Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather' is considered one of the worlds greatest films ever made and, although it may not be to my usual taste as it is kind of considered a boys film, I find myself agreeing with this statement.
I first watched it a year ago when I studied it with my higher media class. When Andy mentioned that we were going to be watching it again my innitial reaction was; really long film ive seen 1000 times = fall asleep, but that just wasnt the case, as every time I watch the Godfather I find something I hadn't noticed before to appreciate.
The film is about the Corleone family who run a business which involves using violence and murder to carry out 'justice' in society. Basically it's about the mafia, but the word 'mafia' could not be used at the time as it was a contraversial issue in America. We see the downfall of Micheal who at first is a war hero but then turns out to be the new Godfather. We discussed some of the themes in class; betrayal, love, loyalty and corruption within society were just some. The many themes and issues raised in the film make it relatable to all, adding to it's universal appeal.
Other aspects of the film which I found rather impressive were the dark film-noir like scenes where we see Don Vito's face half-lit. This portrays him as a threatning character. Also, the symbolism, such as the use of the colour orange at the wedding scene to represent Sicilian culture. I especially enjoyed this sence of Italian culture as it contrasted with the violence. I think The Godfather stands out more than most current violent films as it is able to represent the more vulnerable side to every character, for instance when Don Vito was stroking a cat whilst trying to decide someones fate. I found this constrast between good and evil very interesting to watch.
So since I've already studied this at school my brain should be bursting to the brim with Godfather facts. I'm not sure Mr Scott would agree with that, but I did get a B so I should know something...
Stuff I know about 'The Godfather':
- Number one. The last scene was supposed to be Kay praying for Micheal, but the producers thought this was a bit too weird so it was agreed that the film would end with him shutting the door on Kay. This, to me, makes a lot more sence as it symbolises Micheal shutting away everyone from his life.
- Paramount studios were in desperate need for a hit film due to the fact they were about to go under. Coppola provided this with the Godfather despite its low budget.
- The character Johnny was seemingly based around Frank Sanatra. Or thats what my dad said.
- The laws had just recently changed in the film industry. Now Copolla could base the family around one particular culture, in this case it was Italian culture. This added richness to the film as the audience could experience a traditional Italian wedding - creating a more exciting world to escape to when watching the film.
- Marlon Brando stuffed his cheeks with cotton wool. Thats why he looked a bit funny. But it totally worked.
See Mr Scott, I did listen!
That's really interesting, I hadn't heard any of that before! What were the rules before that he couldn't have based the film around Italian-American culture?
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ReplyDeleteYea there was a law saying they couldnt base a criminal/group of criminals around a specific culture or race. So if that law was still in place then the film would be totally different as there would be no sence of Italian culture.