I've read a few reviews/comments regarding Babylon, and they have all ignored what I thought was the movie's main theme. Principally, the elite's invasion of Hollywood, their hypocritical morality and the conformity they force onto the masses. To your point on Toby Maguire, his insignificance and lack of development is because he is simply a vehicle to show the viewer the result of this new imposed control on content by the elite. The movie opens with an overly indulgent party, filled with aspiring and established Hollywood actors. While the death of the young actress conveys the party's moral ambiguity, it does not compare to the horror and desperation of the scenes we see when the Drug Lord takes us into Hollywood's sewer. An array of fantasies all surrounding control (why could these be so prevalent today?) barrage the viewer, conveying the impact of the elite's control on films (i.e. Production Code). The sewer trip concludes with a man consuming a rat (Hollywood’s filth), which is the ultimate performance, establishing him as an actor and drawing parallels to the opening scene, highlighting what indulgent behavior has devolved into. There is also a cameo by the Rothchilds and several snooty elite Americans whose entrance into Hollywood dovetails with the moral corruption of Manny Torres and leaves Nellie LaRoy outraged by their performative moral superiority. While there are certainly other themes explored, is everyone really in such unanimous agreement that the final scene is one of awe? My initial reaction to Manny’s facial expression was that they are tears of anguish. The love of his life is killed by the very regime that produces the movie that mocks her voice as an actress. But at least we have another three and a half hours of Avatar with which to advance civilization through cinema.
I've read a few reviews/comments regarding Babylon, and they have all ignored what I thought was the movie's main theme. Principally, the elite's invasion of Hollywood, their hypocritical morality and the conformity they force onto the masses. To your point on Toby Maguire, his insignificance and lack of development is because he is simply a vehicle to show the viewer the result of this new imposed control on content by the elite. The movie opens with an overly indulgent party, filled with aspiring and established Hollywood actors. While the death of the young actress conveys the party's moral ambiguity, it does not compare to the horror and desperation of the scenes we see when the Drug Lord takes us into Hollywood's sewer. An array of fantasies all surrounding control (why could these be so prevalent today?) barrage the viewer, conveying the impact of the elite's control on films (i.e. Production Code). The sewer trip concludes with a man consuming a rat (Hollywood’s filth), which is the ultimate performance, establishing him as an actor and drawing parallels to the opening scene, highlighting what indulgent behavior has devolved into. There is also a cameo by the Rothchilds and several snooty elite Americans whose entrance into Hollywood dovetails with the moral corruption of Manny Torres and leaves Nellie LaRoy outraged by their performative moral superiority. While there are certainly other themes explored, is everyone really in such unanimous agreement that the final scene is one of awe? My initial reaction to Manny’s facial expression was that they are tears of anguish. The love of his life is killed by the very regime that produces the movie that mocks her voice as an actress. But at least we have another three and a half hours of Avatar with which to advance civilization through cinema.