Damien Chazelle: «With Babylon I tell the vulgarity of Hollywood»

Damien Chazelledirector of La La Land, with the new Babylon (in theaters from January 19) takes us through the excesses of Hollywood in the 1920s, which no one tells or ever wanted to tell. The actors Jack (Brad Pitt) and Nellie (Margot Robbie). “From glory they sink to hell,” says the director who came to Rome to promote Babylon«from the excess of comedy, the film veers towards tragedy and horror».

«It is a film that offers an overview of the society of the time, of those who worked in the world of cinema and of extreme parties», says Chazelle, «I observe Hollywood through the prism of entertainment and the sets». And this gaze was fueled «by the films of Federico Fellini how The sweet life».

Chazelle dares and divides the American public. «I’m talking about the Hollywood that is good at hiding under the carpet», he declares, «it should be remembered that at the time cinema was not respected as it is today, it was something base, vulgar and pornographic. The title alludes to this Babylon: That industry was born out of sin. Los Angeles was a crazy and somewhat frontier society in which these pioneers created their own rules».

That the film has blown away the audience Damien Chazelle he doesn’t worry about it: «I knew that Babylon went against the tide, which would have provoked and annoyed, that’s why it took many years to make it. The important is make noise, stir up discussion and stir spirits recounting that Hollywood that is unknown and that too often has been painted with superficiality».

In his extreme story, made of dope parties, elephants and blues music which look more like mega orgies than parties, the director was not pressured, on the contrary, he was able to express himself freely thanks to the support of Paramount. “I didn’t go any further”, assures the director, “the reality of those years is much more extreme”. However, freedom in today’s Hollywood is rare. «Today there is a lot of fear, a lot of moralism and conformity», he declares bluntly, «artists should react, oppose and claim that freedom that has been suppressed and repressed».

The electrifying aspect of this film is not the staging and it is not the story of that Hollywood founded on vice, but the explosiveness of Margot Robbie which Chazelle describes thus: «She is courageous and willing to do anything, she is like a wild animal and at the same time a technically flawless actress. It’s something rare that gives you soul.” For us she is new Nicole Kidman.