#646 -Neopoleon (2023) The Film Buff Review

Welcome to the Film Buff Review of Napoleon (2023) – Episode #646!

In this insightful and experimental episode, Peter A. DeLuca (AKAPAD) delivers a passionate defense of Ridley Scott’s bold historical drama starring Joaquin Phoenix as the legendary French emperor. While many focused on historical accuracy debates, box office numbers, or Oscar snubs, AKAPAD takes a completely different approach — turning the film into a masterclass in visual storytelling and film literacy.

AKAPAD shares how he first watched Napoleon in complete silence on a flight back from Dallas, then rewatched it with sound on Apple TV+. This “silent first” method revealed the film’s incredible craftsmanship: framing, blocking, actor performances, and emotional arcs that tell the full story of Napoleon and Josephine without needing dialogue. He calls it a transformative technique for becoming a better film viewer and critic — one he challenges listeners to try themselves.

Along the way, AKAPAD reaffirms Ridley Scott as the greatest overall filmmaker of our time, criticizes the “broken” state of the Academy Awards, and places Napoleon in the long cinematic tradition of depicting one of history’s most filmed figures.

Turn off the sound, sharpen your cinematic senses, and experience Napoleon like never before. This episode is perfect for anyone who wants to level up their movie-watching skills, loves Ridley Scott epics, or enjoys thoughtful takes on big historical dramas.

[00:00:00]
This segment introduces a transformative approach to film viewing aimed at improving film criticism skills. The speaker reflects on watching Ridley Scott’s new Napoleon movie and emphasizes the importance of adopting a bold, experimental mindset to become a better film viewer and reviewer. The podcast’s mission is to “salvage film criticism” by encouraging deeper engagement with films beyond conventional watching habits.

Key points:

• Viewing Napoleon sparked a new method for analyzing films.
• The approach requires bravery and commitment.
• The goal is to elevate the quality of film criticism.

[00:00:41]
The speaker highlights the critical and award snubs surrounding Napoleon, particularly noting Joaquin Phoenix’s lack of an Oscar nomination for Best Actor and Ridley Scott’s absence from Best Director consideration. Despite these omissions, the speaker asserts Ridley Scott as “the greatest overall filmmaker of our time.”

Insights:

• The film received surprisingly limited recognition at the Academy Awards.
• Ridley Scott’s filmmaking prowess remains unquestioned despite industry snubs.
• The contrast between Woody Allen and Ridley Scott is drawn: Allen’s movies are deeply tied to his personal psyche, while Scott’s films focus on what fascinates him.

[00:01:28]
The speaker contextualizes Napoleon within the legacy of films about the historical figure Napoleon Bonaparte, suggesting that Napoleon is one of the most depicted historical figures in cinema, comparable only to figures like Jesus and Abraham Lincoln. This film is a large-budget, technologically advanced production, notably supported by Apple, which is positioning this movie as a contender for Best Picture.

Highlights:

• Napoleon is a historically popular subject in film.
• This Napoleon film is a high-profile, big-budget production.
• Apple’s backing signals the film’s prestige and aspirations.

[00:02:10]
The speaker critiques the current state of the Academy Awards, declaring them “broken” and no longer a reliable indicator of quality. The fun and meaningful debate around Best Picture nominations have diminished since the 2000s. The speaker points out the absurdity of certain nominations, such as Godzilla Minus One winning over technically superior films like Godzilla vs. Kong: Empire, emphasizing a corrupted and broken system.

Core idea:

• The Academy Awards no longer fairly represent cinematic excellence.
• Industry politics and corrupted judgment have compromised awards credibility.

[00:03:39]
Moving past awards, the speaker shifts focus to the intrinsic quality of Napoleon as a film. They reject discussions on box office performance or historical accuracy, which have dominated public discourse. Instead, the speaker reveals an experiment: watching the film completely in silence to test if the story and emotional cues remain clear without sound.

Key insight:

• Napoleon is so well-constructed that its plot and emotional arcs can be understood without dialogue or sound.
• This viewing method helps sharpen one’s perception of film language.

[00:04:12]
The speaker recounts watching Napoleon silently while flying back from Dallas and reflects on the experience. Despite being tired, they were deeply engaged and able to follow complex character dynamics such as Napoleon’s relationship with Josephine, his betrayals, social awkwardness, and internal conflicts—all conveyed visually and through acting.

Observations:

• Silent viewing enhances focus on non-verbal storytelling elements.
• The movie’s direction and performances effectively communicate without dialogue.

[00:05:27]
After a brief rest, the speaker subscribed to Apple TV+ to watch Napoleon again with sound, praising airline entertainment systems (American Airlines specifically) for enabling access to such films. They emphasize that this two-step viewing process (silent then sound) hones the audience’s “receptors” for cinematic storytelling and deepens appreciation for directorial techniques.

Highlights:

• Watching silent then sound versions of a film is a practice to develop film literacy.
• Technology and streaming platforms facilitate this immersive approach.
• The method accentuates understanding of film pacing, transitions, and emotion.

[00:06:50]
The speaker explains how films communicate emotions like disappointment or love through framing, blocking, and scene transitions. Ridley Scott’s storytelling does not rely solely on scripts but on visual and cinematic language, which trained viewers should be able to decode even without dialogue.

Core concepts:

• Film language includes framing (composition), blocking (actor positioning), and temporal transitions.
• Understanding these elements allows deeper appreciation of film artistry.
• Great directors like Scott tell stories visually beyond scripted dialogue.

[00:07:23]
There is reflection on a past generation of film viewers and critics who absorbed films deeply despite limitations like poor viewing conditions or lack of access. The speaker contrasts this with modern audiences, implying that film engagement has become more superficial. They reference Jean Roddenberry, who would study TV dialogue intensively to master storytelling instincts.

Key points:

• Older generations developed strong film instincts through diverse and imperfect viewing experiences.
• Active and practiced engagement is necessary to develop the skill of being a good film reviewer.

[00:08:35]
The speaker criticizes contemporary film enthusiasm, often driven by social media hype rather than genuine engagement. Using The Hangover as an example, they argue many viewers fail to deeply analyze character development or narrative. They stress the importance of inserting oneself emotionally and intellectually into films to truly appreciate them.

Conclusions:

• Genuine film appreciation requires curiosity and deeper analysis beyond surface-level excitement.
• Many viewers accept films passively, missing opportunities for richer understanding.

[00:10:16]
The speaker issues a challenge to listeners: pick a movie they have never seen before, watch it silently first, then watch it again with sound, potentially multiple times to build up understanding. This method is framed as a form of “homework” to cultivate critical viewing skills. The speaker emphasizes that mastering this technique transforms the viewing experience.

Recommendations:

• Practice silent viewing of unfamiliar films as a training tool.
• Follow silent viewing with sound to integrate full cinematic language.
• Repetition strengthens analytical ability and enjoyment.

[00:10:53]
The speaker notes the shift toward streaming platforms producing longer-form content like 8-hour movies or series, which changes how audiences consume stories. They mention The Book of Boba Fett as an example of a project receiving negative reception, suggesting viewers might reconsider their opinions if they applied the silent viewing method.

Implications:

• Streaming changes storytelling formats and audience expectations.
• Silent viewing may offer new perspectives on works initially judged unfavorably.

[00:11:26]
To conclude, the speaker reiterates their encouragement for viewers to experiment with silent viewing, specifically mentioning Ghostbusters: Afterlife as another candidate for this treatment due to its visual storytelling strengths. The segment closes with a call for feedback from listeners who try this technique.

Closing thoughts:

• Visual-heavy movies are ideal for silent viewing experiments.
• Audience participation and reporting back on experiences foster a community of improved film viewers.

Summary Table: Silent Viewing Method Benefits

Key Terms & Concepts

Final Key Insight

The silent viewing method is a powerful tool to deepen film appreciation and criticism, allowing viewers to engage with cinema on a fundamental visual and emotional level, independent of dialogue or sound, ultimately sharpening critical skills and enriching the movie-watching experience.

00:00:00
AKA patters if you want the path of becoming a better film viewer you have to do this what I’m going to describe to you is how I watched the new Ridley Scott Napoleon movie and it’s of absolute importance that you try this you have to embark on it you have to be a little bit Brave and ballsy but this podcast is about salvaging film criticism so how do we make oursel better review viers this movie transformed my Approach for that and I’ve applied it since just wanted to document the beginning of it so let’s go

00:00:41
speedu one action D do we need to get into what King Phoenix not getting an Oscar nomination for best actor do we need to get into Napoleon not getting every single Academy Award down ballot for technical Ridley Scott no nomination for best director and no overall agulation for this movie we are long long standing long documenting here that Ridley Scott is just the the greatest overall filmmaker of our time now Woody it’s like Woody Allen Ridley Scott and what’s the difference well Woody Allen just is he’s

00:01:28
like an ALT tour uh his it’s like his psyche his personality is in these movies that that he makes and really Scott is what interests him you know like what gets his attention uh kind of what what is he tapping into and then a couple years later we we get that movie and then we get into the Napoleon film not just a film imagine Napoleon as a franchise I believe next to Jesus and Abraham Lincoln uh no there’s been no other historical figure that depicted on film as much as Napoleon so we get this

00:02:10
big budget we get the modern technology and we get apple right Apple’s behind this movie it’s an apple movie apple is making a bid for the best picture I’m another longstanding position here guys and gals and cats is that the Academy Awards it’s it’s just broken it’s broken moving on it used to be fun to debate what deserve best picture cuz you would have five five or six movies every single year uh going in through the 2000s uh it was fun to debate uh what what really was best picture and what

00:02:53
what what got snubbed and why and and the travesty of some of it but the academy Wars have been broken for quite sometime so even any nominations that that Napoleon gets is just you know it’s silly it’s silly to even give Godzilla minus one best special effects over any other American like any other movie you like Godzilla uh Kong vers Kong ex Godzilla new Empire special effects wise destroys destroys Godzilla minus one the the the Eye the eye of of the CR critics the you know like the eye of the

00:03:39
media the eye of the audience it’s just corrupted it’s broken and that’s not what we’re discussing so how well of a movie is Napoleon let’s let’s just kind of approach that we’re not I don’t want to talk about box office I don’t even want to talk about how historically accurate the movie is which is seems to be the only thing people felt like discussing about this this this movie this movie is so good you can watch it with no sound for the first time and you know every single plot

00:04:12
detail cuz that’s the experiment that I was alluding to in the intro and that’s what you have to do pick a movie that you haven’t seen and watch it in complete silence and then watch it with sound watch it as it’s intended at that point point turn out the lights get yourself some popcorn some raisinets entertain yourself and watch that movie so I was coming back from Dallas uh incredible trip to Dallas by way got to see the Gracie null uh we we will be discussing because of that trip Oliver Stone’s uh

00:04:49
JFK which is a movie that just every single time I see it it just resonates more and more with me and it has nothing to do with the the the context or the content of the movie it’s just it as a uh a film feat uh historical Notions back and forth right I mean uh you can say Napoleon’s as historically accurate as alare Stone’s JFK so we’re flying back you know get Solid 3 hours so I put on Napoleon uh dead tired but I get locked in and I watch this movie in silence uh people around me probably

00:05:27
think I you know some type of sociopath and I follow the entire movie I followed the coup his disjointed relationship with uh Josephine Josephine uh betraying him uh his uh lack of awareness in social situations his self-doubt his fored like all all these things they they they come through and I’m locked in and we get back I think I might slept for 2 hours and I woke up and subscribed to apple apple plus and watch the movie uh another shout out to American Airlines I mean I there I love the movie

00:06:17
stuff it’s incredible I mean when uh we flew to Europe I finally got to watch dangerously leaon because of American Airlines and what happens is it just it perks up your receptors it perks up your ears uh it sharpens the blade it’s it’s another technique to become a better uh audience member because you should be able to pick up the language of film and just the the overall techniques and the ideas and how do we go from scene to scene and how do we jump from time to time because you movies do through uh

00:06:50
move through time now know how do we show disappointment how do we show love the framing the you know the framing they call it blocking and then where are we from scene to scene like what are we doing here and it makes you really respect what happens with the directors cuz Ridley Scott clearly didn’t need a script to tell a story he tells a story without a script so he can only be enhanced with a script and we should be able to make those judgments with movies even if it’s like a Woody Allen movie where so much of

00:07:23
it’s just dialogue and single rooms and lots of back and forth uh we should be able to see it in the C characters in the in the emotion and in a weird way uh hear it like we can hear a movie even though the volume’s off I want to say there was a generation of not just critics not just media people not just media personalities but I just want to say I think there was a generation of individuals that absorbed film this way and I’m not talking about the silent era I’m just talking about uh not everything

00:07:59
always being available to everyone and it being okay to watch a movie and maybe you’re in a crap theater and you’re watching Star Wars for the first time where Empire Strikes Back you’re watching it for the first time and you’re not in the best seat but you can follow the movie you you you can be there because all the other elements are so well put together uh I kind a lot a lot of this makes me go back to Jean Roddenberry talking about would just you know turn his chair to TV so he can learn the right

00:08:35
dialogue for to really devel develop the skill set and The receptors and and have the Instinct of being a good film Reviewer is you you have to be able to place yourself in the movie and to do that you need practice you should be I just remember discussing uh the hangovers movie that got way too much attention by the way uh we made may not be discussing that hangover is not a recommendation just just go watch Wonder Boys with Kirk Douglas and Toby Maguire and yeah sometimes you can tell you you

00:09:14
can tell people who are excited about movies just because social media they were told to be excited and you but you talk to them about the movie and he like well yeah but like then she kind of just think they were you know like everyone’s just kind of like stuck in a room and and and is is isn’t the kid we’ve seen that like we’ve seen that kid in other movies and Paul jti we’ve seen him in other movies I I’m talking about the characters and I’m like were were were you ever interested in just seeing how

00:09:43
this all played out for everyone and you kind of talk to people about the what the movie should be doing to you and and how you should insert yourself into some of these movies and you know you just get like a blind stare and they’re like I like it you know and I get it like some some movies play off like that but for the film buff podcast we we dig deeper we have to dig deeper so I implore all of you anyone out there if you haven’t seen pick a movie you haven’t seen I don’t care what it

00:10:16
is and watch it on silent for the first time and then maybe know give it a another or two then watch it without you know with the sound even go backwards Build It Up practice cuz I know some movies so well now I put them on I I just blast music like I just I I can watch a lot of my favorite movies in silence I don’t care but to do it with something you haven’t seen before that you’re honestly curious about you have to do it you you really do and it kind of makes me think of some of these movies are misses now

00:10:53
or uh again everything’s developing into streaming so now you know like eight hour movies are regular and what what you’re F because that’s essentially what Netflix and dis Disney plus crank out uh you know like if the book of Boba Fett for example just gets a bad reception right like people just like you know like they howl at the mean they hate it but if you watch it you watch it with new sound maybe it’s something different and maybe you were wrong it’s it’s a technique and I’m

00:11:26
going to uh implore more of this uh I may do it Ghostbusters afterlife for some reason that sticks out for me to try it with cuz it’s also too visual I’d like trying this with with visual movies so AKA patters little bit of homework watch a movie you never seen in silence and report back let me know okay that’s a wrap!

PETER A DELUCA AKAPD

AKAPAD is a versatile thinker known across Philadelphia, Europe, and even in the vast Multiverse as The Electic One. By day, he excels as an IT Mastermind, assisting individuals, both big and small, with a wide range of simple and complex solutions. In contrast, he is also a talented illustrator, a passionate comic book enthusiast, a creative content creator, and an active live streamer. Additionally, his podcast, “AKAPAD The Film Buff Podcast,” boasts an impressive catalog of over 500 episodes available on nearly every major platform.