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No wonder Coppola had to pay for Megalopolis with his own money

No wonder Coppola had to pay for Megalopolis with his own money

A 40-year passion project for the Apocalypse Now director, this Roman orgy of a film warns of end of days for America – but more likely just means the end of Francis Ford’s career.

John McDonaldFilm reviewer

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It’s hard to recall a film being greeted with more perplexity than Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. A production that has been 40 years in gestation, cost US$120 million ($174 million), and failed to attract support from the major studios, it’s like no movie ever made.

As the director is one of Hollywood’s all-time greats it seemed incredible that Coppola had to pay for it with his own money – but after sitting through 138 minutes of this exhausting, incoherent pageant, the whole thing felt more confusing than ever. What was Coppola thinking? Hell, what was he smoking?

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John McDonaldFilm reviewerJohn McDonald is the film critic for AFR Weekend.

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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/no-wonder-coppola-had-to-pay-for-megalopolis-with-his-own-money-20241001-p5kf2p