Yes, this does look like Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album cover has come to life! That's not a very good album and this isn't a good film.
It's not a film with characters to find out about. It's not a film with a plot or indeed a story - this is different. This came about from a more theatrical and quite clever idea - it's intended to give you a taste of a typical New York City street, eavesdropping on the neighbours, catching a few words of secret conversations and realising just how much the world has changed and stayed the same.
Although King Vidor absolutely changes the look of the titular stage play to a proper movie, the script still feels awfully like a play. Other than turning it into something different, it would be impossible not to. That's the problem with this. Live theatre can be wonderful but it can't just be superimposed onto film. It may have been great to watch this live, to see the next actor take centre stage and do their monologue but that style does not work on film. Some people might like this but if you're expecting a proper film with a proper story you will be very, very disappointed with this. The script is completely unrealistic and the characters are most definitely just actors.
It's not a film with characters to find out about. It's not a film with a plot or indeed a story - this is different. This came about from a more theatrical and quite clever idea - it's intended to give you a taste of a typical New York City street, eavesdropping on the neighbours, catching a few words of secret conversations and realising just how much the world has changed and stayed the same.
Although King Vidor absolutely changes the look of the titular stage play to a proper movie, the script still feels awfully like a play. Other than turning it into something different, it would be impossible not to. That's the problem with this. Live theatre can be wonderful but it can't just be superimposed onto film. It may have been great to watch this live, to see the next actor take centre stage and do their monologue but that style does not work on film. Some people might like this but if you're expecting a proper film with a proper story you will be very, very disappointed with this. The script is completely unrealistic and the characters are most definitely just actors.