12/26
The city of Nova Roma is pitted against Cesar Catilina, a brilliant artist who champions a utopian future, and the greedy mayor Franklyn Cicero. Between them is Julia Cicero, her loyalties divided between her father and her lover. Francis Ford Coppola wrote the script in the early 1980s, but the film was shelved, in part due to his financial debts. Pre-production finally began in 2001, after shooting 30 hours of second unit footage and doing table reads with Paul Newman, Uma Thurman, Robert De Niro, James Gandolfini, Nicolas Cage, Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Edie Falco and Kevin Spacey, but the project was scrapped after the September 11 attacks because a scene in the script (page 166) “predicted” the attacks. Coppola abandoned the project entirely in 2007 and did not begin developing it again until 2019. At 21:40, Catilina’s character says the phrase “Holy Jesus Christ!” in amazement. However, in-universe, the city of Nova Roma derives from a culture based on Roman mythology (example: 54:47, the dedication to Vesta; 01:55:51, someone says “The will of Cronos”, or at 01:56:49, a statue of Saturn is prominently displayed, while there are many other depictions of Roman deities). In this universe, Christianity does not exist. There is no reason for Catilina to use the phrase “Holy Jesus Christ!” and in such a context… Cesar Catilina: *Do* you want to help me? Julia Cicero: Yes. And, well, I… well, I want to learn. Cesar Catilina: And you think that a year of… medical school gives you the right to explore the riches of my Emersonian mind? Julia Cicero: Give me the right? Cesar Catilina: Yes. Julia Cicero: [scoffs] Give me the right? Cesar Catilina: Yes! Julia Cicero: Give me the right? Cesar Catilina: YESSSSSS! Julia Cicero: You have no idea about me! Do you think I’m nothing, just a socialite? Cesar Catilina: No, I’m nothing, but I reserve my time for people who can think. About science. And literature, and… architecture and art. Do you think I’m cruel, selfish and insensitive? I am. I work without caring what happens to any of us. So go back to the club, expose everything and pursue the kind of people you like. Julia Cicero: Okay! I will. Cesar Catilina: Come back when you have more time!. The “Ultimate IMAX Experience” version of the film features a live actor asking questions during the filmed press conference. Featured on the Amanda the Jedi Show: MEGALOPOLIS is my Nightmare | Explained (2024). My Pledge Written by Grace VanderWaal Performed by Grace VanderWaal Courtesy of Columbia Records By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment Produced and orchestrated by Kris Kukul. Full disclosure: This movie is a disaster of epic proportionsâan absolute train wreck that goes off the tracks, crashes, and somehow catches fire. Itâs so bad itâs almost brilliant, the kind of so-horrible-itâs-genius nightmare that future cult fans will rave about. And you know what? I have a lot of respect for Coppola for that. The guy is a cinematic legend who simply decided to throw all caution (and coherence) to the wind and go full mad scientist on this one. Itâs a glorious, unfiltered mess from the mind of a genius who clearly stopped caring what other people think. Bravo, you magnificent lunatic! đđť. From Alien: Romulus to Road House, check out some of our favorite posters from 2024.