Entertainment

'The Spoils of Babylon' Just Got Real

by Rachel Semigran

The Spoils of Babylon behind-the-scenes/making-of videos are here and they are weirder and more insane than we all could have dreamed. In case you missed it, The Spoils of Babylon is an epic miniseries made for IFC and by the folks at Funny or Die. It stars Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Haley Joel Osment, Tobey Maguire, Val Kilmer, Tim Robbins, and Michael Sheen, and it’s utterly absurd. The comedy (kind of?) follows the drama, love triangles between sibling lovers, murder, deceit, and sorrow of the oil-rich Morehouse clan in the glorious big hair of the early 80s.

But wait! THERE’S MORE. IFC has just released some deliciously serious (not serious at all) behind-the-scenes footage that take us into the wild and harrowing experience that was the filming of The Spoils of Babylon. Drugs! Romance! Real oil! Method acting! The (fake) director and (fake) writer of The (fake) Spoils of Babylon is Eric Jonrosh, a power-hungry artistic madman who descends into his own mind a la Howard Hughes. Is he peeing in bottles and crashing airplanes? WHO COULD KNOW! He’s nowhere to be seen! Sorry folks, I’m getting ahead of myself here. The documentary is as real as Spoils, but with such outstanding stock video of deserts and film producers arguing to pull the plug, I just wish it was actually real. The behind-the-scenes mockumentary is proof that everything about The Spoils of Babylon would make the world a better place if it wasn’t fictional. My reasoning:

'Babylon' has the best fake (sigh) names

Dirk snowfield, Sir Richard Driftwood, Bob “Bobcat’ McCauley, Marty Comanche, and Lauorighiya Samcake. PERFECTION.

It highlights this universal truth: Every great revelation happens in the desert

Including Haley Joel Osment's beard.

Life on set was way more insane and entertaining than anything on Reality TV

I want more difficult, often irrational filmmaking, and projects that are only only discussed in whispers, things that will make you scream at night in horror, Snake bites, and the San Andreas fault.

There is so much important philosophical thinking happening here

"We deal in the politics of the soul."

Dirk and Lauorighiya would be the best Hollywood power couple

Brangelina has nothing on Dirkoighya.

'Babylon' represents the current economic climate quite accurately

Sometimes you get paid in Snickers bars and hats.

And the full documentaries for your twisted viewing pleasure:

Images: The Spoils of Babylon/IFC