Regardless of what critics are saying about “Babylon,” there’s no denying that Damien Chazelle is a smart filmmaker, who typically goes out of his way to bring a level of authenticity and respect to his subject matter. Whether that’s the trials and tribulations of a young drummer in music school in “Whiplash” or NASA missions in “First Man,” you always get the feeling that Chazelle strives for accuracy in his very intricate filmmaking style. However, according to fellow filmmaker Paul Schrader, Damien Chazelle dropped the ball in terms of historical accuracy with his latest film, “Babylon.”
Never one to shy away from sharing a hot take, Paul Schrader has once again gone to Facebook to post a quick review/blurb about a current film. This time, his sights are set on Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon.” For those unaware, “Babylon” is a film about the transition of the film industry and Hollywood away from silent movies and into “talkies.” While the film is very much a fictional story, the history is meant to be as realistic as possible. Well, Schrader disagrees.
“‘Babylon’ is many things but well-researched isn’t one of them,” wrote Schrader. “After reading a number of planted articles about the filmmakers’ voluminous ‘research,’ I was scratching my head. Does any film historian agree the film’s putative historicity?”
READ MORE: ‘Babylon’ Review: Damien Chazelle’s Latest Is An Overlong, Overstuffed, Derivative Mess
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Schrader does have the tendency to be a bit of a curmudgeon in his Facebook posts. That said, you have to respect his knowledge of film and the industry. If he immediately noticed issues with the historical accuracy of “Babylon,” then it’s likely there are some issues.
Of course, “Babylon” isn’t here to be a documentary. Sure, it’s a snapshot of a specific time in the history of filmmaking, but it’s also about the debauchery of the era and the film never pulls punches in that respect. So, you can’t immediately write it off due to its lack of historical accuracy.
“Babylon” is in theaters now.
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://theplaylist.net/paul-schrader-questions-the-amount-of-research-that-went-into-babylon-i-was-scratching-my-head-20221228/&media=https://cdn.theplaylist.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/08113754/bab23073r4.jpg&description=Paul Schrader thinks the historical accuracy of "Babylon" is lacking, especially after reports about the exhaustive research put into the film.){kind=link}