Latest news with #Coppola
Chicago Tribune
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Live at the Chicago Theatre: Francis Ford Coppola, ‘Megalopolis' and your questions
Want a better America? A very famous filmmaker would like your thoughts on that one. Hiding in plain sight, 'Megalopolis' is no longer streaming anywhere (it was available, briefly, as a digital download) and it's not on DVD. There's a reason. Its writer-director prefers that you experience his long-brewing, half-mad argument for democracy, aesthetics and a brighter future in a big way. Not a small, pauseable one. In July, one of modern cinema's towering figures will embark on a multi-city tour of 'An Evening with Francis Ford Coppola and 'Megalopolis' Screening.' The film presentation will be followed by Coppola's discussion, built around questions from the audience, on the topic 'How to Change Our Future.' The July 25 Chicago Theatre event follows engagements in Red Bank, New Jersey, and Port Chester, New York. After Chicago, Coppola and 'Megalopolis' move on to Denver, Dallas and San Francisco; Live Nation presents five of the six tour stops, with the Texas Theatre handling the Dallas engagement. 'This is the way 'Megalopolis' was meant to be seen, in a large venue, with a crowd and followed by intense interactive discussions about the future,' Coppola wrote in a statement for Live Nation. Coppola has wrestled with 'Megalopolis' for nearly 50 years. Covering much of the $120 million production costs himself, with money from his celebrated winery, the filmmaker's latest premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival to wildly mixed reactions. After several months of searching for a distributor (Lionsgate, ultimately), 'Megalopolis' grossed $14 million in theaters, making it one of modern cinema's most brazen rolls of the dice. The film stars Adam Driver as visionary architect and inventor Cesar Catilina. A few decades in the future, this idealistic savior vies for urban redevelopment and design control of the Manhattan-like city of New Rome with its weak, corrupt mayor (Giancarlo Esposito). Evoking a metropolis on the brink of total collapse, New Rome's scheming politicians and half-ruined architectural monuments also suggest ancient Rome, just before Nero started fiddling. Catilina wants something better for the people, a utopian rebuke to mediocrity. His motto is unmistakably Coppola's as well: 'When we leap into the unknown, we prove we are free.' Now 86, the director will forever be best known for his 'Godfather' trilogy, 'Apocalypse Now' and smaller-scaled masterworks such as 'The Conversation.' His latest film, he has said, may too pass the test of time, long after the memes and the financial reports have faded. As Coppola posted on Instagram earlier this year, noting that director Jacques Tati risked all he had (or nearly) on his wondrous 1967 utopian/dystopian dream 'Play Time,' now considered a classic: 'Box-office is only about money, and like war, stupidity and politics (it) has no true place in our future.'
Metropolis Japan
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metropolis Japan
Megalopolis
By Don Morton He did it his way A lot of self-appointed cinema experts have commented on what a financial flop this movie is, noting that Francis Ford Coppola spent $100 million of his own money on it and is unlikely to ever see a profit. But what they don't know is that Coppola is admired, not for making moneymakers, but for making the films he wants to make. He made movies like The Godfathe r (I&II) and Apocalypse Now so he could fund The Conversation, One From the Heart and Rumble Fish. Francis has never shied away from risk, and maybe today's film industry needs more of that. So, what's it about? Reader, I have no friggin' idea. The production notes call it 'An epic Roman fable set in an imagined modern America.' Here's some of the critical buzz: 'Dazzling and audacious, uncompromising, satirical yet sincere, magical, meandering and maddening, windy, overstuffed, baffling, too talky, an idea-bloated monstrosity, a garish wonder to behold, a nakedly personal statement.' See what I mean? The massive, often baffled but uniformly committed cast includes Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, and dozens more. The whole thing eventually buckles under its own weight, but it's a thrilling demolition to behold. In sum, it's precisely the movie Coppola wanted to make. Whether it's a movie you want to watch depends on who you are, and I can't help you there. It's one of those you have to see to believe. Then we'll talk. (138 min)
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Francis Ford Coppola to host S.F. screening of ‘Megalopolis,' the way it was ‘meant to be seen'
Francis Ford Coppola is headed to San Francisco to present his film ' Megalopolis ' and to discuss the future of cinema. Billed as 'An Evening With Francis Ford Coppola and 'Megalopolis' Screening,' the Aug. 1 event at the Palace of Fine Arts is the final stop on a tour organized by Live Nation. Tickets are on sale at 'Megalopolis,' released theatrically in September, was the 'Godfather' filmmaker's dream project for decades. The Napa Valley resident famously footed the $120 million budget himself in part by selling a portion of his Sonoma County wine empire. The film, beset by controversy, pulled in only $14 million globally. Later, Coppola suggested he was near bankruptcy. The film has divided critics, including here at the Chronicle. Undeterred, the 86-year-old Coppola has declined to release the film to streaming, and has hosted screenings off and on since the film's run in theaters. 'This is the way 'Megalopolis' was meant to be seen, in a large venue, with a crowd and followed by intense interactive discussions about the future,' Coppola said in a statement released by Live Nation. After the screening of the over two-hour epic, Coppola is scheduled to host an 'in-depth interactive discussion' called 'How to Change Our Future.' The discussion also includes a Q&A with the audience. 'Megalopolis' stars Adam Driver as architect Cesar Catilina, whose vision of a utopia in New Rome is at odds with corrupt Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), with the mayor's daughter (Nathalie Emmanuel) caught in the middle. The all-star cast includes Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza and Dustin Hoffman. Driver defended the film and its maker as Coppola received the American Film Institute's 50th Life Achievement Award at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles in April. 'This is a principled life, and for a year in our culture when the importance of the arts is minimized, and our industry is seemingly out in the open, then the only metric to judge a film's success is by how much money it makes,' Driver said. 'I hang on to individuals like Francis for inspiration, who live through their convictions, through big moves, all in service of pushing the medium forward. 'Francis took $120 million and created a singular gesture for what he thought film could be, and I think that's pretty great.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'A real physical presence' - Albion confirm Coppola deal
Albion have confirmed the signing of Diego Coppola from Hellas Verona on five-year deal. The 21-year-old is currently on international duty with Italy under-21s at the Euros. He is believed to be costing about £9.4 million with no add-ons. Advertisement Coppola recently made his senior Azzurri debut and, at 6ft 4in, is a physically powerful figure who is comfortable on the ball and can pay in a back three or four. In the official club announcement of his imminent arrival, Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler said: 'Diego is an exciting addition for the club. 'Although he is still young, he is tall, strong and mobile and he will give us a real physical presence. 'He has made impressive progress in Serie A and deserved his call-up to the Italian national team. We look forward to helping him develop even more.' Albion are believed to have beaten Prem competition for Coppola when they announce the deal. Advertisement Fans wishes are being answered so far - so what should be next on wanted list? It is also understood Juventus have held a long-running interest in the powerfully-built 21-year old. Coppola recently won his first two senior caps for the Azzurri before rushing to Slovakia to help the under-21s. He played in the middle of a back three for his club as they avoided relegation from Serie A last season. But he was the right-sided centre-back in a four against Slovakia's youngsters.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Transfers: Brighton bag Italian international Coppola
Brighton have announced the signing of Italy defender Diego Coppola from Hellas Verona. The 21-year-old has signed a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reported to be in the region of £9 million (€10.5m). Coppola – currently away with Italy at the European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia – has made two appearances for the Azzurri's senior national team, featuring in both World Cup qualifiers earlier in June. "Diego is an exciting addition for the club," Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler said on the club website. "Although he is still young, he is tall, strong and mobile and he will give us a real physical presence. "He has made impressive progress in Serie A and deserved his call-up to the Italian national team. We look forward to helping him develop even more."
