the god father (gangster film)

[madhair60]

just watched this for the first time, good innit. sticking part 2 on now. anyone else like "the god father"?

[McChesney Duntz]

I've only seen Part III. You know, the good one.

[An tSaoi]

Everyone says 2 is even better than 1. It's gone down in history as one of the very rare better sequels, along with Terminator 2.

It's wrong in both cases.

[McChesney Duntz]

Do tell. Or do you just mean they left out Exorcist II: The Heretic and C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. off the "better sequels" list?

[sevendaughters]

2 takes the pain of 1 and makes it richer and sees it through in a careful, believable, and rich way - and the death of Fredo is heartbreaking and all of the de Niro sections have a great levity to them - but I think it does this with a little less of the tightness, panache, and beauty of the original film.

[madhair60]

the death of Fredo is heartbreaking

for fucks sake

[bgmnts]

I like The Godfather and The Godfather Part II and The Godfather part III is fine.

Carry on.

I do remember visiting a film museum in Queens in NYC and thre was a telly in the middle of the entrance foyer showing random films. When I got round to everything and made my way back to the entrance I saw a lone kid, no more than around 8 or 9, watching Sonny Corleone get shot to absolute fuck.

Wont lie I thought that bit was too brutal for a little kid to see  and I was surprised about how that bit holds up for me as horrible gangster violence.

[PlanktonSideburns]

Yea the violence is weird and gross in a commendable way in these films

[Dex Sawash]

Parents took us to see it at the drive-in when it was first released. Played on the swings and stuff up by the screen and then slept in back seat. 9/10 Probably wouldn't be any better today.
Also, tl;dw

[Osmium]

not as good as the good fellas is it? doesn't even have good in the title

[Rev+]

Did anyone get around to watching the new version of Godfather III?  Completely forgot about that until now.

[willbo]

I sometimes feel like the Godfather was the birth of that whole "muddled message" movie "he's really bad and the film shows how horrible his life is and how bad he is, but he's also an awesome charismatic guy in a sharp suit saying catchy lines who people will love for ever" that led to "confusing legacy" films like Fight Club, Wolf of Wall St etc.

[Shit Good Nose]

Did anyone get around to watching the new version of Godfather III?  Completely forgot about that until now.

Caveat - I've always thought part 3 is a pretty good American gangster film (I'm convinced if character names and situations were changed, it would be a lot better thought of), so I'll try to comment objectively...

It's not enormously different in the way that Apocalypse Now Redux/Final Cut and The Cotton Club Encore are and the structure of it is not markedly different.  It's a bit tighter and better paced and some extraneous scenes have been removed (though Sofia's dreadful soulless robotic performance is still intact).  Difficult to say how exactly it's been changed without some spoilering.  I would say it's likely that most of those that didn't like it/outright hated it before won't have that opinion challenged in any way, whilst most of us that have always liked it will only need be slightly less defensive of certain scenes.

That being said, if you've never seen 3 before, then it's probably the version to watch first.

[bgmnts]

In the DVD commentary (yes, I used to be that cunt) for III, Coppola did bang on about wanting to use the title The Death of Michael Corleone, as if that would change the whole tone of the film or something.

[Shit Good Nose]

In the DVD commentary (yes, I used to be that cunt) for III, Coppola did bang on about wanting to use the title The Death of Michael Corleone, as if that would change the whole tone of the film or something.

I still am that cunt - love a good commentary.

[bgmnts]

I probably still would but I cant remember the last time I put a DVD in!

[NoSleep]

for fucks sake

You made your bed.

[Magnum Valentino]

In the DVD commentary (yes, I used to be that cunt) for III, Coppola did bang on about wanting to use the title The Death of Michael Corleone, as if that would change the whole tone of the film or something.

Aye this is the wrong place to apologise for being a weirdo chum. Fuckin love a good DVD commentary the lot of us.

[lipsink]

for fucks sake

He means the story in 2 where the chocolate frog goes out of business.

[Small Potatoes]

Aye this is the wrong place to apologise for being a weirdo chum. Fuckin love a good DVD commentary the lot of us.

Yep. A good commentary is a thing of beauty.

[kngen]

Never got to see it until I had to endure every hack comedian (and drunk relative) putting cotton wool in their mouths to mimick Brando for what seemed decades, so it took a bit of effort to look past that and enjoy it (and his performance) on their own merits. I think II is far easier to enjoy because it's not weighed down in the same way, which is why some people say it's superior.

III is like a TV movie - something that Coppola clearly aspired to as he turned the whole lot in a big TV movie, the beardy, wine-making twat.

[mothman]

Is III redeemable in any way? A different actress than Sofia and/or a reduced role for the character? Or if Duvall had been in it? Those sort of what-if changes?

[bgmnts]

The fact that Duvall isn't in it is the major sticking point really. I think if Tom Hagen was involved in the story, as the family has gone mostly legitimate at this point, it would make sense.

[Shit Good Nose]

Is III redeemable in any way? A different actress than Sofia and/or a reduced role for the character? Or if Duvall had been in it? Those sort of what-if changes?

It is missing Duvall, but George Hamilton does pretty well all things considered, and it's probably his best performance.

As I said above, taken as a stand-alone American gangster film (which isn't that difficult really), it's very good.  Sofia is abysmal (I refuse to believe that Coppola could not find a single other capable actress at short notice) and, for me, by far the worst thing in it, and it's such a pivotal character.  But, ignoring that, I think it's a perfectly good film. 

It's biggest problem is, arguably, the fact that it's preceded by part 1 and, more monumentally, part 2.

[mothman]

If there's one problem with BJ (seriously?) Harrison, he's one "who's this guy, never heard him mentioned before, and what happened to..." too many. II manages to do without Clemenza, and introduce Roth and Pentangeli. But when it gets to III, you have Altobello and Zasa and Vincent,  and no Hagen. Just too much "Hello, my old friend or rival who knew my father back in the day but was never ever mentioned."

[bgmnts]

Well, Zasa and Vincent are up and coming and are younger mobsters so it makes sense they're introduced but yeah Altobello? Connie's godfather? Never seen or mentioned but is Michael's trusted friend get to fuck.

[chveik]

I refuse to believe that Coppola could not find a single other capable actress at short notice

you don't often get the chance to murder your daughter on screen

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

not as good as the good fellas is it? doesn't even have good in the title

it's right there the goodfather

[willbo]

I've read a couple of the unmade 3 scripts  - one that's pretty similar to the final one with a catacomb shootout, Hagen in it, and Michael being the one shot at the end, and another about Michael's son becoming some sort of US spy or assassin which feels a bit like a reboot for a new series. Quite interesting and strange that one.

[ElTwopo]

you don't often get the chance to murder your daughter on screen

Someone should go back in time and kill her when she was a baby. That would improve the film immensely. Or would it?

I guess that's what's called the

Spoiler alert

'Godfather Paradox'

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