In an interview, Francis Ford Coppola spoke about contemporary cinema films. The director also talked about Marvel films and also talked about his next project “Megalopolis”.
“Studios used to make movies, but now you have Marvel movies,” Coppola told “GQ“. “And what is a Marvel flick? A prototype of a film to be produced over and over and over again, just with a slightly different look.”
Marvel movies lack ’emotional, profound experiences’
Marvel movies aren’t the only blockbusters the filmmaker is disappointed with. These include Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and Cary Joji Fukunaga’s James Bond 007: No Time To Die. As Coppola said of it, “You could take these two films and you could pick similar sequences from both and [ohne weiteres] put together. Those scenes where the cars crash into each other. [All diese Filme] have this stuff in there, and they almost have to have it if they’re going to justify their budget. And there are still the good films, and there are still the talented directors.”
Coppola’s comment could also have come from another great filmmaker. As Martin Scorsese told “Empire‘ that he doesn’t see Marvel films as ‘true cinema’. The director elaborated, “I tried to like her. […] But honestly, amusement parks remind me most of all. Even if they are well produced and the actors do their best given the circumstances. But the people behind these films are not trying to convey emotional, profound experiences to other people.”
“Show your personality in filmmaking”
The latter is an aspect that is also important to Coppola. He advises aspiring directors: “I always tell my children, including Sofia [Coppola], ‘Show your personality in filmmaking’. Make your films as personal as possible because it’s a miracle you’re even alive. [Wenn du das machst] your art becomes a miracle too, because it reflects the thoughts of someone unique.”
Meanwhile, Coppola, who describes himself as a “first-rate second-rate director,” is currently working on “Megalopolis.” A film he has had in his head for decades. The story will take place in New York, but with echoes of ancient Rome. It will be about love, philosophy and utopia. The director wants to create a film that touches viewers so much that they want to see it once a year. Coppola adds: “Basically, I want to ask the following question: Is our current form of society the only one we are capable of? I would like to encourage this discussion.”