Progress and Absurdity in 'Babylon'
Damien Chazelle, after his directorial successes ‘Whiplash’ and ‘La La Land’, made his passion project ‘Babylon’ in 2022. The film follows two characters, Manny and Nellie, as they rise to prominence in Hollywood, and Jack Conrad, a silent film star, during the introduction of sound to films. The film is a story of ambition, the damage that progress leaves in its wake, and raises the question of whether the end result is worth it. It was a massive commercial failure and received mixed reviews. Critics tended to either hate it or love it. I fall into the second camp. I want to explore the way the film explores the theme of progress. These themes are exemplified by the story of Jack Conrad. The opening scene of the film is set at one of his parties during the peak of his fame, before the introduction of sound to movies. It is characterised by excess and self-absorption: it includes an elephant, an energetic jazz band, blaring lights, and piles of cocaine. For Jack, and m...