Some films are just films, while others are a real fireworks display for the senses. Today’s free TV premiere Babylon belongs to the second category and leaves no doubt that we are dealing with an excessive, completely over-the-top declaration of love for Hollywood and the medium itself.
Free TV premiere: What is Babylon about with Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie?
We immerse ourselves in LA in the 1920s and 1930s. The world in general and Hollywood in particular stands by dramatic transition from silent film to sound film before. Of course, this doesn’t go unnoticed by those involved, and right in the middle of it all are the experienced, seasoned film star Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt) and the up-and-coming Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie).
But the main role is actually played by the city itself: the Hollywood dream factory. The excesses celebrated here defy description. Oscar winner Damien Chazelle (La La Land) tries anyway and delivers an audiovisual rush full of sex, drugs, humor and stars that really packs a punch and is anything but ordinary.
Babylon is a truly exceptional film, but it did not achieve the desired success at the box office
Babylon provokes, shocks, goes all out and doesn’t shy away from drifting into the absurdly comic. Anything else would be detrimental to the Dionysian, intoxicating masterpiece, because if there is one constant here, it is that there should be no stop to the unlimited entertainment and fun. It’s not for nothing that Babylon’s subtitle is called “Intoxication of Ecstasy.”
This doesn’t necessarily go down well with everyone and so the criticism of Babylon was primarily that there was too much show value and too little content and no comprehensible story. With the result that this experiment Internationally it could only gross 64 million US dollars – at a cost of 110 million (via: The Numbers).
Barbie was much more successful with Margot Robbie in the eponymous lead role and with a bit of luck we’ll even get a sequel to the extremely entertaining film. At least Barbie 2 suddenly seems possible again: the billion-dollar success could be repeated.
TV or stream: When and where does Babylon come – rush of ecstasy?
Today, Wednesday, January 1st, 2025 and New Year’s Day, Babylon is running from 8:15 p.m. on RTL 2. The film lasts there until 11:55 p.m., but a FSK 12 version shortened by around 8 minutes is shown (via: Editing Reports). The unabridged repeat comes straight from 2 a.m.
You can also stream Babylon, for example via Netflix as part of the subscription flat rate. Otherwise, the whole thing can of course also be done via conventional VoD platforms such as Amazon or Apple TV.
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