Coppola makes a European style arthouse fantasy on a soundstage, and lets Tom Waits sing all over it. The 80s' Citizen Kane... Tremendously appealing performances, particularly Nastassja Kinski's sexy Circus Girl.
Francis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart is a dazzling yet flawed spectacle—a neon-drenched fever dream of romance that feels meticulously crafted yet strangely alienating. The production design is staggering, transforming Las Vegas into an artificial wonderland of colour and illusion. At the same time, Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle's melancholic soundtrack lends the film an evocative, aching beauty. Yet, beneath the visual and musical splendour, its emotions remain heightened but distant.
What truly stings, though, is the nagging sense that Julian Temple saw this and thought, "If Coppola can make a neon-lit musical, so can I!"—with disastrous consequences for Absolute Beginners.
One of Francis Ford Coppola's smaller, passion piece films also made after the trauma of Apocalypse Now (1979) and an attempt to recoup some money. This is his homage to the romantic musicals of the classic Hollywood period of the 50s and early 60s. To that end it's a strange film which for the first half or so is a relationship drama about Frannie (Teri Garr) and Hank (Frederic Forrest), a couple who have lived together for five years. On one fateful 4th July night they have a major row and begin to wonder whether their relationship is over. They individually head off into town for the celebrations and both of them hooks up with someone else. It's in this section that the film bursts into a full on fantasy musical complete with slightly clumsy dance numbers. The film was entirely filmed on Coppola's soundstage and boasts a soundtrack by Tom Waits but it's a self indulgent film with Coppola trying to recreate a film style and genre that by this time had little to attract a modern audience. Even despite a recent 4k UHD restoration it's still a bit of a trial although Teri Garr impresses in her performance as the girl with dreams.