The artistic message of Megalopolis
I've watched the movie Megalopolis directed by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now...), starring Adam Driver. It is neither an ordinary, nor a simple film, later at home I've looked up a bit, wrote down some of my thoughts, and realized that this film is brilliant. If you're interested in my interpretation, read my lines AFTER you've seen the movie (or before, if you don't mind the spoilers).
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- SPOILER ALERT -
I think this film is a great work of art, a story about how real art and a dedicated artist should be supported and allowed to unfold, and not only those who or what brings money. Moreover, it was born under such circumstances, as I've read:
"Francis Ford Coppola, the director of The Godfather Trilogy and Apocalypse Now, spent four decades trying to persuade Hollywood studios to finance his grandiose plan. In the end, he sacrificed a significant part of his personal fortune to make the biggest film of his career.” /translation from port.hu/
Briefly about the basic situation: The ambitious and visionary architect Cesar Catilina wants to build a utopian city: Megalopolis. His progressive thinking is at odds with Mayor Franklyn Cicero, and he gets into trouble with other characters as well. The situation gets further complicated by Cesar's relationship with the mayor's daughter, Julia, but in the end this will be the key to the solution.
"Inter arma silent musae" i.e. "In times of war muses are silent" said by Cicero (I mean the real historical person). "It means that in times characterized by persistent violence and existential threats, there is not enough space for the development of culture and the arts" /translation from Austria-Forum/
TIME is connected to this space, the first hit and defining element of the film, which Cesar (and all creators in general) struggle with (in the film it seems as if Cesar has the power to stop time), and only a few people know and realize this, they will be Fundi Romaine and Julia.
People who receive a work of art usually only see, recognize, or expect (!) the end result, but they don't necessarily see the process, and the struggle, which is essential for the creation progress - in fact, in this film specifically - for building the future. It depends on both sides how initiated they are or how initiated they want to be.
In addition to TIME, other important factors in Cesar's life are inspiration, love, and letting go of a past tragedy. Julia, like a muse, brings these into Cesar's life, she will be the bridge between Cicero and Cesar, and their common child will be the embodiment of the future.
In connection with Cesar's time-stopping, there's a theory (on the internet) that it was only he who envisioned it but it did not actually happen. It can easily be possible. But the point is that Cesar experiences this as a super ability: art can also be like that, a kind of "superpower".
This is explained very well in Kiki's Delivery Service by Studio Ghibli: when Kiki, the little witch girl, experiences multiple negative events in her life, she loses her special abilities: she can't fly and doesn't understand what her cat say, with whom she was able talking before. Kiki then goes to the her artist friend, who explains to her that art is also a kind of super ability that sometimes doesn't work (artist block) but then comes back.
In order to build, Cesar first destroys: in the story this takes - on the one hand - the homes of many poor people. By doing so, he commits a serious mistake, which will have a price, but will later turn into a lesson and causes a good result.
Another important character (from many) in the film is the rich old Hamilton Crassus III. In the end, he appeared to me as a kind of mecenas (patron) who not only recognized and supported Cesar's art, but also eliminated those harmful and - in every sense - greedy factors who wanted to suppress and destroy Cesar.
I think this film is highly valuable, it has a lot of things that a good work of art needs: it has a message, it shows a crooked mirror, it is serious and deep, it seems that it has grown for a long time, it is not driven by money and is not self-serving!
Many other things are written about it, e.g. political aspects, but I am not good at that topic. The extremes of poverty and wealth are also an important elements, and the view is... truly truly amazing.
It should have a rating above 7.0 on IMDb, those who pushed it lower, I think they judged too quickly, perhaps they didn't give enough TIME.
Briefly about the basic situation: The ambitious and visionary architect Cesar Catilina wants to build a utopian city: Megalopolis. His progressive thinking is at odds with Mayor Franklyn Cicero, and he gets into trouble with other characters as well. The situation gets further complicated by Cesar's relationship with the mayor's daughter, Julia, but in the end this will be the key to the solution.
"Inter arma silent musae" i.e. "In times of war muses are silent" said by Cicero (I mean the real historical person). "It means that in times characterized by persistent violence and existential threats, there is not enough space for the development of culture and the arts" /translation from Austria-Forum/
TIME is connected to this space, the first hit and defining element of the film, which Cesar (and all creators in general) struggle with (in the film it seems as if Cesar has the power to stop time), and only a few people know and realize this, they will be Fundi Romaine and Julia.
People who receive a work of art usually only see, recognize, or expect (!) the end result, but they don't necessarily see the process, and the struggle, which is essential for the creation progress - in fact, in this film specifically - for building the future. It depends on both sides how initiated they are or how initiated they want to be.
In addition to TIME, other important factors in Cesar's life are inspiration, love, and letting go of a past tragedy. Julia, like a muse, brings these into Cesar's life, she will be the bridge between Cicero and Cesar, and their common child will be the embodiment of the future.
In connection with Cesar's time-stopping, there's a theory (on the internet) that it was only he who envisioned it but it did not actually happen. It can easily be possible. But the point is that Cesar experiences this as a super ability: art can also be like that, a kind of "superpower".
This is explained very well in Kiki's Delivery Service by Studio Ghibli: when Kiki, the little witch girl, experiences multiple negative events in her life, she loses her special abilities: she can't fly and doesn't understand what her cat say, with whom she was able talking before. Kiki then goes to the her artist friend, who explains to her that art is also a kind of super ability that sometimes doesn't work (artist block) but then comes back.
In order to build, Cesar first destroys: in the story this takes - on the one hand - the homes of many poor people. By doing so, he commits a serious mistake, which will have a price, but will later turn into a lesson and causes a good result.
Another important character (from many) in the film is the rich old Hamilton Crassus III. In the end, he appeared to me as a kind of mecenas (patron) who not only recognized and supported Cesar's art, but also eliminated those harmful and - in every sense - greedy factors who wanted to suppress and destroy Cesar.
I think this film is highly valuable, it has a lot of things that a good work of art needs: it has a message, it shows a crooked mirror, it is serious and deep, it seems that it has grown for a long time, it is not driven by money and is not self-serving!
Many other things are written about it, e.g. political aspects, but I am not good at that topic. The extremes of poverty and wealth are also an important elements, and the view is... truly truly amazing.
It should have a rating above 7.0 on IMDb, those who pushed it lower, I think they judged too quickly, perhaps they didn't give enough TIME.
