The documentary ‘Megadoc’ offers a compelling exploration of the tumultuous production of Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’, as captured by director Mike Figgis.
‘Megadoc’ Reviews: A Depressing Yet Revelatory Look at the Making of ‘Megalopolis’
Just as Apocalypse Now begat Hearts of Darkness, Francis Ford Coppola‘s most recent film, Megalopolis, has inspired its own making-of documentary, Megadoc. Mike Figgis was present throughout the production of Coppola’s self-financed fantasy, and his resulting account recently premiered at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. The reviews for Megadoc have been notably more favorable than those for Megalopolis, a film that has both passionate supporters and equally passionate critics.
Positive Reviews Highlighting Ambition
The Wrap‘s William Bibbiani kicks off the positive reviews for Figgis’ film, stating: “Megadoc catalogs the many missteps of Coppola’s notorious production, but [Figgis] never loses sight of how ambitious it was. Or how expensive.” Bibbiani repeatedly emphasizes the excesses documented by Figgis, noting that the catering budget alone amounted to $1.6 million of Megalopolis‘ $120 million budget. “[The] haunting, depressing, revelatory documentary does a commendable job of following everyone’s best intentions as they skipped gormlessly down an ominous road,” he remarks.
Ominous Moments and Unaddressed Allegations
However, Bibbiani points out that Figgis avoids delving into some of the more troubling incidents that occurred on set, including allegations of on-set misconduct by Coppola. “Figgis doesn’t seem to want to touch that with a 10-foot pole, not even to dispute those allegations,” he observes.
Insights into Coppola’s Character
New York magazine critic Bilge Ebiri — who describes Megalopolis as a “mad hybrid” of sheer greatness and sheer awfulness — is equally enthusiastic about Megadoc and its revelations about Coppola’s character as a filmmaker. “There’s good chaos and bad chaos, and sometimes even the director doesn’t seem entirely sure of which is which,” he notes, highlighting Coppola’s contentious relationship with actor Shia LaBeouf as a prime example of this confusion.
“‘You’re the biggest pain in the fucking ass of any actor I’ve ever worked with,’ Coppola yells at LaBeouf at one point,” Ebiri comments. “At the same time, though, LaBeouf seems to be one of the actors (along with Aubrey Plaza) who have most fully embraced Coppola’s ideas about experimentation. However, the actor’s manic energy and refusal to let go of scenes clearly drives the filmmaker crazy.”
See More ...
Mixed Reviews from Indiewire
Despite initially likening Megadoc to a “DVD bonus feature,” Indiewire‘s David Ehrlich advises readers: “Don’t let that stop you from watching it.” He continues, “Figgis’ doc — patchy and unpolished as it is — reaffirms what I found so vital about Megalopolis while illustrating why it was still a singular trainwreck.” Ehrlich adds that Megadoc may not provide a comprehensive overview for those unfamiliar with Coppola’s film, but it still offers a broadly fascinating look at the toll of filmmaking — not just on finances, but also on the soul.
Comparisons to ‘Hearts of Darkness’
Hearts of Darkness is frequently referenced in discussions of Megadoc, and most critics agree that this latest documentary doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor. However, The Telegraph‘s Robbie Collin still recommends a double feature of both documentaries. “It’s far from the unofficial sequel to Hearts of Darkness… for which some industry types were probably primed,” he writes. “Instead, it’s an engaging, sometimes touching, slightly narrow depiction of a great filmmaker in the winter of his career who’s intent on somehow recapturing the spring of it.”
