The depiction of Utopia in the film Megalopolis echoes the vision Walt Disney had back in 1966. It was called EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow). His vision of solving the urban living issues did not came into fruition, and the concept ended as a theme park in Florida back in 1982 using the same name.
Interestingly for Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola portrayed the Utopia within a gestalt that is comical, almost a grand fusion between Clockwork Orange, Monty Python, Caligula and even The Room. Most probably making fun of the whole idea of achieving 'Utopia' because the Greek word 'eutopos' which means 'good place' could also be 'outopos' which means 'no place'.
Being a 'no place' reinforced what the history of civilization have shown us, that no such place has ever existed and any effort to build them were futile. Unless we are talking about the fantastical dreamlands such as Atlantis and Camelot.
Perhaps, the Biblical (and spiritual) 'Heaven' is the ultimate Utopia next to the Buddhist Shambala (or the Promised Land). Perhaps, it also hints that 'utopia' could only be achieved from the spiritual within. Bell Hooks in her 1952 book "Feminism is for Everybody" said that we should be looking at transforming ourselves first before looking at transforming other people thus the outside world.
Moreover, the sad conflict that we are witnessing now is due to the mistake of reading the symbolism of arriving at the 'Promised Land'. In the film Kingdom of Heaven, Balian return to meet the Hospitalier after his visit to Jerusalem, but God did not speak to him, even at the hill where Christ died. It is then when the Hospitalier told him that holiness is everything that is within not without.
Although utopian structures and technologies can be built, inner turmoil from a dysfunctional society creates a fundamental contradiction, suggesting that the concept of Utopia is more valuable as a critique of the present, helping us avoid a full-fledged dystopia.
The idea that "the government sucks and we can do better" dates back as early as Plato, around 375 BCE. One of his proposed solutions was to replace tyrants with philosophers—a suggestion that, while intriguing, is not without its flaws.
This was long before the term "utopia" was even coined. That distinction belongs to the English statesman Thomas More, who introduced it in 1516 with his book of the same name.
In the fictional world of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, the workforce is measured by qualification and merit rather than constrained by social constructs. Money does not exist, so people pursue self-improvement rather than financial gain. Perhaps this embodies the true meaning of ikhlas—sincerity. And this might be one of the key ingredients for progress and the creation of a true utopia.
The famous mantra, "To boldly go where no man has gone before," can also be interpreted as an internal, spiritual journey—one of mastering the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust.
Unfortunately, the modern economic model of consumerism thrives on these very sins. It has become so ingrained in daily life that we can hardly imagine a world without shopping. Consumerism is directly linked to capitalism, which Marxism predicts must collapse to pave the way for a utopian society. However, Karl Marx, despite calling for revolution, provided no clear roadmap for what should come afterward.
Consider the irony of embarking on a human mission to Mars—a mere spectacle of pride and ego—while pressing issues such as homelessness remain unresolved on Earth. Instead of progressing toward utopia, humanity seems trapped in dystopia: high-tech, low life.
It is interesting to compare this to another genre—Retrofuturism. In many of its artistic depictions, the family unit is central, often illustrated by the vision of a family riding in a flying car. This subtly suggests that the foundation of a perfect society lies in a well-functioning family. Men are frequently depicted in suits, symbolizing the educated, responsible individuals who serve as pillars of society. Even Walt Disney’s EPCOT, though a contemporary concept in its time, now falls under the category of Retrofuturism.
We must remember that Retrofuturism was the vision of the future of those living back then in the 50s. Only in the 80s that the vision became retro.
Today, we see the rise of hubristic tech billionaires—borderline mad scientists—whispering into the ears of world leaders, much like Gríma Wormtongue from The Lord of the Rings. They prioritize their products over long-standing social issues. Their technology is only skin-deep, while at heart, humanity remains the same primitive species, who still rely on the motto 'kill or be killed', depicted in the opening scene of 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The Fallout game franchise, set in a post-nuclear war world, adopts a Retrofuturist aesthetic. Due to radioactive conditions, survivors are forced to build their "utopia" in isolated bunkers, such as Vault City.
The phrase "the grass is always greener on the other side" reflects the illusion of a better place. Today, we often hear promises of reform, but walking the talk is never easy.
Utopian ideals often serve as critiques of the present (a dystopia) to inspire improvement. This is also reflected in Megapolis, a work that, interestingly, uses color grading similar to Mamat Khalid’s Apokalips X (2014).
Wawasan 2020 was another utopian vision introduced by Mahathir in the mid-90s. Today, Singapore, with its economic strength and clean governance, may very well embody the utopia that Wawasan 2020 sought to achieve
(attached image is a 1950s painting called "The Future of Washington" by Chesley Bonestell.)