Hi there! I’m Mark Olsen, and this is your guide to the world of Only Good Movies.
This week, I want to delve into Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis.” The film debuted last weekend and failed to resonate with moviegoers. This passion project, years in the making, cost the 85-year-old filmmaker a whopping $120 million of his personal funds, but only managed to rake in $4 million in ticket sales.
As Ryan Faughnder discussed in his analysis of the film’s reception, “Despite its disastrous performance, isn’t there something redeeming about its existence? … Once upon a time, failures like this would bankrupt studios. With ‘Megalopolis,’ it’s hard to identify who suffers from this flop, aside from Coppola’s estate.”
I revisited the film over the weekend, watching it in full IMAX at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It left me feeling invigorated and stimulated. Interestingly, the audience seemed to be engrossed in the film throughout, laughing occasionally, silent and attentive at other moments, all the while unsure of where the film was headed or its intended meaning. It’s a film teeming with grand concepts and audacious goals, yet it manages to maintain a light-hearted, whimsical approach.
The interaction between Aubrey Plaza and Adam Driver encapsulates the film’s striking, dynamic energy. Plaza’s ambitious character, Wow Platinum, tries to seduce Adam Driver’s Cesar Catilina. The situation is somewhat ridiculous and absurd, but then quickly changes to a deeply sincere and passionate love confession. This reflects the essence of the film – ever-changing, engaging the viewer, daring to be bold and possibly make a fool of itself. The boundless creativity and imagination infuse the film with a unique vitality.
The film explores possible futures – the last image is of a baby – and we must allow for a cinematic culture that embraces audacious works like “Megalopolis,” even if the business side of the film industry doesn’t always concur. We should all wish for more of such daring films, and to be so unconstrained.
Sommaire
Ed Wood: More Than Just ‘the Worst Filmmaker in the World’
The American Cinematheque is commemorating the 100th birthday of filmmaker Ed Wood, Jr., born October 10, 1924, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., with a series running from October 10 through Halloween. Infamously labeled “the worst filmmaker of all time,” Wood’s reputation has somewhat improved since Tim Burton’s 1994 film “Ed Wood,” but his work is still more often discussed than actually watched. When Wood passed away in 1978, his death went unremarked in The Times.
The series will kick off with Wood’s most famous film, 1957’s “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” a movie about an alien invasion of Earth. Comedian and filmmaker Bobcat Goldthwait, known for his directorial work on “Shakes the Clown” and “World’s Greatest Dad,” will introduce the screening alongside author Harry Medved.
Goldthwait believes “Plan 9” is the perfect introduction to Wood’s work, recounting how he became infatuated with Wood’s work after seeing the film as a midnight movie. He said, “The thing is, Ed Wood is not the worst filmmaker. I have a soft spot for him because I see myself in him, in a way. I’m making these small films that no one’s asking for. Ed is the patron saint for us crazies who go out and make low-budget films with their friends. I think Ed’s movies are really imaginative and they’re very personal.”
Goldthwait, who sports a tattoo of Wood, is currently working with his friend, comedian and writer Dana Gould, to complete Wood’s 1969 project “Operation Redlight,” using 40 minutes of footage they managed to obtain.
Goldthwait remarked, “The footage sort of fell into our laps. I can’t disclose how I got it, but I got it in a way that would’ve made Ed proud.”
He added, “We’ve spoken to people who were his friends, people he stayed with, and actors who worked with him. The great thing about him is that these people remember him fondly. It’s really nice to be obsessed with someone who, when you dig deeper, you find people genuinely liked.”
The series will also feature Wood’s eerie 1959 film “Revenge of the Dead” (also known as “Night of the Ghouls”), introduced by Jason Insalaco, nephew of Ed Wood character actor Paul Marco. Wood’s much less known 1970 film “Take It Out in Trade,” described as a “surreal detective comedy” in the vein of John Waters and Russ Meyer, will also be screened.
The series concludes with Wood’s 1953 film “Glen or Glenda,” in which the director himself plays a man who starts dressing as a woman. The screening will be introduced by Bob Blackburn, co-custodian of the Ed Wood estate, and will also feature a screening of the unseen “The Adventures of Ed & Kathy & George & Fran.”
Goldthwait believes that while “Plan 9” is Wood’s best film, “Glen or Glenda” is more personal. He said, “I think that’s him asking for acceptance.”
Road Movies
In line with the film “Will & Harper,” featuring Will Ferrell embarking on a road trip with his old friend Harper Steele, the Egyptian and Bay Theaters in Los Angeles (as well as the Paris in New York City) will host a series of road movies starting Wednesday and running through December.
On October 9, the Egyptian will screen Frank Capra’s 1934 film “It Happened One Night,” starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, alongside Peter Bogdanovich’s 1973 film “Paper Moon” featuring Ryan O’Neal and Tatum O’Neal.
Other films in the series include Preston Sturges’ “Sullivan’s Travels,” Joel and Ethan Coen’s “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” Ridley Scott’s “Thelma & Louise,” David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart,” Gus Van Sant’s “My Own Private Idaho” in 35mm, Alexander Payne’s “Sideways,” John Hughes’ “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” and Stanley Donen’s “Two for the Road.”
Tatum O’Neal, at age 10, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her screen debut in “Paper Moon,” making her the youngest Oscar winner ever. In the film, Ryan O’Neal plays a traveling salesman and minor con artist journeying across the Midwest in the 1930s, with his daughter (Tatum O’Neal) accompanying him.
In his original review of the film, Times critic Charles Champlin wrote, “Nobody can resist a charming child star. … What sets [Tatum O’Neal] apart is her innocent wickedness, which leans more towards wickedness than the mischief she gets into; she aligns with Mark Twain’s young men in her early awareness that all is not well with the world and that there is indeed evil, greed, lust, and other adult indulgences.”
In a charming Times profile by Mary Murphy of the real-life father-daughter duo from May 1973, young Tatum asks the journalist, “Did you see my movie?” to which Ryan replies, “Your movie! Oh. It’s your movie. My God. How quickly you forget.”
Points of Interest
‘Rumours’ by Guy Maddin and More
The American Cinematheque is hosting a tribute to Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin from October 5 to 7, including a screening of his latest film, “Rumours,” a satire set during a G-7 summit co-directed with Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson. The film features Cate Blanchett, Alicia Vikander, Charles Dance, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Denis Ménochet. The filmmakers will be present throughout the weekend.
Other films being screened include “The Green Fog,” “The Saddest Music in the World,” “Brand Upon the Brain!,” “My Winnipeg,” and “The Forbidden Room.”
In Other News
AFI Fest Program Announced
AFI Fest unveiled their line-up for this year’s festival this week. Running from October 23–27, the showcase will conclude with the world premiere of Clint Eastwood’s new film “Juror #2” starring Nicholas Hoult. The festival will include many films making their Los Angeles debut from the international festival circuit, including films from Sundance, Berlin, SXSW, Tribeca, Venice, Telluride, and New York.
Highlights include Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain,” Pablo Larraín’s “Maria,” Athina Rachel Tsangari’s “Harvest,” Alex Ross Perry’s “Pavements,” Maisie Crow and Abbie Perrault’s “Zurawski v Texas,” Alonso Ruizpalacios’ “La Cocina,” David Cronenberg’s “The Shrouds,” Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths,” Chris Smith’s “Devo,” Mati Diop’s “Dahomey” and “No Other Land,” a documentary by a collective of Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers: Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor.
Tejano Filmmaking
Luis G. Rendon, for De Los, wrote about a series of recent Tejano documentaries that are available on streaming platforms including PBS, Max, and Netflix. Films such as “Hummingbirds,” “The Chicano Squad,” “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” and “As I Walk Through the Valley” portray the experience of Tejano communities in ways that go beyond simple narratives of immigration and politics.
“Those of us who grew up near the border and who are intimately familiar with the cross-cultural exchange that is so inherent of living on the border are like, ’Hey, that’s not the only story, that’s not the only side to this,” said Alejandra Vasquez, one of the directors of “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” a film about a high school music program.
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My name is Alex Carter, a journalist with a deep passion for independent cinema, alternative music, and contemporary art. A University of California, Berkeley journalism graduate, I’ve honed my expertise through film reviews, artist profiles, and features on emerging cultural trends. My goal is to uncover unique stories, shine a light on underrepresented talents, and explore the impact of art on our society. Follow me on SuperBoxOffice.com for insightful analysis and captivating discoveries from the entertainment world.