SPOILER ALERT: The following article contains very mild spoilers for Babylon. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, continue at your own risk!
by Damien Chazelle Babylon is among the studio’s notable “prestige” titles due for release this winter, but one aspect of the film that sets it apart from traditional awards season fare is the deciding factor. Not only does the film feature violent deaths and foul language, but there’s also plenty of scatological humor and downright disgusting moments. These sequences make for a memorable cinematic experience watching the film, and it was definitely a memorable cinematic experience making it.
I interviewed the stars of Babylon at press day in Los Angeles last month, and during my interview with Margot Robbie, Diego Calva and Brad Pitt, I asked them about some of their grossest scenes in movies. The first one I asked about is actually the first scene of the film, where we see an elephant driving a truck up a hill and pooping on a man trying to push the vehicle. Calva, who plays future producer Manny Torres, was a bystander on set for the time and drew attention to the special shot that offers a close-up of the pachyderm’s anus as it releases a torrent of excrement. Said the actor,
i wish i had here [director of photography] because I remember the suddenness when it all comes into you, but I was going. Luckily I was a bit like [mimes moving away]. I think it’s one of the best opening scenes of all time. Let’s start a movie with an elephant doing it!
It definitely sets you up for what’s to come. Babylon. Minutes later in the film, a girl is seen urinating on a man in a private room at a big Hollywood party, and that’s where the debauchery begins.
Of course, it’s not natural to pee and poop without throwing up… which is where Margot Robbie comes in. Babylon enter (or as the actor would say, the octopus/honey badger hybrid). In the film’s second act, Robbie’s Nellie LaRoy tries to clean up her wild girl image, and over a fancy luncheon she does her best to get some air. It’s an effort that doesn’t end well, and as an act of rebellion, she begins to attack the restoration. This has the effect of upsetting her stomach and she ends up releasing a stream of projectile vomit at another partygoer.
Speaking about the experience on the set, Margot Robbie explained:
Bullet vomit was… you know, you just have to experience it. It was disgusting and hilarious, like a lot of things in this movie.
Playing movie star Jack Conrad, Brad Pitt doesn’t really have specific moments gross or gross Babylon — but added to the conversation by thinking about how the film’s content reflects the Hollywood era depicted. Pit said
By all accounts, those were the days of rock and roll. It wasn’t regulated, it was new. They were discovering who they were, what community was, and it was the Wild West.
In addition to Margot Robbie, Diego Calva and Brad Pitt, The large cast of Babylon also features Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Lukas Haas, Eric Roberts, Rory Scovel, Olivia Hamilton, Max Minghella, Jeff Garlin and many more. The film is now playing in theaters worldwide (see fandango (opens in a new tab) for local listings), and you can check out ReelBlend’s interview with Damien Chazelle for a deeper dive into the film.
Check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see all the movies hitting the big screen and streaming in the coming months.
Source: Cinemablend
