In an effervescent new trailer, “Babylon” reveals its most beautiful colors to us. Between galore parties, dances galore and decadence of the 20s, we are promised a real show.
A Babylon(e) American and bubbly
Hollywood, 1920. The Roaring Twenties take off at the pace of the country’s economy, in an exponential growth that is no longer slowed down. L’golden age of cinema is booming, with the arrival of the “Big Five” and the development of the star system. It is in this environment prosperous with ambition and success how our characters evolve… Nellie LaRoy (played by Margot Robbie) and Manny Torres (played by Diego Calva) dream big. As they say in the new trailer for Babylon (above)they want to be part of “something that lasts, that makes sense”.
Jack Conrad (played by Brad Pitt) is an actor who seems to have made himself, as he implies: “When I arrived in Los Angeles, you know what was written everywhere? Actors and dogs prohibited… I changed that“. The protagonists thus live in the tumult of a changing timein an era of cinematic revolutions and of liberation of morals…
The decadence of the 20’s
Hungry for gloryit’s on the famous song Famous by David Bowie that our characters go wild in the video. As usual, director Damien Chazelle makes our heart beat with drums and trumpets. The party is at its peakbetween alcohol, party favors and sensual dances… There is no doubt that the director will exploit the dances and music of the time, possibly mixing them – as suggested Famous – in contemporary titles.
This possibility is also reminiscent of the works of his colleague Baz Luhrmann, also a fervent representative of the party (think of Red Mill !), who had previously depicted this era with Gatsby the magnificent. For Damien Chazelle, it’s a crescendo in madness after whiplash and La La Land…The latter, who spoke respectively music and cinemaalready announced the themes that stick to his skin!
Babylona title that says a lot
Of course, everything crescendo has a apogeebefore having a end. This is what the trailer warns us about with the harsh reality check that follows all excess. For Nellie – the most contemporary character in the middle of this historical period – it will be a question of a “moral” order… Danger, whether animal or human, seems to be waiting for Manny. For his part, Jack goes through his problems alone, in the middle of the swimming pool… As the slogan says in surtitles: “All dreams have a price”.
Thereby, Babylon will retrace the rise and fall of an ephemeral and vain empire, so desired by this restless crowd. The evolution and decline of our characters becomes a hollywood epic, a great gag that Tobey Maguire (James McKay in the film) seems to have fun with. The irony of this appearance arouses our curiosity, while the images, colors and sounds awaken our senses… A film that we can’t wait to see in theaters from January 18, 2023with a grand entrance!
