If there is a spotlight that Hollywood loves to shine on, it’s Hollywood itself. There’s a long list of films that have explored the golden age of Hollywood, like Singin’ in the Rain, Sunset Boulevard, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane to more recent fare like The Aviator and La La Land.
The newest entry to the golden age cannon is Babylon from Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle. The film boasts a large ensemble of all-star actors like Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Toby Maguire, Jean Smart, Olivia Wilde, Eric Roberts, and many more. When this project was announced, I was very excited as this was set to explore one of the first seismic shifts in the film industry: the arrival and popularity of talking pictures. This transition completely upended Hollywood, marking the end of the wild west era of silent cinema, fueled by influential auteurs like Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford, to the more corporate age of the studio system that would last until the 1960s. And 1920s Hollywood is an era that the movie industry rarely explores.
I’m a huge fan of Chazelle’s Whiplash and (especially) La La Land, and from the frenetic trailer, the director seems to be tickling his inner Baz Luhrmann. There’s a Great Gatsby vibe to the proceedings, as the trailer is filled with clips of the alcohol and drug-fueled parties that were the norm during the roaring twenties. There are many amusing bits and one-liners featuring Brad Pitt and a wild Margot Robbie, who looks amped up to the max. But the quickly edited clips show very little of the silent vs. talkies backdrop that would bring a quick end to this loose and wild period in Tinseltown.
Sadly, I was left cold by the trailer, as there’s a mish-mash quality that shows none of the charm and style Chazelle brought to his earlier films. And the early reviews from festival screenings were mixed at best, with some critics hailing it as a colossal misfire and others declaring it a masterpiece. I’m leaning toward the former, but who knows, this could sweep the Academy Awards four months from now, with Chazelle and his cast cleaning up nicely.
Babylon opens Christmas Day in select theaters, then nationwide on January 6, 2023. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Thanks for a masterfully written review. I was disappointed by the trailer as well. While l love the subject matter, the trailer left me worried that the film will lack the humanity behind the hyped 1920s Hollywood high links. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
Thank you for reading. From the recent reviews and word of mouth from some of my industry insiders, it looks like our worst fears have been realized. I still plan on seeing it sometime next week, but my expectations have been lowered. It’s a shame, as the transition from sound to talking pictures is fertile ground for some interesting storytelling.