The new trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s upcoming film “Megalopolis” has generated controversy due to apparently fabricated quotes attributed to respected film critics. The trailer opens with scathing remarks supposedly made by influential reviewers like Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert about Coppola’s past works like “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now.” However, close examination by several media outlets found that many of the quotes did not appear in the original reviews.
For example, the trailer credits Kael with calling “The Godfather” “diminished by its artsiness,” but she did not use this phrase in her positive review. The trailer also wrongly attributes a comment about “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” to Ebert, when it was actually written by Owen Gleiberman in his review for Entertainment Weekly. Gleiberman himself has spoken out against the trailer, stating critics “hardly deserve to have words put in our mouths.”
The revelation of fabricated attributions has cast doubts over Coppola’s latest film. Some critics who saw “Megalopolis” at Cannes described it as “bloated, boring and bafflingly shallow.” The Variety reviewer noted Coppola’s “world-building” skills may have declined. Lionsgate, the studio distributing the film, has not commented on the misleading quotes controversy. The late critics cited are also unable to respond.
With its September 27 release approaching, Coppola’s unusual promotional methods have raised concerns about how skeptical audiences and critics will receive “Megalopolis.” Some argue the director would have been better served focusing on the film’s merits instead of attacking respected reviewers’ reputations with fabricated quotes. As the controversy continues, it remains to be seen if the film can overcome this troubled marketing start.
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