It is entirely possible that Francis Ford Coppola‘s filmmaking career will end with Twixt, and that’s just fine. It’s only so often that masters close out with a thrillingly experimental, achingly personal film that’s ripe for rediscovery in years to come — once more understand that The Godfather and Apocalypse Now are not at all indicative of who he is, at least. In the meantime, as we wait (hopefully not in vain) for his Paramount-backed, multi-generational family epic, there’s one piece of old material you can discover right here.
Before jumping to Finian’s Rainbow or Tucker: The Man and His Dream, take a trip back with Dementia 13, his first writing-directorial / non-pornographic effort. If not up to the standards set by several great (and an even-larger number of worthwhile) efforts, the film is a curiosity for fans hoping to further understand how those later masterpieces would be birthed, which isn’t even to acknowledge its reputation as a sadly underseen horror trip. Along with a new, excellent short commissioned by the Coppola winery (and directed by his associate producer, Masa Tsuyuki) to illustrate the similarities between Coppola’s two main passions — and, in his own words, “two of California’s great art forms” — there are some fine things to occupy your evening.
Watch both below:
Did you enjoy Coppola’s early project? Are you hoping he’ll get back to features?