Sim1Make Him an Offer He Can’t Refuse
March 5th 2011 20:51
Believe it or not, dear readers, but I have never seen The Godfather. Not the first installment, not the second, not the third. It’s one of those movies I always thought was just hyped up and probably a typical boys’ film, you know? Like Terminator 2 or Star Wars
In fact, you may remember from one of my 2010 entries that I vowed never to see it.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a good gangster movie. Goodfellas is awesome (Ray Liotta is quite yummy, too), The Limey is brilliant, Sexy Beast is genius, The Usual Suspects is ace. But The Godfather? No interest whatsoever. Don’t like Marlon Brando, he annoyed the living daylights out of me in Apocalypse, Now.
Now guess what I found on my list of films to study for my current Film & TV History course? Yes, you’re right, (apart from you there in the corner who said Finding Nemo.)
The Godfather. What an awesome film, dear readers! If, like me, you have so far deprived yourself of this cinematic gem, watch it. Go quickly, go now! Leave the gun. Take the cannolis though....
Apparently, the film is not about crime, it’s about family, according to Mario Puzo. Hmmm, let’s agree then, Mr. Puzo, that it’s a jolly old family film with plenty of violent crime, shall we? I must say, I was pretty shocked by some of the scenes. I mean, yes, as someone living in Western Europe in the year 2011, I have seen some pretty gory stuff. But this film was made in 1972! Did we even have violence on film like that back in the early 70s?
One of my dear colleagues recommended the film to me with the following words: ‘It’s really long. Nearly three hours. You might like it. The horse’s head scene is quite famous.’ Yes, the horse’s head scene is spectacular. Gruesome, some might say. But come on, it is pretty genius, isn’t it? Who thinks of stuff like that? Mario Puzo, obviously.
The Sicilian scenery is stunning. Made me want to pack my suitcase and go off drinking Cinzano in the sunshine. The New York scenes were pretty cool, too. Made me wanna be driven around in one of those black cars, and then go to a restaurant, eat spaghetti and drink red wine. Speaking of which...I know a lot of guys take The Godfather as gospel (remember Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail?). Everyone wants to be Don Corleone. I always thought it’s nuts to have a fictitious character as your idol. I changed my mind when Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) told his father (Marlon Brando) that red wine is good for you. But of course it is! The Godfather says so.
Oh my God, how awesome is Al Pacino in this. Again, never having been a great fan of the man, I thought he was outstanding as brooding, secretive, unexpectedly dangerous Michael. Why he didn’t win an Oscar for that role, I will never know.
It’s predominantly Michael’s story we’re being told here and what outstanding story-telling this movie is.
Last but not least, I take all my hats off to Marlon Brando. Did he look like that when he was 48 years old or did he spend the entire three hours pulling that derisive, arrogant yet underlying sad face? Did he always mumble like that or did he put that gangster drawl on? In any case, he was spot on. I love Marlon Brando! Maybe I’m a little biased here, because in most of the scenes, he reminded me of my grandfather. My grandfather looked like Elvis when he was young and like Marlon ‘Don Vito Corleone’ Brando when I knew him. That scene in the tomato garden almost broke my heart, because it’s those kind of pranks my granddad used to play on us when we were kids. Only difference is, he didn’t die in between the tomato plants, he died following a trip to the Swiss Alps. But in every other respect, my granddad was my Don. God rest his soul.
Anyway, I have heard all sorts of things about Parts 2 and 3, not all of them good. So I ask you, dear readers, should I watch the other two or will they ruin the perfection that is The Godfather?
In fact, you may remember from one of my 2010 entries that I vowed never to see it.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a good gangster movie. Goodfellas is awesome (Ray Liotta is quite yummy, too), The Limey is brilliant, Sexy Beast is genius, The Usual Suspects is ace. But The Godfather? No interest whatsoever. Don’t like Marlon Brando, he annoyed the living daylights out of me in Apocalypse, Now.
Now guess what I found on my list of films to study for my current Film & TV History course? Yes, you’re right, (apart from you there in the corner who said Finding Nemo.)
The Godfather. What an awesome film, dear readers! If, like me, you have so far deprived yourself of this cinematic gem, watch it. Go quickly, go now! Leave the gun. Take the cannolis though....
Apparently, the film is not about crime, it’s about family, according to Mario Puzo. Hmmm, let’s agree then, Mr. Puzo, that it’s a jolly old family film with plenty of violent crime, shall we? I must say, I was pretty shocked by some of the scenes. I mean, yes, as someone living in Western Europe in the year 2011, I have seen some pretty gory stuff. But this film was made in 1972! Did we even have violence on film like that back in the early 70s?
One of my dear colleagues recommended the film to me with the following words: ‘It’s really long. Nearly three hours. You might like it. The horse’s head scene is quite famous.’ Yes, the horse’s head scene is spectacular. Gruesome, some might say. But come on, it is pretty genius, isn’t it? Who thinks of stuff like that? Mario Puzo, obviously.
The Sicilian scenery is stunning. Made me want to pack my suitcase and go off drinking Cinzano in the sunshine. The New York scenes were pretty cool, too. Made me wanna be driven around in one of those black cars, and then go to a restaurant, eat spaghetti and drink red wine. Speaking of which...I know a lot of guys take The Godfather as gospel (remember Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail?). Everyone wants to be Don Corleone. I always thought it’s nuts to have a fictitious character as your idol. I changed my mind when Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) told his father (Marlon Brando) that red wine is good for you. But of course it is! The Godfather says so.
Oh my God, how awesome is Al Pacino in this. Again, never having been a great fan of the man, I thought he was outstanding as brooding, secretive, unexpectedly dangerous Michael. Why he didn’t win an Oscar for that role, I will never know.
It’s predominantly Michael’s story we’re being told here and what outstanding story-telling this movie is.
Last but not least, I take all my hats off to Marlon Brando. Did he look like that when he was 48 years old or did he spend the entire three hours pulling that derisive, arrogant yet underlying sad face? Did he always mumble like that or did he put that gangster drawl on? In any case, he was spot on. I love Marlon Brando! Maybe I’m a little biased here, because in most of the scenes, he reminded me of my grandfather. My grandfather looked like Elvis when he was young and like Marlon ‘Don Vito Corleone’ Brando when I knew him. That scene in the tomato garden almost broke my heart, because it’s those kind of pranks my granddad used to play on us when we were kids. Only difference is, he didn’t die in between the tomato plants, he died following a trip to the Swiss Alps. But in every other respect, my granddad was my Don. God rest his soul.
Anyway, I have heard all sorts of things about Parts 2 and 3, not all of them good. So I ask you, dear readers, should I watch the other two or will they ruin the perfection that is The Godfather?
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