- Special Effects Supervisor: Dylan Kennedy
- Special Effects Technician: Walker Rice
- ADR Mixer: Colin Rogers
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Christian T. Cooke
- Sound Designer: Tyler Whitham
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Brad Zoern
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Andrew Hudson
- Special Effects: Elizabeth Ledezma
- Assistant Sound Editor: Scott Hitchon
- Special Effects Technician: Joel Studer
- Special Effects Technician: Wyatt Young
- Special Effects Coordinator: John S. Baker
- In Memory Of: Eleanor Coppola
- Foley Recordist: Kevin Jung
- Producer: Francis Ford Coppola
- Assistant Director Trainee: Akshay Bhatia
- Utility Stunts: Duane Burkhart
- Stunts: Gianni Biasetti Jr.
- Stunt Double: Ted Barba
- Stunts: Max Bojorquez
- Utility Stunts: Max Calder
- Stunts: Brent Bernhard
- Stunts: Ben Aycrigg
- Stunts: Miles Brew
- Stunt Double: Corbin Marshall
- Fight Choreographer: Noah Bain Garret
- Stunts: Ronald Lu
- Stunts: Meredith Richardson
- Stunts: Hawk Walts
- Electrician: Alex Salvato
- Stunt Double: Steven Shelby
- Electrician: Cornelius Williams
- Key Rigging Grip: Frankie Zamora
- Stunt Double: Jordan Salmon
- Stunt Double: Aaron Matthews
- Stunt Double: Jazzy Ellis
- Stunts: Duke Jackson
- Stunt Driver: Kevin Waterman
- First Assistant “B” Camera: Fred Thomas
- Stunts: Marcelle Coletti
- Stunts: Guru Khalsa
- Stunts: Josh Diogo
- Stunts: Tej Limlas Ly
- Stunts: Remington Steele
- Second Assistant “A” Camera: Paul Saunders
- Stunts: Jared Losano
- Stunts: Alex Whistance
- Stunts: Gregory L. Wilson II
- Utility Stunts: Jaye Tyroff
- Stunts: Jeremy Chapman Webb
- Stunts: Nick DeKay
- Stunts: Dean Grimes
- Stunt Driver: Chase Grohoske
- Stunts: Julia Maggio
- Stunts: Nancy Young
- Stunts: Joe Foley
- Stunts: Nick Gaddy
- Stunt Coordinator: Jason Gupton
- Stunt Double: Floyd Anthony Johns Jr.
- Stunts: Ryan D. Olson
- Stunt Driver: Charlie Picerni
- Underwater Camera: Spencer R. Williams
- Stunts: Cory DeMeyers
- Stunt Driver: Robert Shavers
- Stunts: Dena Sodano
- Stunts: Chad Crumley
- Stunts: Ryan Green
- Stunts: Dan Mast
- Stunts: Art Newkirk
- Stunts: Bayland Rippenkroeger
- Stunts: Troy Roker
- Stunts: Marvin Ross
- Grip: Tori Roloson
- Hairstylist: Charmaine Balcerzak
- Hairstylist: Tracie Morrison
- Hairstylist: Tracey Moss
- Hairstylist: Irenia Vail
- Hairstylist: Arlene Martin
- Hairstylist: Anna Majewski
- Hairstylist: Stephanie Pohl
- Hairstylist: John Tarro
- Hairstylist: Lindsay McAllister
- Hairstylist: Carlie Test
- Hairstylist: Latoya Kelley
- Hairstylist: Ralph A. Ochoa
- Hairstylist: Dawn Turner
- Hairstylist: Lance Aldredge
- Key Hair Stylist: April Schuller
- Assistant Hairstylist: Denise Finley
- Producer: Michael Bederman
- Makeup Department Head: Valli O’Reilly
- Hair Department Head: Terrie Velazquez Owen
- Executive Producer: Barrie M. Osborne
- Art Direction: Freddy Waff
- ADR Mixer: Chris Navarro
- Associate Producer: Jesse James Chisholm
- Makeup Artist: Kaylee Swisher
- Makeup Artist: Milene Melendez
- Foley Artist: Sandra Fox
- Co-Producer: James T. Mockoski
- Executive Producer: Anahid Nazarian
- Foley Recordist: Chelsea Body
- Foley Artist: Andy Malcolm
- Makeup Artist: Chauntelle Langston
- Producer: Barry J. Hirsch
- Makeup Artist: Shannon Pitts
- Makeup Artist: Amanda Sprunger
- Foley Mixer: Jack Heeren
- Original Music Composer: Grace VanderWaal
- Makeup Artist: Annette Chaisson
- Co-Producer: Masa Tsuyuki
- Costume Design: Milena Canonero
- Makeup Artist: Nick London
- Editor: Robert Schafer
- Associate Producer: Adriana Rotaru
- Costume Supervisor: Mark Peterson
- Executive Producer: Darren M. Demetre
- Foley Recordist: Colton Maddigan
- Costume Coordinator: Charlotte Nguyen
- Foley Recordist: Jenna Dalla Riva
- Production Design: Bradley Rubin
- Makeup Artist: Patrice Story
- Foley Recordist: Davi Aquino
- Foley Artist: Goro Koyama
- Still Photographer: Phillip V. Caruso
- Electrician: Rusty Edmonson
- Set Costumer: Chenelle King
- Digital Imaging Technician: Eli Berg
- Grip: James Henry Benton
- “C” Camera Operator: Jeff Crumbley
- Grip: Jason JD Davenport
- First Assistant Camera: Fabian Erblehner
- Set Costumer: Monica Blackmon
- Costumer: Sylvia Fuhrken
- Grip: Kevin Borisy
- Additional Grip: Jimmy Blair
- Costumer: Brenda L. Dubone
- Costumer: Stephanie Logan
- Electrician: Lorenza Amato
- Costume Coordinator: Kassia Dombroski
- Costumer: Lauren Britt
- Stunt Coordinator: Buddy Joe Hooker
- Art Department Assistant: Erin Morrell
- Thanks: Sam Levinson
- Thanks: Benjamin Centoducati
- Thanks: Jenny Mac
Catogories:
Science Fiction,Drama
These modules are interesting!!
If you can’t see a better future, build one.
Language:
English,Latin,Pусский,Español
Production:
United States of America
Company:
American Zoetrope,Caesar Film
Popularity:
104.627
Date:
2024-09-25
Year:
2024
- Manuel São Bento: FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/megalopolis-review-admirable-ambition-meets-chaotic-execution-in-francis-ford-coppolas-epic/
“Megalopolis is an ambitious epic that attempts to examine numerous thought-provoking themes, but Coppola’s vision of societal reconstruction reflects both its grandeur and the inherent flaws of its chaotic execution.
Despite immersive visuals and a talented cast, the narrative becomes overloaded with metaphors and philosophical analogies, resulting in an experience that, while provocative, feels confusing and scattered. The central conflict between Cesar and Cicero offers intriguing moments, but the richness of the ideas often gets diluted by the film’s excessive complexity.
A frustrating disappointment that, even as the creation of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, still falls prey to the common pitfalls of contemporary cinema.”
Rating: C-
- Brent Marchant: In the interest of full disclosure, it pains me to write this, but I feel I must be honest. Legendary writer-director Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited epic cinematic fable is, regrettably, a major disappointment. After decades of stop-and-start development, the filmmaker’s metaphorical opus about a renowned, idealistic architect (Adam Driver) seeking to build an ambitious utopian development in a modern-day version of New York inspired by ancient Rome follows the protagonist’s often-frustrated efforts to get the project off the ground (not unlike the production of this movie itself). Thematically speaking, the picture addresses a number of thoughtful, significant issues about the roles of greed, corruption, politics and agenda-based motivations in matters of public welfare, as well as the importance of enabling the expression of inspired creative freedom. It also delves into the relevance of love and support in fueling the success of such ventures. However, these notions are severely undermined by an overwhelming abundance of narrative clutter and style over substance. While it’s true that “Megalopolis” is gorgeous to look at with its inventive and impressive cinematography and production design, these visual aspects become so dominant that they vastly overshadow the coherence and intelligibility of the story. Admittedly, a greater sense of clarity begins to emerge as the picture unfolds, but, unfortunately, by that point, it’s difficult to imagine almost anyone genuinely caring about what ultimately happens. There are also many less-than-subtle parallels between the plot of this film and the screen adaptation of author Ayn Rand’s best-selling novel “The Fountainhead” (1949), raising some questions about the authentic originality of this work. Given that this could well be Coppola’s final film, it’s a shame to see the director wind up his repertoire with such a disappointing and underwhelming effort, and some reviewers (myself included) have tried mightily to avoid being unduly unkind, perhaps delivering more generous ratings than might ordinarily be the case. Nevertheless, it would appear that this allegorical undertaking was more than the filmmaker could manage, and it shows in the finished product, quite a letdown from the director known for such classic offerings as “The Godfather” (1972) and “Apocalypse Now” (1979). Yet, if you’re determined to see it, in light of the stunning visuals, this is probably a production best viewed on the big screen, but don’t be surprised if you walk away from this one disappointed overall.
- CinemaSerf: So imagine that the Roman Empire survived the turbulent treacheries of the original Caesars and made it to third millennium. (New) Rome has miraculously relocated to the United States (of course the greatest country the world has ever known) and the city is run by mayor “Cicero” (Giancarlo Esposito). He’s not without his detractors, though, and one of them is the ambitious “Cesar” (Adam Driver) who has ambitions to reinvent their city, Nero-style, by demolishing the run down slums and replacing them with an idealistic utopia constructed of his new, eternally lasting, “Megalon”. The city’s vested interests are lined up against this young man though, all except the mayor’s daughter “Julia” (Nathalie Emmanuel) who has taken a bit of a shine to the ambitious “Cesar” – and that’s much to the chagrin of his previous squeeze “Wow” (Aubrey Plaza) who decides that she will seek some vengeance by marrying the enormously wealthy, and aged, “Crassus” (Jon Voight). Add to this already rather cluttered mix, the personality of “Clodio” (Shia LaBoeuf) who is determined to bring down “Cesar” and see himself in public office – and inherit the “Crassus” fortune, and we have the makings of an internecine intrigue that ought to have made Suetonius and Machiavelli blush. Instead, well, we get a rambling drama that hasn’t a clue where it’s going – nor for whom it is for. It tries to mix a bit of the ancient Shakespeare (and Marcus Aurelius) into the dialogue to lend some gravitas and sense of history to the plot, but for the most part this is just a confused mess of a film. It’s a toss up between LaBeouf as the the over-the-top, hammy, “Clodius” and Voight’s doddery old gazillionaire as to who takes what acting plaudits there might be here, but the rest of the cast look like fish out of (CGI) water and though the production makes the odd to nod to cinema history – there’s a tiny bit of Fritz Lang here, I though – the rest of this comes across as an ill-inspired vanity project for Francis Ford Coppola that can’t decide if it’s “Romeo & Juliet” or “Spartacus” and in the end doesn’t deliver the potency, emotion, intensity or humour of either. It is a good looking film and the production designers have imaginatively created a city-scape that is ripe for the story, it’s just that the story isn’t ripe for the audience. It does need to be seen on a big screen, but be prepared to be underwhelmed as it starts strongly then simply peters out into a wordy melodrama with a few clumsily delivered messages about the nature of greed and the fecklessness of humanity lightly woven into the weak storyline. Beware, it ends tentatively enough to scream sequel at us, too!
- Wuchak: **_Colorful, eccentric, intellectually heavy and full of pizazz, but not for the masses_**
A brilliant architect (Adam Driver) is determined to recreate a core section of New Rome in the later 21st century with a revolutionary bio-adaptive material called Megalon. But the new mayor resists these creative plans because he’s content with the way things are (Giancarlo Esposito). As such, the mayor’s not happy when his daughter (Nathalie Emmanuel) starts to develop a relationship with the prodigy. Shia LaBeouf plays a decadent troublemaker while Aubrey Plaza appears as a scheming TV presenter drawn to the financial backbone of the city (Jon Voight).
Francis Ford Coppola first came up with the idea for “Megalopolis” in 1977. It was inspired by Lucius Sergius Catiline’s failed attempt to take control of the Roman republic in 63 BC, but lost to his rival Marcus Tullius Cicero. Even though Francis compiled hundreds of pages of notes and script fragments for the project in early 1983, the first serious attempt to go forward with making the movie was in 2001-2002, but the production eventually froze for various reasons, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
When Coppola turned 80, he decided to throw caution to the wind and finally make the film, financing it himself at a cost of $120 million, with shooting taking place between November and March, 2022-2023. So, is it any good? Some critics call it a “big mess,” but the plot is actually simple, as detailed above. It’s Francis’ artsy style that throws people off wherein he respects the intelligence of the viewer to put the pieces together. This approach was evident in his previous pictures, like “One From the Heart,” “Rumble Fish,” “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” “Youth Without Youth” and “Twixt” (aka “B-Twixt Now and Sunrise”). Speaking of those flicks, if you liked any of them, or hated ’em, this is cut from the same artistic cloth.
As observed with “Tucker: The Man and His Dream,” “Tetro” and even “Apocalypse Now” (the character of Kurtz), Coppola likes to parallel aspects of his own life in his movies. Here, he’s Cicero (Driver), an award-winning genius who has an ambitious new project that will revolutionize the landscape if carried out, but those in power oppose his noble efforts. He’s constantly slandered or framed with his indiscretions not helping matters. He’s also troubled by the death of his wife and his unborn children (remember the tragedy of Francis’ eldest son, Gian-Carlo, in 1986?). Yet he presses on with his vision and ultimately changes the world with his art.
At the end of the day, the movie’s entertaining on several fronts and stuffed with quality mindfood, not to mention it has a welcome warmhearted close. I busted out laughing on several occasions in light of the creative madness of it all. For those who say the amusement was “unintentional,” I guess they never saw Coppola’s previous film “Twixt,” not to mention earlier ones like “You’re a Big Boy Now.”
I see the city of Megalopolis as a type of the New Jerusalem in the Bible, the eternal city described in Revelation 21-22 (awesome streets of gold and all that). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life” and so the impenitent in the movie reap the wages of their transgressions whereas those who change their minds/thinking/actions (that is, they repent) are able to enjoy the benefits of the amazing new city.
If you value it, this is a flick you’ll be able to go back to for gems missed on previous viewings.
It runs 2 hour, 18 minutes, and was shot in Manhattan and Trilith Studios, Atlanta.
GRADE: B+/A-