Things are about to get a little dicey for Francis Ford Coppola.
If you remember, back in May “Several sources” told The Guardian that working with Coppola on “Megalopolis” had them noticing “unprofessional” behavior on the part of the filmmaker. He could be “old school” in his behavior around women, they claimed.
He allegedly pulled women to sit on his lap, for example. And during one bacchanalian nightclub scene being shot for the film, witnesses say, Coppola came on to the set and tried to kiss some of the topless and scantily clad female extras. He apparently claimed he was “trying to get them in the mood”.
That controversy seemed to have come and gone, a week later Coppola premiered “Megalopolis” at Cannes, and media outlets stopped talking about The Guardian report.
Now, Variety has decided to reignite the controversy by posting videos of Coppola trying to kiss female extras on the set of his ambitious sci-fi epic, the footage was shot during the infamous bacchanalian nightclub scene.
The sources claim that Coppola’s behavior was unprofessional. One source who was on the set during the nightclub scene estimated that between 150 to 200 people were assembled, including background actors and crew as Coppola started directing the scene. The filmmaker kept leaping up to hug and kiss several women, often inadvertently inserting himself into the shot and ruining it, which the source said was unusual.
Their source alleges that after multiple takes, Coppola got on a microphone and announced in earshot of everyone in the room, “Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know it’s solely for my pleasure.”
In June, Lionsgate acquired U.S. distribution rights for “Megalopolis” and set up a September 27 release date. Coppola will pay for the film’s marketing costs and is looking to mount an awards campaign for his polarizing film.
With this Variety report reigniting previous controversy, does Coppola still receive his Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 8? It’ll depend on just how much backlash actually occurs to these Variety’s videos.
Did Coppola cross the line? You be the judge.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.