Francis Ford Coppola. I have to go full-name here with the rise of Sofia in the last twenty years. There are only a total of 10 archiveable films for Coppola (which is low for this ranking) and 3 are simple “recommends” (not top 10 of the year worthy). So, the case for Coppola isn’t his depth- the case for Coppola is his masterpieces, in particular, having freaking The Godfather Part II (my #24 of all-time) as his 3rd best film. Coppola owns the 70’s—the most artistically fertile decade for American films (the 60’s being that for foreign films). He has the #1, #3, #4 and #22 best films of the decade. He could never match his 70’s output but in the last decade I’ve discovered his 80’s films—One From the Heart, Rumble Fish and The Cotton Club in particular and they’re superb. For years I had the theory that he just died out there artistically in the jungle making his masterpiece Apocalypse Now but that theory flies out the window when his 80’s output includes 3 films that rank as the best 100 of the 1980’s- one more than either Spielberg and Scorsese. I’ll get to it below but between the parallel editing montages at the finales and the use of dissolves—he’s one of cinema’s greatest editors. His best films are both narratively and stylistically ambitious—operatic.
Best film: Apocalypse Now. For years this was my #1 film of all-time and usually after I see it again, I think I should put it back there. It is slowly gaining traction amongst critics out there over the years as Coppola’s best film (sight and sound had it above The Godfather for the first time in their 2012 poll). Maybe there’s something in my brain that likes a search narrative for a person/man (The Searchers). Weird. The final bull slaughtering sequence and how I was one of the better editing sequences in cinema history. I think I’ll just have to add the entire film. Have you ever noticed just how many long dissolves there are in this film? I mean the opening has one, the finale has one, and there are just a ton in between. It’s extremely effective and beautiful and I wish more films used this. I can’t recall a film that leaned more highly on the use of the dissolve edit. The smoke as a visual is Coppola designing mise-en-scene like a painter—it’s incredibly prevalent here. So many singular images to capture- amongst the best of them are the creative ways he lights Brando
total archiveable films: 10
top 100 films: 3 (Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II)
top 500 films: 6 (Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Conversation, Rumble Fish, One from the Heart)
top 100 films of the decade: 7 (Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Conversation, Rumble Fish, One from the Heart, The Cotton Club)
most overrated: Nothing here on TSPDT— 5 films in the top 1000 and the placements are close to mine. There’s really only one in the context of ranking his oeuvre. TSPDT has The Godfather Part III as his 5th best film and that’s not correct—not to anyone who has put eyes on Rumble Fish.
most underrated: … it’s Rumble Fish. I can’t find 151 better films and it’s not on the TSPDT top 1000—that’s bull. This as his 5th best film is another strength of Coppola. Despite having less than half the archiveable films of Scorsese (22 to 10)— Coppola’s 5th best film is better Scorsese’s (Casino)—kind of Interesting. Rumble Fish is a 94-minute visual exercise. Coppola’s imagery has never been avant-garde- a real treat to watch him push the envelope and create wall-art worthy images galore in crisp black and white.
gem I want to spotlight: One From the Heart. It’s a very simple story (fatally so for many critics) told in pure style- extremely experimental visually—just like Rumble Fish (all hail Coppola’s 1980’s!). It’s a marvel of artificial lighting (set on the strip in Vegas) and sound-stage work—some great Venetian blinds scenes—it reminds me of the play scenes in Paul Schrader’s Mishima and some of the neon light work we’d see in Peter Greenaway’s The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover. One From the Heart is shot by Vittorio Storaro- one of the masters. The entire film is jaw-dropping oner long-takes and spectacular lighting. The whole movie seems to float like few films since or before it (perhaps La La Land, Birdman, Boogie Nights, Gravity, and a few before like Rules of the Game, The Shining, Rope– you lose yourself).
stylistic innovations/traits: Ambition—heightened visuals and audio design—I know that’s incredibly broad so let me try to break it down. First of all, like many of the other auteurs at this level, Coppola can do it all. He’s a great writer (The Godfather and Godfather Part II in particular are as well written as anything else in cinema history) but then he can turn around and make top 500 of all-time films like Rumble Fish and One From the Heart that aren’t particularly great screenplays—pure visual entries—fantastic. Parallel editing is what I think about first and foremost with Francis Ford. He has great editing in parallel action sequences in his two big masterpieces. The killing of Brando in Apocalypse Now and the hits during the baptism in The Godfather are two of the best edited and wonderful scenes or film segments in the history of cinema. He mirrors those in the big unveil in The Conversation as the riddle is solved, as well as the Fredo/murder montage in Part II, and the conclusion of The Cotton Club- (the murder montage here is paired with a great musical performance in edit). Coppola is the master of the dissolve edit—god I love it. How about his sound design work with the helicopter blending into the ceiling fan in Apocalypse Now or the elevated train noise and wine cork going off at the Italian restaurant when Pacino’s Michael murders Sollozzo (Al Lettieri) and McCluskey (Sterling Hayden) in The Godfather. The Conversation (that opening!) is an entire film about sound design. The photography in Rumble Fish and Apocalypse Now in particular—stunning-gorgeous imagery. The Godfather Part II is an epic—meticulous production design, sets, extras. One From the Heart is a tour-de-force of lighting—and you can’t mention lighting without mentioning what he and Gordon Willis did in The Godfather and Part II. Coppola’s narratives and themes play out almost like Greek tragedies- the Corleone family saga first and foremost. Certainly putting his own stamp on the material whether he’s adapting Conrad (Apocalypse Now) or Antonioni (The Conversation).
top 10
- Apocalypse Now
- The Godfather
- The Godfather Part II
- The Conversation
- Rumble Fish
- One from the Heart
- The Cotton Club
- The Godfather Part III
- Bram Stoker’s Dracula
- Tucker: A Man and His Dream
By year and grades
| 1972- The Godfather | MP |
| 1974- The Conversation | MP |
| 1974- The Godfather Part II | MP |
| 1979- Apocalypse Now | MP |
| 1981- One from the Heart | MS |
| 1983- Rumble Fish | MP |
| 1984- The Cotton Club | HR |
| 1988- Tucker: A Man and His Dream | R |
| 1990- The Godfather Part III | R |
| 1992- Bram Stoker’s Dracula | R |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
It never seems to surprise me the things that are out there regarding Megalopolis. It’s the film that keeps on giving. Whether it’s the visible boom mic in scenes, the whole Francis Ford Coppola-Shia LaBeouf feud, Adam Driver (the lead) refusing to be part of the making-of documentary. One thing I didn’t know until now was that the whole VFX crew were fired during the production of the film. And that makes sense because the effects in this film are so bad. Plus, this is not some kind of traditional, natural film. There are a lot of Visual Effects in here. CGI. It frankly looks like a film made by someone who has never made a film before but got a huge budget to play with (personally funded here). I would give this film one thing. It’s entertaining in a so bad, it’s good way just because of Shia LaBeouf’s crazy performance. It’s actually not a surprise to learn he was the one feuding with Coppola during the making of the film.
Francis Ford Coppola films I have seen ranked:
1. Apocalypse Now (1979) – MP
2. The Godfather (1972) – MP
3. The Godfather Part 2 (1974) – MP
4. One from the Heart (1982) – MS
5. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – HR/MS
6. The Godfather Part 3 (1990) – HR/MS
7. Gardens of Stone (1987)
8. The Rain People (1969) – R
9. Megalopolis (2024) – 0.5/10
@Malith- haha- the .5/10 for Megalopolis cracked me up… gotta see Rumble Fish soon!
@Drake- what do you think of megalopolis
@Hashim- Still have not been able to get to it- have you? What did you think?
masterpiece, top 3 2024 for me
@Malith – The Conversation (1974) is so great and a top 3 acting performance for Gene Hackman who is playing a much different type of character than his other 2 best performances, The French Connection and Unforgiven
Study Summary:
Francis Ford Coppola is a fascinating auteur. His top-level work is utterly ridiculous. His top 3 films are The Godfather Part 1, The Godfather Part 2, and Apocalypse Now
Before the Study I had his 3 best films as
# 1 The Godfather
# 2 The Godfather II
# 3 Apocalypse Now
I still have the same order, but Apocalypse Now (1979) has narrowed the gap on Godfather II. There is no wrong order in ranking these as each has a legitimate case for Greatest Film of All Time. I would not be surprised if Apocalypse Now surpasses Godfather II at some point in the future but for now, I am okay with this order
As stated previously, Coppola has undeniably 3 of the greatest films of all time including my # 1 all time. And he has strong work beyond that. He is incredibly versatile with epics, musicals, horror, teenage drama, etc. On the other hand, his authorship is less evident than someone like Tarantino, Malick, or Wong Kar Wai to give a few examples. I say this neither as a compliment or criticism, just an observation
Coppola is not afraid to take chances. He is one of the most ambitious filmmakers of all time; he is in conversation with names like Malick, Nolan, Kubrick, PT Anderson, etc. Coppola embraces new stylistic approaches. Rumble Fish (1983) is a prime example of this as it looks unlike any other film. It has roots in German Expressionism with the extreme use of angles. Perhaps the Third Man (1949) would be the most similar visual style comparison I can think of. His take of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is another example, of Coppola trying something unexpected. I loved this film with the bold saturated color and gorgeous silhouette used in the opening 5 minutes that sets up the rest of the story
Coppola’s 1970s work is perhaps the greatest decade any film maker has ever had up there with Hitchcock 1950s and a few others I am sure, but it is about as great a decade as one could have. Yet, his post 1970s work is quite strong. He started the decade with two visuals marvels in One From the Heart (1981) and Rumble Fish (1983) followed by a magnificent part gangster drama, part musical with The Cotton Club (1984)
There are probably a few other films I could have added but I think the 12 I covered include the top tier work. The two lowest ranking films are Tucker: A Man and His Dream (1988) and The Rain People (1969). Both are worthy films but not surprisingly the least visually ambitious of the films I covered
Final Ranking and Grades:
# 1 The Godfather (1972) – MP
# 2 The Godfather II (1974) – MP
# 3 Apocalypse Now (1979) – MP
# 4 The Conversation (1974) – MP
# 5 Rumble Fish (1983) – MP
# 6 The Cotton Club Encore (1984) – MS
# 7 Bram Stroker’s Dracula (1992) – MS
# 8 One from the Heart (1981) – MS/HR
# 9 The Godfather III (1990) – MS/HR
# 10 Tetro (2009) – HR
# 11 Tucker: A Man and His Dream (1988) – HR/R
# 12 The Rain People (1969) – R
Any reason for not including the Outsiders? Or just availability?
@Palmer – I watched it a few years ago, it is okay. Probably more of a fringe R in my opinion. It just was not a priority enough to watch again
Tetro (2009)
Cast:
Vincent Gallo as Tetro
Alden Ehrenreich as Bennie
Maribel Verdú as Miranda
Notes:
N/A
Thoughts:
Francis Ford Coppola’s first original screenplay since The Conversation (1974). Coppola has referred to The Conversation as his “most personal” film before. I imagine this would have to rate near the top of that list with its inter-generational family drama set in a sort of bohemian community in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires where the characters spend time at coffee shops and community theatre. The film is mainly shot on site in Buenos Aires and the Andean foothills of Patagonia for a later scene
The film starts in Buenos Aires where the main character Tetro, played by Vincent Gallo, is living. The film begins with Tetro’s younger half-brother, Bennie, a 17-year-old whose 18th birthday is a few days away tracking Tetro down. Bennie has not seen him in several years after Tetro tried to start anew after their shared father, a famous orchestra conductor, tells him he does not have the talent to become a writer. Bennie’s presence unearths family secrets and Bennie becomes interested in directing a play based on unpublished manuscripts written by Tetro
The performances are excellent from the three leads of Vincent Gallo, Alden Ehrenreich, and
Maribel Verdú who plays Tetro’s live in girlfriend Miranda. Gallo’s Tetro is deeply unhappy and abrasive throughout the film while Ehrenreich’s Bennie is probing throughout, trying to understand the source of his half-brother’s unhappiness. Bennie is a direct contrast; he is hopeful and craves attention from Tetro’s friends. Ebert’s review calls him “the next DiCaprio” and while that obviously did not happen, I can understand the compliment
This is a gorgeous film which predominately uses crisp black and white cinematography. The deep shadows give it the look of noir or German Expressionism. Given this is a Coppola directed film about an aspiring artist there are references to literature and film of course. One of the references is to Faust (1926) which seems appropriate given the visuals have roots in German Expressionism. The film uses saturated color for the “flashback” scenes, and I use quotation marks due to the way the film blends reality and fiction within the world of the film. The visual storytelling uses compositions effectively in presenting the family drama. The film compresses space effectively, for example, a scene with three characters turns into a two-shot
The film probably could trim 15 minutes, as some of the scenes become repetitive. Still, this an excellent late career entry from Coppola
Verdict: HR
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Cast:
Gary Oldman as Count Dracula / Vlad the Impaler
Winona Ryder as Mina Harker and Elisabeta
Anthony Hopkins as Professor Abraham Van Helsing/Romanian Orthodox priest
Professor Abraham Van Helsing
Romanian Orthodox priest
Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker
Richard E. Grant as Dr. Jack Seward
Sadie Frost as Lucy Westenra
Notes:
Opens in 1462 Vlad the Impaler
2:01 gorgeous dark red silhouette figures on battlefield
2:39 double exposure with Elisabeta’s face as Vlad thanks God for the victory
2:49 stunning painterly image with bright color and use of lighting
3:05 beautiful use of silhouette as Vlad the Impaler’s wife, Elisabeta, commits suicide when she mistakenly believes that Vlad was killed in battle against the Ottoman Empire
4:08 Anthony Hopkins as a priest in Romanian Orthodox Church who proclaims Elisabeta will go to Hell because she sinned by committing suicide
4:18 overhead shot as a vengeful Vlad renounces God
5:44 after title sequence the story moves to 1897 London with a dark blue shot of the cityscape
6:40 Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker is given job to sell property to Count Dracula
7:50 Winona Ryder plays Mina Harker
8:16 use of dissolves bringing Harker on train through dark red/orange background
8:23 split diopter and double exposures used during sequence
9:03 profile shot of Harker’s head in black outlines with dark red filling frame
9:51 dark blue silhouette as Harker continues his travel
10:45 mysterious horse carriage emerges from heavy fog and takes Harker to the Castle
12:26 extreme low angle shot of massive castle
12:44 Dracula first appears as a shadow before he is seen in a red cape/robe
14:01 Portrait of Vlad the Impaler in a painting frame in the background
17:32 shadow of Dracula puts his hands around Harker’s throat after he discovers Harker’s photo of Mina looks identical to his Elisabeta (both played by Winona Ryder of course)
23:13 shadow engulfs Mina while she is at social event
25:59 canted low angle shot of the castle followed by a split screen
29:11 close ups after Dracula refers to Harker’s necklace which has a cross as “trinket of deceit”
30:17 Harker in deep background with rats in foreground
30:55 arch shaped doors are like Nosferatu (1922)
33:22 two attractive women seduce Harker, they also bite him with Vampire fangs
34:34 low angle shot of Dracula surrounded by a gray/blue haze
35:18 a haunting camera pushes-in to a medium closeup shot of Dracula laughing like a maniac
38:24 handheld camera swinging back and forth in a high angle shot of courtyard
40:21 speed up camera movements combined with high windstorm create an ominous atmosphere
41:04 Lucy in red dress, as contrast with blue lighting, moves through the estate during rain storm with Mina chasing after her
45:20 Mina Harker from Vlad the Impaler POV as he walks through the streets
46:26 Vlad in a gray suite and top hat matching the exterior of the buildings along the alley while Mina wears a green dress and a lady’s version of a top hat
51:14 black and white movie within the movie is playing on a projector
52:52 dramatic music ramps up while Dracula’s fangs emerge
53:06 series of match cuts
56:31 Anthony Hopkins as Professor Abraham Van Helsing teaching his class
58:32 maroon, red associated with blood and passion with Dracula shadow approaching a sleeping Lucy
1:06:48 split diopter with Mina and Vlad looking in different directions as past and present collide
1:08:27 dark blue tinted screen outside the castle
1:09:01 Mina and Vlad dancing surrounded by candle sticks, reminiscent of a shot from Fritz Lang’s 1921 film Destiny
1:13:27 camera subtle shift to close up on neck before Lucy’s fangs show and she attacks
1:14:32 close up on face of Professor Abraham Van Helsing as he reads about Dracula
1:16:01 overhead shot of Dracula surrounded by candles by himself
1:20:00 alternating scenes with Harker’s getting married and shots of Vlad making drastic proclamations with noticeable changes in color palettes between the scenes from warm to cool. At one point there is an explosion of blood
1:25:03 overhead shot of men standing over Lucy’s grave and noticing that she is not there, Professor Abraham Van Helsing explains that Lucy is a vampire
1:26:45 magnificent image with a cross shadow in foreground impacting Lucy who is depicted with a medium shot as her fangs show after she gasps from the sight of the cross
1:28:56 closeups are isolated in frame during dinner scene with Professor and Harker
1:30:00 orange fire contrasts with dark blue/black surrounding
1:42:06 Professor Abraham Van Helsing uses a cross in the foreground like Lucy death scene
1:43:25 exterior shot of castle burning
1:46:13 double exposure of Mina over train
1:56:01 gorgeous use of red sunsetting
A happy ending as Vlad and Elisabeta are finally reunited in heaven
Thoughts
I was blown away by Coppola’s magnificent take on this classic horror story. This was not my first viewing; in fact, I was highly impressed when I first watched this a few years ago. It is not a perfect film as the narrative and pacing are a bit uneven and after a single viewing, I could even understand someone feeling like it’s a bit of a mess at times. The performances are certainly hammy, but that is mainly by design. The visuals are magnificent, gothic horror does not get much better
The opening 5 minutes is a brilliant short by itself. In functions as a sort of prologue beginning in 1462 and starring a fictional version of a real life Romanian historical figure named Vlad III or nicknamed “Vlad the Impaler” or “Vlad Dracula” and how his wife takes her own life when she mistakenly believes he was killed in battle. This prologue is stunning with gorgeous red silhouette imagery and a frenetic score. There are some museum quality shots of a battlefield and interior shots inside a Church.
For years I was baffled by the pop culture obsession with vampires. This changed once I saw Nosferatu (1922) for the first time several years ago, it became a favorite Horror film of mine. I ended up loving the Herzog 1979 version of the film and most recently the Eggers 2024 version. Nosferatu was of course an unofficial version of Dracula
Keanu Reeves is not much of actor. Gary Oldman is a straight up chameleon; the man can disappear into his characters as well as anyone. Unsurprisingly, Oldman blows Keanu Reeves off the screen. And really so does Anthony Hopkins, who gives the film’s second-best performance to Gary Oldman. Wiona Ryder may not have the most range as an actress, but she plays sweet and innocent characters as well as anyone
Francis Ford Coppola is certainly a World Creator, as he is known for his elaborate sets and soundstages. However, in making Dracula, he prioritized resources going toward the costume design, which is top notch, and arguably the most important cinematic element in this film. Coppola worked with Japanese costume designer, Eiko Ishioka. Coppola worked with her previously as he hired her to design the Japanese poster for Apocalypse Now. Eiko Ishioka created the look of Dracula. As mentioned above Gary Oldman can disappear into his characters as well as anyone, but it certainly helps when under an elaborate costume. The costume uses a great deal of crimson red, a color often associated with lust, passion, power, and eroticism as well as blood of course. The costume work is immaculate. Gary Oldman Eiko Ishioka’s costume work for Wiona Ryder’s character use greens to signify rebirth or renewal
Francis Ford Coppola was criticized for using his daughter Sofia in Godfather III (Winona Ryder dropped out last minute) in what was labeled as nepotism, but Francis Ford Coppola hired his son Roman Coppola as head of visual effects with much better results. Roman Coppola used techniques from silent cinema such as double exposure, reverse photography, miniature sets, and angled sets rather than rely on CGI. These techniques are such a crucial part of the film because of the blend of the visuals and narrative that is established in the opening 5 minutes as Gary Oldman’s Vlad the Impaler/Dracula, Wiona Ryder as Mina Harker and Elisabeta, and Anthony Hopkins as Professor Abraham Van Helsing/Romanian Orthodox priest are all playing 2 characters. The merging of past and present becomes a crucial theme.
The use of shadows connects with expressionism in an interesting way, in one scene Dracula is relatively cordial while speaking to Harker but his shadow strangles Harker
Polish composer, Wojciech Kilar, does the score which is appropriately operatic. I love the classically orchestrated score and leitmotifs associated with Dracula
Verdict: MS
@James Trapp- Yeah. This film is gorgeous. It reminded me a lot of One From the Heart. I think both films were shot entirely in a studio set. Which gave Coppola the freedom to experiment with color and visuals. I have both this and Godfather Part 3 as HR/MS for Coppola. I do think GF3 has a stronger ending while this one lost me when Winona Ryder’s character started Conjuring up blue fireballs in the climax. But still a fine film. Yeah. Keanu is very bad. I saw Phantom of the Opera recently and the actor in it Andrea Di Stefano does a way better job than Keanu here in essentially the same role.
@James Trapp- Are you going to watch Megalopolis? It’s something.
@Malith – I have planning on watching Dracula and Tetro for sure as I have both. I will watch Megalopolis if I can find it although it does not seem to be playing in the usual places I find movies
@James Trapp- I wrote a review for Megalopolis when I watched it.
One of the worst films I have ever seen.
– There are pages and pages of dialogue in this film and a whole lot of telling and very little showing
– The lack of detail in the World Building is baffling. Some scenes are just shot in plain American towns and in one scene LaBeouf walks into what looks like a plain hospital from the Colosseum. Some scenes are shot in front of entirely digitally created backgrounds. At least be consistent with what you are putting out.
– Most of the scenes are shot with multiple cuts. And there is hardly a noticeable camera movement or a sustained take in this film and many continuity errors in scenes.
– The lack of respect given to the audience is baffling. Even the voiceovers are explained in storyboards most of the time. Emmanuel’s character is an entirely void audience surrogate especially in the first half of the film.
– The film feels very small with the constant shallow focus use and closed sets especially in the 2nd half
– The CGI looks hideous and feels like 60-70% of the film has CGI use.
– The two highlights I gathered from the film are the night sequence with statutes and the virgin singing sequence. Overall the night cinematography looks much much better than the daytime scenes with a very dull golden hue. But the night scenes are only like 10-20% of the film.
– The whole film is a bunch of loosely connected scenes with little narrative/suspense/buildup.
– There are multiple subplots which are entirely forgotten after a while. The main culprit is a satellitle crashing into town. Another one with Driver and his eye.
– The characters need an entire page of their own. Aubrey Plaza is acting in an entirely different film from everyone else. And she is so bad, it’s good. Emmanuel and Esposito plays it straight and Emmanuel is a lead in the movie and has as much screentime as Driver but lacks screen presence, Esposito is barely in the movie and has few good scenes. But he didn’t pose any sort of threatning presence and I thought about replacing him with Laurence Fishburne. Speaking of Fishburne he has a very minor role in the film as driver/narrative and he is good but totally wasted. Other main characters apart from Driver, Emmanuel and Esposito is the trio of Voight, Plaza and LaBeouf. LaBeouf is fantastic and I thought gave by far the best performance in the film. He starts off very careless and goofy, but then gets more and more conscious and self possessed as the film goes on. Voight is inconsistent as is Driver in the lead role. The Voight/Plaza/LaBeouf part is actually somewhat engaging in the second half while the main plot of Driver/Emmanuel/Esposito completely falters and becomes a lecture to the audience using the Emmanuel character. There are other notable actors like Dustin Hoffman, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter(miscast) who pop in and out of the film in supporting roles.
– Regardless of the many problems in the film I have to give a shout out to the Costume Design & Makeup people. They did a great job. The female actors especially look stunning.
– You won’t believe some of the quotes in the film.
One is “If it is a girl, we’ll call her Sunny Hope and if it is a boy we’ll call him Francis”
– I still think there is a glimmer of hope in this material if there was some studio involvement. If the whole film was like the 5 minute sequence with fading statutes and a decaying Roman society.
– And I forgot to mention how outdated the whole thing is. There are laptops, modern cars, cabs, streets mixed in with some of the futuristic ideas in the production design in some scenes. Most of the film looks like it was made for a buck without any money
– The actors are embarassingly gliding, not walking in the futuristic city
– Ends with an Iris on a baby crying. The least surprising thing in this bizzare film
– Very much an old man’s film without any energy in his filmmaking
– Feels like a film that should have been made years ago on film
– Worth a watch once for few ideas and the baffling buffoonery on display
@Malith – that is too bad but not that surprising, with that cast and Coppola using his own money. Where did you watch it?
@James Trapp- I have a copy of it. It has a lot of narrative similarities with The Brutalist released in the same year. I can share it if you are interested in watching it. Like I said worth a watch once for some of the ideas and scenes.
Godfather III (1990)
Cast:
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
Diane Keaton as Kay Adams-Corleone
Talia Shire as Connie Corleone
Andy García as Vincent Corleone
Eli Wallach as Don Altobello
Joe Mantegna as Joey Zasa
Sofia Coppola as Mary Corleone
Notes:
This is technically Coda “Death of Michael Corleone”
Opens with a low angle shot of the exterior of a Church with Michael Corleone inside negotiating a deal to purchase a stock
5:15 cuts to a celebration with Connie and Michael’s son Anthony singing
6:40 Joey Zaza (Joe Montagna) shows up
17:21 Michael sitting in the dark behind closed doors
14:14 Michael’s son Anthony tells Michael that he is dropping out of law school and will be pursuing a career in music and that “he will always be his son” but will never work in his business
17:30 after a conversation with Kay, Michael agrees to let Anthony pursue a career in music
25:35 Joey, Vincent, and Connie are inside Michael’s dim lit office
27:45 Vincent goes Mike Tyson and bites Joey Zaza’s ear after an insult
29:35 family photo with warm color tones including orange and brown
31:21 nice foreground/back work with chandeliers in foreground and Michael dancing in background with Mary in front of party
32:40 Bridget Fonda’s Grace Hamilton walks through dark apartment after Vincent hears a noise and he ends up finding two men sent by Joey Zaza
37:08 Michael talking business inside office room only instead of the usual dark and barely lit room with no windows, there is instead the windows have a view of the city in the background reflecting the changing times with Michael trying to stay legitimate
38:26 newspaper montage with various dissolve edits and voice over
42:12 foreboding score starting up as Michael and Eli Wallach’s character, Don Altobello, speak in the back of vehicle as Michael continues to resist getting involved with criminal activity
50:26 ariel shot with helicopter flying over the city
51:11 Helicopter landing on Atlantic City rooftop
54:20 Camera tracks Joey Zaza as he walks around Atlantic City Suite
56:16 helicopter noises followed by shootout
1:00:07 “just when I though I was out, they pulled me back in”
1:04:00 Michael is briefly reunited with his family in the hospital as his wife and two children visit him
1:07:06 silhouette imagery in background of the frame
1:12:07 shootout at Italian American celebration followed by a disguised Vincent shooting by Zaza
1:21:14 Michael Corleone at event which includes his son Anthony performing song
1:22:17 camera slowly moves in on Michael with flashback to his marriage in Godfather I in Italy
1:24:20 Mary is told that she cannot see Vincent long term as it is too dangerous
1:29:42 frame in frames creating claustrophobic environment as Michael walks with priest to who he eventually confesses to his most serious sins including ordering Fredo’s murder
1:35:25 series of beautiful silhouette shots of statues from low angle
1:43:23 Vincent in dimly lit room standing with a posture reminiscent of Michael as Connie gives him permission to act in best interests of the Family if anything happens to Michael
1:43:55 helicopter shot of a region in Sicily with great amount of hills
1:45:47 camera pan through the streets of Sicily as Michael takes Kay out for the day
1:48:32 orange/brown hues as Michael eats dinner with Kay
1:59:28 close-up shot on Vincent’s face as he agrees to stop seeing Mary and in return Michael makes him the Boss of the Corleone Family leading to a ring kissing ceremony
2:05:04 Vincent breaks up with an upset Mary
2:07:30 Corleone’s attend an Opera which includes Anthony who is an Opera singer
2:13:10 low angle shot of Corleone’s in attendance, shortly after a sniper rifle POV is aimed at Michael
2:20:00 tension building with parallel editing leading to a series of murders occuring over the final 10-15 minutes of the film
2:26:34 gun shots outside of the Opera House resulting in Mary being killed
2:28:05 silent scream during close-up shot of Michael before sound returning
Thoughts:
The final film of the saga. This is technically Coda “Death of Michael Corleone” but it is Coppola’s preferred Cut for The Godfather III so I went with it
There is no way around it, this just does not come close to measuring up to the first two films of the series. Of course, the first two films of the series are both legitimate contenders for greatest film ever made so we are talking about a ridiculously high standard
However, there are a lot of callbacks to the first two films starting with the magnificent score, in particular Nina Rota’s The Godfather Waltz is brought back although Nina Rota had passed away 11 years earlier in 1979. Carmine Coppola combined some of his own material and combined it with some of Rota’s work. The parallel editing depicting several well-orchestrated hits near the end of the film
Al Pacino plays Michael very differently compared with the first two films in a way that mirrors many of his post 1970s characters; there is more use of expressive gestures and more shouting. He is not nearly as cold as he was in the final hour of the first film or the entirety of the second film
Sofia Coppola’s performance is rightfully rebuked as being a giant mistake. Contrary to common belief, Sofia was not her father’s first choice, that was Winona Ryder who dropped out at the last minute. It is too bad as Ryder would have been perfect for the role. The silver lining is that Sofia Coppola was so bad that she pursued other interests and eventually found her true calling as a phenomenal director and writer. To be fair it is not just the performance but the very relationship itself that is questionable. I try not to make moral judgements of characters, but I don’t think it is unfair to question this relationship between first cousins. On top of all that there just is not any real chemistry (mainly due to Sofia’s obvious acting limitations)
Talia Shire has a bigger role here as Connie Corleone works alongside Michael and Vincent. Andy Garcia is quite effective in playing Vincent, who is Sonny’s child from a different mother than Sonny’s other children. He seems like too much of a hot head to run a family. Then again, he is noticeably calmer and more composed near the end of the film after Michael has mentored him
In the first two films, doors are a motif, they separate the “criminal underworld” from ordinary society. There are several shots in this film with Michael speaking inside a room with wide open doors and windows signifying his attempts to be viewed as a legitimate businessman.
Of course, the lighting from Gordon Willis factors in as well. Despite his best-efforts Michael finds himself back into the underworld that he was trying to escape. The closed doors and dim lit rooms are present during the discussion of criminal activity. Willis does solid work but not to the same degree as the first two films. He uses orange and brown hues in several of the family scenes which evoke a sense of nostalgia. This includes the family celebration in the first 10 minutes and a scene where Michael shows Kay Sicily and tries to make amends
Robert Duvall is badly missed as Tom Hagen serves such a vital character. Hagen is one of the few characters who is not only as smart as Michael but is also one of the few characters not intimidated by him
Verdict: HR
@James Trapp- I don’t think much of Winona Ryder as a great actress either. You’ll see when you watch Bram Stokee’s Dracula. But I think Bridget Fonda who has a small role in the film would have been a great choice as Michael’s daughter.
@Malith – Winona does not have much range, but I like her playing naive characters. The love subplot with Mary and Vincent is probably not salvageable. I realize the narrative needed Michael’s involvement in mob activity to result in a tragic outcome but it could have been done differently and without an unrealistic and frankly cringeworthy relationship
@James Trapp- The relationship actually adds a lot to Garcia’s character. And some of the old Pacino is somewhat back when he realizes her daughter is having an affair with Vincent.
@James Trapp- I don’t know how you completely missed to mention the silhouette lighting in this film though. When Garcia and S. Coppola goes to make out, when Berger was hanged etc.
@Malith – I mentioned it a couple times in the notes. Once around 67 min and again around 95 min
@James Trapp- I’m surprised you gave The Godfather Coda even a HR given it does not even have a proper ending and has scenes in the middle of montages missing.
Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)
Cast:
Jeff Bridges as Preston Tucker
Joan Allen as Vera Tucker
Martin Landau as Abe Karatz
Notes:
Opens with narration, exposition montage on Preston Tucker during opening credits which includes some brief use of black and white footage mixed in
Preston Tucker is successful and well-liked businessman and family man
10:15 dark blue tinted frame cuts to a brighter frame as Tucker’s family enters old fashioned Ice Cream Shop/Soda Fountain
11:28 dim lit room with venetian blinds as powerful men discuss business
16:20 a close-up shot on Tucker’s face with bright orange glare, sort of match cut to Tucker walking through warehouse
20:20 wide angle shot with Tucker on far end of frame in dimly lit room showing his isolation
22:32 great use of split diopter shot when Tucker calls his wife from pay phone
33:19 dim lit room with Tucker surrounded by older businessmen
36:27 senator subtly warns off Preston from getting into car business and competing against the big 3
42:28 low angle shot of Tucker and dissolve to Tucker’s name atop the new building
43:06 previously empty warehouse filled with marching band, dancers, automotive industry personnel, media members, and men there to sabotage the car
48:23 the red car rotating on stage with attractive women surrounding it
50:40 commercial for Tucker’s car with a voice over
51:08 Tucker’s opponents shown walking in a silhouette profile shot
57:03 slow fade out captures singing women in advertisement
58:20 split screen used to depict phone call conversation
1:02:32 dream like sequence involving Howard Hughes
1:13:07 the big 3 using everything to stop Tucker
1:18:54 high angle shot inside board room with executives at table in front of the press, light seeps from outside through a window creating gorgeous shot
1:22:20 split screen used to depict phone conversation
1:23:28 police car chase with upbeat music
1:24:27 Tucker makes sure his arrest takes place in front of cameras and media reporters
1:25:40 low angle shots inside courthouse accentuate the power of the legal institution including the judge, prosecutor, and statues inside the courtroom
1:32:08 high angle shot inside court room with orange lighting that obscures the room slightly
1:34:43 wide angle shot of Tucker’s vehicles driving down the street outside of the courthouse
1:37:25 Tucker starts his speech
1:42:55 Tucker not guilty by jury
Thoughts
A movie about a man balancing his work life and family life, sounds like familiar territory for Coppola. This was my second viewing, the first was several years ago, and my opinion has not changed much as this is a solid, albeit not spectacular film. By the numbers biopics have built in challenges, especially related to scope and the potential for formulaic plotting. Still, it is an easy watch with a committed performance from Jeff Bridges playing Preston Tucker, an American entrepreneur and inventor who created an automobile named the Tucker 48 or Tucker Torpedo
Coppola works with the legendary Vittorio Storaro for the third time although this is obviously not anywhere near the same level as the other two, which are Apocalypse Now and One from the Heart. There are some great uses of silhouette in the film. One example occurs near the 51-minute mark, where a man trying to sabotage Tucker is depicted in a profile silhouette image
The production design is impressive in recreating the late 40s and early 50s with the vehicles, businesses such as old fashioned ice cream shops, courthouses, etc.
This film was somewhat of a passion project. Apparently, Francis Ford Coppola’s father Carmine Coppola was one of the original investors of Preston Tucker’s company and he even purchased one of the 51 models manufactured before production was halted due to the scandals portrayed in the film. The “American Dream” is one of the film’s key themes. Preston Tucker was an ambitious man who was from a modest background, but dreamed big
While Preston Tucker was a family man there are some nice shots showing off Tucker’s me vs the world mentality including wide angle shot with Tucker on far end of frame or cuts to shots of Tucker isolated in the frame
Coppola frequently uses low angle shots, especially regarding scenes involving powerful people or institutions to accentuate the underdog story. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) is listed as a possible influence
I do admire the performance that Jeff Bridges gives, especially the speech he gives near the end of the film about the entrepreneurial spirit of Americans and the underdog story
Verdict: HR/R
The Cotton Club Encore (1984) ***
Cast:
Richard Gere as Michael “Dixie” Dwyer
Gregory Hines as Delbert “Sandman” Williams
Diane Lane as Vera Cicero
Lonette McKee as Lila Rose Oliver
Bob Hoskins as Owney Madden
James Remar as Dutch Schultz
Nicolas Cage as Vincent Dwyer
Notes:
Opens in later 1920s Harlem with a musician named Michael “Dixie” Dwyer playing inside Bamboo Club where a group of gangsters are hanging out including Dutch Schultz (James Remar)
4:30 man outside club with shadow over everything other than his eyes as he orders hit
6:30 Dixie saves the life of a gangster named Dutch Schultz
9:20 Gregory Hines character Delbert “Sandman” Williams in his family’s Harlem Apartment
13:26 Dixie in his family’s apartment including his brother Vincent (Nic Cage)
21:46 creative use of framing with piano inside hotel room
24:12 zoom in on Bob Hoskins character, Owney Madden, as he attempts to broker a peace treaty
26:40 brutal mob violence with Dutch stabbing rival in the neck with a knife
30:27 handheld tracking shot into club followed by rapid pans across the stage as dancers enter
34:20 beautiful shots with hazy blue light inside club
36:01 close ups during performance adding intensity
39:11 Sandman with a virtuoso tap-dancing performance
42:32 Racism toward black characters
44:02 dancers filling frame to the brim, pink neon lighting
48:58 another great tap dancing at a low-key barroom with dim lighting and muted green haze
51:19 slow zoom in on Dutch and his crew followed by Dutch ordering Dixie to play music
54:44 Dixie takes Dutch’s girlfriend on a date to a night club, she clearly likes Dixie
1:03:10 another stunning use of hazy lighting inside club with a canted angle shot
1:09:56 Dixie has screen test in Hollywood, alternating between producers watching and the black and white footage within the movie
1:11:26 series of dissolves used in montage which includes newspapers, shootouts in the street, stacks of money, and gangsters holding weapons
1:13:16 dream like soft focus during song at nightclub
1:20:50 another standout montage with dissolves, moves the story ahead to 1930
1:41:36 machine gun shooting in booth
1:43:10 Sandman and his brother are reunited in Harlem Dance Club
1:47:55 beautiful use of neon pink and neon blue lighting inside the club
1:49:57 extreme close ups on faces of gangsters is effective in capturing their menace
1:52:32 overhead shot of beating in bathroom
1:53:15 saturated red lighting during solo act
1:55:22 tracking shot with Dixie taking Vera into isolated part of the club
2:00:20 the inevitable confrontation between Dixie and Dutch over Vera that has been in the making from the love triangle formed early in the film
2:03:50 parallel editing building the tension
2:05:10 a Godfather like series of acts of violence
Thoughts
*** I watched the 2019 Director’s Cut which is referred to as “The Cotton Club Encore” as opposed to the Original Cut that was released in 1984
Per usual with Coppola, you must admire the ambition and artistic vision. Coppola used half a million dollars of his own money to restore and expand the released 1984 Version to his original vision
For the original release there was some criticism at the time that the story should have focused more on the black characters. I believe the quality of film as an art form can be viewed independent of subject matter and certainly independent of political/social views. At the same time, I do think there are elements of a particular subject that can be more interesting/intriguing than others. A nightclub using mainly black singers and dancers to perform or exclusively white audiences is an interesting dynamic to explore. I have not seen the Original Cut, but from what I read it cut out many of the scenes involving the black characters as the Studio overpowered Coppola’s vision
The screenplay is solid but not amongst Coppola’s best. However, this is somewhat mitigated by it being a part musical so there is a significant focus on song and dance. Thus, the story is a bit less important, and less character driven. There are a great number of characters, and certainly Coppola is no stranger to handling large ensemble casts. While the cast is strong, many of the characters are generic mob characters. As much as I love Mob films, all the mob activity is the least interesting element of the film. There are a few violent scenes with mob guys arguing over money and territory but really it is more building than atmosphere than contributing to the plot. There is a predictable love triangle involving Richard Gere and Diane Lane’s characters, but they have such great chemistry that it makes up for that
This qualifies as “location as character” with the elaborate film set of the legendary Harlem Night Club serving as the film’s narrative hub
There are two particularly impressive montages that both use a series of dissolves. Both are used to forward a significant change in time, but they also serve to mix the violence with the glamour of the musical acts and exterior shots of the club to capture the time period
Other standouts are Gregory Hines and his incredible tap dancing which is utterly mesmerizing. There are numerous great performers within the film in terms of both song and dance, but Hines was the standout for me
The production design is one of the film’s strengths with impressive recreation of the prohibition era Harlem. The use of neon lighting resembles One from the Heart (1981). And of course, both are musicals although this is an ensemble cast. Many of the visual standout frames occur inside the club with an impressive use of hazy lighting and smoke-filled rooms adding to the décor
There is a creative use of framing that uses the piano inside the hotel during a mob party. There is some use of deep focus not as extreme as some of the shots from Rumble Fish (1983)
The camera movement through the club is impressive at times. There are a few tracking shots and pans that contribute to the high energy style
Verdict: MS
@james – Encore Cut is soo much better, glad you went that way
@Harry – I have not seen the original cut but have no reason to watch. I was really impressed with this film. Coppola’s post 1970s continues to seem much stronger then his general reputation
Rumble Fish (1983)
Cast:
Matt Dillon as Rusty James
Mickey Rourke as The Motorcycle Boy
Diane Lane as Patty
Dennis Hopper as Father
Vincent Spano as Steve
Nicolas Cage as Smokey
Chris Penn as B.J. Jackson
Notes:
Opens in black and white with an incredible shot of moving clouds and low angle shot of a street sign with graffiti on it
Laurence Fishburn’s character enters Benny’s Billiards where Matt Dillion’s Rusty James is hanging with his crew which includes characters played by Nicolas Cage, Chris Penn, and Vincent Spano
3:31 impressive foreground/background work with Cage’s character in closeup in foreground
3:45 Rusty James older brother is a local legend named “The Motorcycle Boy” who left town
4:16 high angle shot of crew walking toward a fight
4:19 eponymous red and blue fish called “rumble fish” standout since this is black and white film
7:33 low wide angle shot of suburban house, Rusty James enters bottom of frame
9:40 Rusty James visiting Diane Lane’s character who is named Patty and is the love interest of Rusty James, a bad boy type
10:00 cut to a shot of a clock
11:00 camera holds on a closeup shot of Patty’s face
14:00 low angle reverse tracking shot with the gang
15:18 fast cuts in depicting the chaotic fight sequence
16:54 canted angle shots add to disorienting nature of fight
17:17 Micky Rourke, as the motorcycle boy, makes entrance toward end of fight
18:18 town sheriff and Micky Rourke’s character share frame
22:36 closeup in foreground with characters in the back of the frame
24:54 foreground/background work with Rusty James and Patty in foreground
26:49 psychedelic sound effects in scene, Rusty James talking to Motorcycle Boy’s girlfriend Cassandra
29:37 use of shadows is noir like
30:05 Dennis Hopper as Father of Rusty James and Motorcycle Boy
33:03 surveillance camera like angle with voice over from Benny
35 min wild party with booze, drugs, and party girls
38:27 shot identical to a shot in the first few minutes of a street sign
42:37 another use of timelapse in depicting the moving clouds including showing it as a reflection off of a motorcycle mirror
43:50 shot of local fair during the evening
46:07 extreme closeup on Motorcycle Boy’s face while sound fades
51:52 distorted shot inside pool bar with a closeup on pool balls in foreground and characters spread throughout the rest of the frame in a disorienting manner
53:45 shaky camera movements inside bar room create disorienting effect with bar patrons dancing, playing pool, and a live Jazz Band playing
55:29 extreme high angle shot of Rusty James and Steve getting jumped outside bar in street alley
56:43 Rusty James floats above the ground following a beat down while his body is still visible on the ground, a sort of out of body experience
1:04:18 there is a closeup on pool balls in foreground and glass coca cola bottle
1:05:16 Patty comes to the bar for Smokey (Nicholas Cage)
1:07:44 composition with Smokey, Rusty James, and Rusty James shadow on the exterior wall of Benny’s
1:10:08 Pet Store Sign in the sky
1:12:01 rumble fish pet store sequence with red and blue fish
1:12:32 closeup shot of police officers face who seems to represent authority
1:14:40 deep of field stands out with gap between Rusty James in foreground and Motorcycle Boy in background of the frame
1:16:40 nice use of blocking capturing the brothers and their father in a bar with Motorcycle Boy in foreground, there is great blocking throughout this sequence of the 3 characters
1:20:30 the brothers ride motorcycles through the streets with Rusty James on back of Motorcycle Boy who travels to the pet store
1:25:50 cut to color rumble fish
1:26:08 low angle shot of police standing over the deceased Motorcycle Boy
1:26:56 series of quick cuts with flashes of color
1:28:45 camera floating through the crowd of onlookers seeing the death of Motorcycle Boy
The film ends after Rusty James makes it to the ocean
Thoughts
This is the second S. E. Hinton adaptation Coppola released in 1983 with The Outsiders released earlier in the year. I actually watched The Outsiders (1983) a few years back, it has a crazy cast of future acting talent but is a fairly mediocre film, especially compared to Rumble Fish. Thus, I did not have much motivation to revisit The Outsiders which is probably Fringe R
Rumble Fish is another story; this film is a visual marvel starting with its gorgeous black and white cinematography. Francis Ford Coppola was heavily inspired by German Expressionism in creating the visual style for the film which uses high contrast black and white, distorted perceptions, use of shadows, dreamlike sequences, and the use of extreme angles. The black and white also sets up the stunning use of color in a few scenes which involve the titular rumble fish. In these sequences only the fish are in color, specifically red and blue, while the rest of the frame is black and white
The film opens with an incredible use of time-lapse photography tracking the moving clouds. This manipulation of time reminds me a bit of Wong Kar Wai’s step printing. The time-lapse establishes the dream-like atmosphere that dominates the majority of the film. There is a surreal element present in several sequences including an out-of-body experience after Rusty James is beaten savagely. There is also a scene with Rusty James daydreaming, as he sees the Diane Lane character lying in a seductive position
Watching Rumble Fish is not always a passive experience. There are several scenes that immerse the viewer into the film’s world. The reverse tracking shot around the 14-minute mark makes you feel like you are about to be a part of the rumble with the rival gang. During the scene which occurs around 53 minutes into the film, you feel like you are in the bar room which is captured with a wide-angle lens or you have the camera floating through the bar
Coppola’s framing is another cinematic standout. Some of the best compositions juxtapose the foreground and background of the frame, using extreme depth of field as well as a few standouts split diopter shots. There are frequent closeup shots including the introduction shot for Mickey Rourkes Motorcycle Boy. The use of extreme camera angles includes the use of wide-angle lens in shots inside the pool bar which captures the entire bar in a distorted view during a sequence where Rusty James is getting heavily intoxicated
Coppola is a world creator here. Despite Motorcycle Boys stories about going to California, I felt like the film was set in an enclosed world. The magnificent visuals create a surreal environment, the fact that it is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma does not feel all that relevant
Matt Dillion was born for these types of performances; there are a lot of similarities between this and the character he plays in Drugstore Cowboy (1989) 6 years later although that character is a bit more intelligent than Rusty James. He has an anti-authority streak in him resembling actors like James Dean or Marlon Brandon in the 1950s although it is not as pronounced with Dillion. Mickey Rourke plays the enigmatic Motorcycle Boy, who is the older brother of Rusty James and a hero to Rusty James and the rest of the gang
Coppola wrote the screenplay along with the author of the source material. The author, Susan Eloise Hinton or S. E. Hinton. The screenplay pales in comparison to some of Coppola’s other top-level work. There are great individual scenes, but they are not all that cohesive. Several scenes could be jumbled into different orders without the narrative being impacted much. While I love Dillion’s performance, I do feel like his character’s motivations seem aimless at times. The Dennis Hopper character does not seem to add anything to the story other than showing the lack of parental guidance. Nic Cage’s Smokey manipulates Rusty James in a way that allows him to start dating Rusty James’s girlfriend, who is played by Diane Lane, but nothing really comes out of this potential conflict other than a short conversation between Rusty James and Smokey. I guess I just wish the story were a bit more fleshed out
Despite some weaknesses with the screenplay this is an incredible film. The visuals are sublime with exceptional performances from Matt Dillion and Mickey Rourke. A surreal/dreamlike atmosphere is maintained throughout most of the film. Francis Ford Coppola said he wanted to create an art film for teenagers, and he certainly succeeded
Verdict: MP
@James Trapp- I remember for years I had this “Coppola as an artist died out there in the jungle” romantic idea- and that’s just not the case. Glad you appreciate these films as well.
@Drake – yeah, it sounds weird to say, but I actually think I have underrated Coppola overall…and I already considered The Godfather (1972) to be the best film of all time for a while now. I still have a few more films to watch of his but Rumble Fish is the 5th MP of the study with 3 of the MP as legit contenders for greatest film ever. And yeah Rumble Fish looks like unlike any other film
One From the Heart (1981)
Cast:
Frederic Forrest as Hank
Teri Garr as Frannie
Raúl Juliá as Ray
Nastassja Kinski as Leila
Lainie Kazan as Maggie
Harry Dean Stanton as Moe
Allen Garfield as the restaurant owner
Rebecca De Mornay as an understudy
Notes:
Opening credits with beautiful red lettering over dark blue curtains
4:38 shot of Vegas Strip is accompanied by sound effects resembling Casino slot machines
5:50 blue/green neon lighting
6:18 gorgeous shot with billboards and buildings of the frame
12:28 romantic sequence set to red neon lighting
14:11 slow zoom in on light in the middle of the frame
15:21 alternating shots between Hank and Frannie isolated in the frame, the shots of Hank have dark red and black in background and look like it’s occurring at night whereas shots of Frannie have light in background that makes it look like daytime although it is night
18:32 argument between the two gets progressively meaner
27:45 brilliant composition using background/foreground with silhouette followed by dissolve
37:24 hearted shaped frame via mirror and Frannie’s face appearing despite her not being physically present in the room showing Hank not being able to get her off his mind
40:35 orange/yellow tinted screen as Hank and Frannie who is preparing to leave with her suitcase
41:54 camera held on empty Vegas Strip as Frannie walks away with suitcase post sunset
42:34 brief reverse tracking shot as an energized looking Frannie walk through the strip
43:33 parallel editing depicting Hank and Frannie walking in profile
44:14 dark red lighting over hank gives sense of danger
45:34 purple/red neon
45:53 circular framed shot
48:15 humorous scene where a waiter, who is named Ray, hits on Frannie and is fired on the spot
52:13 gorgeous orange/red frame featuring Frannie dancing with blue/pink neon with Hank
52:55 montage/dance/musical scene begins and uses match cuts, dissolves, saturated colors, and a variety of framing techniques
54:41 low angle shot of Hank isolated in frame while Frannie is shown dancing in Strip surrounded by hundreds of people cheering on under the neon lit night
56:35 high angle shot of Vegas Strip at night
1:01:19 cut from Frannie’s date, Ray, to Hank’s date, Leila, with Hank’s date outside drive in theatre
1:04:17 high wire act with camera tilt putting Hank in foreground as he conducts non-diegetic music
1:04:50 edit resembling a match cut as Frannie and Hank kiss their respective dates
1:08:32 slow zoom in on Hank waking up next to his Leila in a car, this scene alternates with Frannie waking up in bed next to Ray
1:09:50 Frannie’s face superimposed over mirror as Hank becomes agitated
1:11:04 Hank and his Leila talk while on opposite sides of the frame
1:12:00 frame drenched in dark red as Frannie and her date from the previous night are sitting on a bed with their backs facing each other
1:15:43 split frame as Hank speaks outside hotel room of Fannie’s friend to get information
1:17:50 dark orange lit frame in shot of hotel that Hank is trying to get into to find Frannie
1:18:42 Hank falls through the ceiling into the hotel room where Frannie is in bed with Ray
1:22:33 frame in frame with Hank alone in kitchen with clock ticking accentuated
1:23:40 green neon lighting inside airport as Frannie is going to get on a plane to Bora Bora with Ray
1:27:44 tracking shot drenched in green neon as Hanks walks through airport
1:28:50 frame is drenched in neon blue and green rainfall at night, great use of Jazz music in soundtrack
1:31:53 lovers reunite
Thoughts:
After making 3 of the greatest films of all time Coppola changes up. Godfather I and II are epics that are steeped in Greek Tragedy while Apocalypse Now is an Allegorical War Epic. One From the Heart is an experimental musical with little in common with Coppola’s previous work up to this point in terms of narrative, visuals, mood, atmosphere, and pacing
Coppola’s ambition deserves credit alone, as he is a world builder, using elaborate soundstages to build an artificial Las Vegas strip. There is a meta element to all this given that Las Vegas is itself an artificial world. Vegas is a grown-up version of Disney World complete with fun and games that are intended to provide the ultimate escape from the burdens of real life
The story and characters are lacking compared to the other films covered in the study so far. There are few closeup shots compared to much of his other work. Neither of the two main characters are compelling enough to get invested in their relationship and whether it will survive. The acting is fine, but the writing is a weakness
The use of neon lighting is a treat, there is no denying the aesthetic value of this film, I particularly love the neon green used in much of the final 10-15 minutes
Francis Ford Coppola’s appreciation for Jazz is present in Tom Waits score
Verdict: MS/HR
@James Trapp- I have this as a firm MS. It’s a bit silly but visually stunning. I’d say the weakest scene in the film is Forrest coming and taking away Teri Garr. It’s so misogynist. I think Losey’s The Romantic Englishwoman is a more mature and intelligent take on the same subject matter – “midlife crisis”.
I think Forrest is quite bad in the film. But he is at least likeable. Like Keanu in Dracula. You’ll see.
Yes, the visual style is completely different from that film. But I think this has a lot in common with Coppola’s film before The Godfather, The Rain People. Both are about a housewife running away from their home despite never fully shaking off her husband.
Apocalypse Now (1979) ***
Cast:
Marlon Brando as Colonel Kurtz
Martin Sheen as Captain Willard
Robert Duvall as Lt. Colonel Kilgore
Frederic Forrest as Chef
Sam Bottoms as Lance
Laurence Fishburne as Clean
Albert Hall as Chief
Dennis Hopper as a Photojournalist
Notes:
Opens with a wide angle shot of the jungle as The Doors song “The End” from their debut album plays followed by a chain reaction of explosions and an incredible dissolve of an inverted shot of Martin Sheen’s head while the camera pans across the jungle with trees that start burning
4:01 Martin Sheen’s Captain Willard is recovering in hotel room with Sheen narrating Willard’s thoughts
6:25 another brilliant dissolve of Captain Willard as The Doors song plays
8:17 nice use of silhouette and use of door to frame shot with characters in three depts of field
12:57 Marlon Brando as Colonel Kurtz heard for the first time in the film although he wouldn’t be seen until much later
15:33 conversation steers toward its true purpose
17:54 “terminate the Colonel’s command” to 18:18 “terminate with extreme prejudice”
19:14 ariel shot of helicopter
21 min the crew Willard is traveling with is introduced one by one
22:23 picturesque shot of boat traveling on beautiful bright day
24:42 binocular POV as they approach the action
25:10 tracking shot as boat approaches land
25:48 hilarious Cameo as Coppola yells don’t look at the camera, just look like you’re fighting to Sheen
27:05 low angle shot to introduce Robert Duvall as Lt. Colonel Kilgore who hilariously starts throwing random playing cards while casually walking through the chaos
28:48 “we are here to help you” as the American troops bomb and murder locals
29:51 Kilgore diverts his attention to Lance as Kilgore reveals an interest in surfing
35:35 excellent composition with helicopters filling the frame
37:55 flight of the Valkyries scene with approaching helicopters
39:21 incredible sound design is incredible as well as use of POV shots from inside helicopters
45:18 saturated yellow, pink, and blue gases which are revealed to be napalm
46:40 Kilgore in foreground of the frame, moves to low angle shot shortly after he once again does not react to the explosion surrounding him, he has an invincibility aura to him
48:58 sweeping camera movement during explosion
49:20 “I love the smell of Napalm in morning…it smells like victory”
50:40 yellow and pink gases in background of the frame
53:49 dark blue/purple shade during night sequence
58:30 more background on Kurtz via Willard’s narration reading through Kutz dossier
1:02:04 dim lit frame as boat travels up the river
1:03:36 the boat happens upon a venue that looks like a Sporting Event or a Rock Concert
1:07:30 Suzy Q playing with Playboy Bunnies performing in front of troops, frame is filled up to the brim
1:10:10 concert chaotically ends
1:11:33 aftermath of the concert they clean up
1:14:38 Rolling Stones “I can’t get no satisfaction” playing from boom box
1:17:38 Willard flipping through photos of Colonel Kurtz with voice over narration
1:21:04 series of dissolves as Willard continues to read documents and look at photos of Kurtz
1:22:14 crashed helicopter in the tree resembles shot from Aguirre the Wrath of God
1:29:38 dissolve showing Willard increasingly isolating himself from the rest of the crew as he becomes increasingly callous
1:32:02 bridge shootout scene includes this psychedelic imagery
1:36:12 light flashing as frame goes from lit up to pitch black
1:38:12 POV from Willard during final scene of bridge shootout
1:40:44 purple/pink gas resembling napalm diffuses throughout the frame
1:42:38 low angle medium shot of a devastated Chief standing over a dying Clean while the letter from his mother is narrated
1:43:45 a green/blue gas dissolves as a substantial change in mood occurs following the death of Clean
1:44:35 boat travels through a thick layer of fog
1:47:15 nice use of blocking with characters spread throughout the frame with fog surrounding as they stumble upon French Plantation
1:49:46 low angle shot of female with nice use of framing via surrounding plants/trees
1:51:24 Willard’s crew dines with the French
1:59:00 “You (Americans) are fighting for the biggest nothing in history”
2:05:00 erotic sequence featuring attractive woman in bed with Willard
2:05:42 cut to a shot of boat in extreme amount of fog
2:07:32 boat under attack by natives shooting arrows at them
2:08:33 Chief killed by an arrow
2:11:27 trippy sequence via dissolves and psychedelic music
2:12:50 POV shot of narrow passage through the river
2:13:50 Willard in foreground with back to camera as the boat slowly approaches their destination
2:14:28 incredible wide angle shot of Willard facing hundreds of natives
2:15:00 another incredible shot of Willard facing hundreds of natives, this gets interrupted as Dennis Hooper’s photojournalist makes his entrance
2:23:16 silhouette imagery as Williard is take to Kurtz
2:24:05 Brando’s Kurtz speaks for the first time with a shadow covering most of him
2:27:50 “are you an assassin?” asks Kurtz who leans forward with his face visible for the first time. “You’re an errand boy, send by grocery clerks to collect the bill”
2:30:47 Dennis Hopper provides comic relief
2:39:29 Kurtz’s face is shown isolated in frame which is surrounded by pitch black as he talks about the meaning of the word horror
2:47:03 gorgeous frame using dark green/yellow lighting and silhouette, there are several similar shots after as well
2:49:09 Willard in green face paint
2:51:33 another impeccable image using silhouette, dark green, and frame filled to the brim
2:54:48 series of dissolve edits, ending with Brando’s voice “the horror, the horror”
Thoughts:
Coppola’s third film that has a legitimate argument for greatest film of all time
*** There are three versions of varying lengths:
Theatrical Version or Original Cut (1979) 153 minutes
Redux (2001) 202 minutes
Final Cut (2019) 183 minutes
I watched all 3 versions but for the sake of the notes, I based it on the Final Cut. I personally loved all 3 versions but if forced to rank I would go:
# 1 The Final Cut
# 2 Theatrical Version or Original Cut
# 3 Redux
Regardless of which versions, this film succeeds in every imaginable way with incredible direction, performances, sound design, song choices, imagery, and an engaging narrative. The set pieces are as great as you can get. It is highly rewatchable and thoroughly entertaining
As far as musical selections go, the use of The Door’s song “The End” from their eponymous debut album, could not be a more perfect song to bookend the film as the jungle starts to incinerate followed by a series of incredible dissolves
Regarding the narrative, I have previously written about what I refer to as “Epic Journey Films”. It is a term I made up but essentially, I am referring to films with a character or characters who have some type of difficult and/or dangerous mission or goal they are attempting to complete. One of my absolute all-time favorite films that falls under this label is one that Coppola has cited as a major influence which is Werner Herzog’s Aguire the Wrath of God (1972). I particularly love these types of films as they align the audience with the characters in a way that you (the audience) feel like a participant. The Fight of the Valkyries scene is one of the most famous scenes in cinematic history. I love the alternating use of POV and exterior shots of the helicopters approaching as it places you (the viewer) into the sheer insanity of war. I love the inside joke of Francis Ford Coppola himself shown next to a camera yelling “don’t look at the camera, go by like you’re fighting”
Apocalypse Now contains some of the most stunning imagery of any film ever. Aside from the incredible aesthetic value, it also serves a thematic purpose in recognizing the duality of man. This is a beautiful film that shows the worst of humanity. The use of napalm exemplifies this concept as it enhances the cinematic beauty of some of the film’s best frames, producing a range of vibrant colors during some of the film’s most brutal violence. This mesmerizing visual beauty is present throughout the film. The shot when Willard arrives at Kurtz’s outpost is utterly mind blowing and perhaps my single favorite image in the film. The frame is filled to the brim with natives in boats and on the land in front of a Khmer Temple. This sublime set piece is crucial given all the build up to the inevitable confrontation with Kurtz
The film’s dark humor elevates the rewatchability value. This especially applies to the Flight of the Valkyries sequence. Robert Duvall is hilarious in a way that emphasizes the absurd nature of war. His character treats life and death situations like a schoolyard game. He walks around like he is invincible. He is obsessed with surfing and prioritizes it over the safety of his troops at times. He also has one of the film’s most famous quotes “I love the smell of napalm in the morning…it smells like victory”. In his final scene he mourns the inevitable end of the war
Apocalypse Now has a narrative that is easy to follow, the plot is set up early on and tracking Willard’s physical journey is straightforward enough. Yet, at the same time, the film is largely allegorical as it tracks Willards journey from a psychological perspective. This descent into madness exemplifies the impact of the brutality and savagery of war. As Willard progresses toward his destination the lighting becomes progressively darker. I love the shot of Willard rising out of the water, his face covered in mud
The making of Apocalypse Now is almost as famous of the film itself. There were numerous hardships that went far beyond typical problems that can arise when shooting a film. A significant element of these troubles came in the form of the actors. The performances are incredible and legendary although Marlon Brando famously showed up 100 pounds overweight and was incredibly difficult to work with. Yet, his brief 15 or so minutes on screen is so incredible it seems worth it. Dennis Hopper also was difficult to work with, partially due to a drug habit. Martin Sheen had a heart attack while filming Apocalypse Now in the Philippines
Despite the issues with Brando, Hopper, and Sheen they all give tremendous performances, especially Sheen and Brando. I put Brando’s performance up there with the great 10–15-minute performances of all time with Orson Welles in The Third Man (1949), William Hurt in A History of Violence (2005), and a few others. Sheen is the narrative vessel and is magnificent, I have no complaints. While Brando was notoriously difficult to deal with, when he is on there is really no one else quite like him in terms of screen presence. And for all the build up to his character, it just does not work without that aura
The film contains some of the greatest editing in cinema history. This starts with the dissolves used in the opening several minutes with the inverted face of Martin Sheen’s Willard superimposed over the exploding jungle. The film ends with one of the most astonishing parallel editing sequences with Willard killing Kurtz at the same time the natives kill the water buffalo in an act of ritual sacrifice. The dissolves are effective in producing a psychedelic atmosphere in several scenes which further accentuates the sheer disorienting nature of war even during stretches of time without physical violence
Walter Murch heads the sound design which is top notch with the use of 5.1 surround sound. The Flight of the Valkyrie sequence is probably the most famous sequence of the film in terms of the sound design. The film’s soundscape contributes to the surrealism present in many of the more dreamlike sequences. The soundscape and stunning visuals combine to create some of the greatest moments in cinematic history
The sheer ambition of this film is at a level which few films have ever matched, and if someone wants to label this as the single greatest film ever made, they will get no argument from me
Verdict: MP (Top 10 film of all time)
@James Trapp- Bravo- great share- thank you
@James Trapp- For my money, Apocalypse Now has the best ensemble cast performance in film history. Sheen, Brando, Duvall (electric), Albert Hall, Frederic Forrest, Dennis Hopper and even Fishburne is so engaging and natural (and heartbraking) despite being so young here (I think he was only 15 when filming started).
@Drake – thanks, it gets better each time
@Malith – Strong argument for sure
@James Trapp- Martin Sheen forgets to answer Stephane Audran’s question in the Final Cut.
There is a certain goofiness to Coppola’s films post Apocalypse Now. I think it suits the material the most in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
The Godfather II (1974)
Cast:
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen
Diane Keaton as Kay Adams Corleone
Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone
John Cazale as Fredo Corleone
Talia Shire as Connie Corleone
Lee Strasberg as Hyman Roth
Notes:
Opens with landscape shot of Corleone Sicily with cricket noise in background. Vito as a 9 year old boy, has a father and older brother were killed by Don Ciccio, a local mafia chieftain
5:13 Vito runs off after his mother is murdered
7:04 dissolve from Sicily to a shot of Statue of Liberty
10:50 dissolve takes story from Ellis Island in 1901 to Nevada in 1958 going from a shot of Vito to his grandson Anthony, at his First Communion
11:48 cut to shot of Corleone Family celebrating on Lake Tahoe Compound
19:19 “my offer is this…nothing” Michael to Senator
24:51 dim lighting inside Michael’s office which serves as a contrast to the bright natural lighting of the outside scenes similar to the first film with the wedding
34:08 peaceful shot of lake at night with neon lights still reflecting over water
35:16 Michael’s bedroom shot up with Michael saving himself and Kay
36:03 silhouette figures of Michael and Rocco in front of cabin with orange lighting background as search for perpetrators begins
37:37 masterful composition as Tom Hagen enters room that is dark with dim orange lighting
38:18 close up on Tom’s face with no shadow over it
39:16 alternating close up shots on faces of Michael and Tom during intimate discussion with Michael telling Tom he is the only person he trusts entirely
40:50 Michael’s face half covered in shadow as hitmen are found dead
43:17 incredible dissolve from Michael to Vito now played by Robert De Niro with Pacino and De Niro briefly appearing together in the frame
47:08 Don Fanucci aka “the black hand” is the neighborhood Don
47:26 silhouette image of Fanucci in foreground of the frame and the play in the background
49:54 tracking shot of Vito walking through street market
54:00 orange tint especially strong as Vito enters his apartment
1:00:20 timeline returns to Michael’s story with haunting score as Michael is taken to see Hyman Roth in Florida, the bright lighting is a noticeable contrast to the orange/brown hues of the Vito timeline, there is also a noticeable change in the score which is foreboding
1:02:38 “I love baseball ever since Arnold Rothstein fixed the 1919 World Series” Hyman Roth to Michael semi-jokingly
1:06:55 composition with Michael sitting calmly in background demonstrates power over the standing Frank Pentangeli whose back is in the foreground
1:08:37 “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”
1:11:24 “Michael Corleone says hello” hit attempt occurs during day inside dim lit bar which is juxtaposed with bright daytime outside
1:13:28 Hagen’s eyes have dark shadow covering them, he speaks with Governor inside brothel where it is revealed the female is dead, silhouette imagery when Hagen enters brothel
1:21:21 Hyman Roth at his birthday party giving a speech on a rooftop of a Havana during a beautiful day, interesting use of blocking as Roth commands the attention sitting in the midground on the right side of the frame featuring about 15 other people
1:25:55 “Michael, we’re bigger than US Steel” Hyman Roth
1:27:46 profile shot of Michael when he tells Fredo they’re going to go out a get a drink, the following scene at the Havana Café, consists of shot-reverse-shot
1:32:25 Hyman Roth “that kid was Moe Green…and the city he built was Las Vegas”
1:37:55 cut to close up of Michael’s face upon realizing Fredo lied to him when a drunken Fredo slips up
1:39:53 frame in frame creates voyeurism atmosphere
1:40:55 surveillance camera angle of ballroom in Havana at New Years Party Celebrations
1:43:49 Famous “I know it was you Fredo…you broke my heart…you broke my heart”
1:49:54 dissolve from Michael after learning about “miscarriage” to Vito in apartment with crying baby
1:52:07 “wet my beak”
1:56:30 nice background/foreground work with Vito in background wearing black and Don Fanucci in foreground wearing white suite
1:59:29 high angle shot of Michael looking at parade from rooftop and tracking Don Fanucci
2:02: 52 Vito whacks Don Funucci in isolated orange lit hallway
Intermission (although it is close to 2/3 through the film’s runtime)
2:06:32 a shot of car entering Corleone Estate’s which are filled with snow
2:09:19 Senate hearing for Corleone Family Crime
2:12:04 profile close up on Michael with half his face covered by shadow
2:16:58 Vito values a favor for a favor rather than typical transactions involving money
2:20:30 Vito to Michael via dissolve edit with Michael answering questions of a senate committee
2:28:35 Michael confronts Fredo in cabin with snow filled landscape in background
2:32:37 Michael gives instructions to Al Neri that nothing happens to Fredo while their mother is still alive, Michael engulfed by shadow
2:34:34 Frank Pentangeli’s brother in back of Senate Committee Court
2:42:47 Kay tells Michael she got an abortion
2:45:35 Vito having a meal with his family, again juxtaposing Vito vs Michael
2:47:23 Vito visits Don Ciccio, accentuated cricket noises in background, with Vito getting his revenge
2:50:57 returns to present timeline with camera panning over Michael and Fredo’s mother
2:55:00 Connie begs Michael to forgive Fredo, and he does or at pretends to for Connie’s sake
2:59:23 “I don’t feel I have to wipe everybody out Tom…just my enemies that’s all”
3:00:25 camera slow push in on Fredo teaching Anthony how to fish
3:09:00 the final sequence with parallel editing
Flashback scene to timeline several years before the start of the first film. Juxtaposing this scene with the final image of Michael sitting alone in the dark cabin is beyond brilliant
Thoughts:
The greatest sequel of all time by a wide margin. In fact, it is a legitimate contender for greatest film of all time period. Just like its predecessor, Godfather 2 consists of amazing scene after amazing scene. The biggest differences between the films comes in form of the narrative structure and the expanded scope. The sequel changes the narrative structure by using parallel storylines which tracks the rise of Vito Corleone starting as a young boy in 1901 Sicily and the Michael Corleone led Corleone Family starting in 1958 Nevada. The film jumps back and forth between these separate timelines. The sequel focuses in on not only the Corleone family but Havana and the Cuban Revolution, the immigrant experience in New York City, and the US government’s attempted crackdown on organized crime
There is a noticeable change in atmosphere and mood from the original. While the first film contains murders, betrayals, and other tragedies, the Corleone Family is still somewhat intact, that is the noncriminal Corleone Family. There is still a level of hope for the characters at the end of the first film that simply does not exist by the end of the second film. Michael, for all his intelligence and skills, is clearly not Vito
Each of Vito’s 3 biological sons have elements of him, but none have the full package
# 1 Sonny, the oldest, has Vito’s tenacity and undying loyalty to his family. He is respected amongst his underlings and a competent in leader of his crew. However, he lacks the ability to control his emotions, which makes him not ideal for running the Family as that requires discipline and long term strategizing. Sonny of course is killed in the first film but appears in a flashback at the end of the sequel
# 2 Fredo has his father’s gregariousness as he is highly social and very likeable which is why he runs nightclubs, brothels, etc. However, he lacks Michael’s higher level intelligence and the respect that Sonny gets from his crew. Fredo is liked but not really respected. In popular culture Fredo has become shorthand for the black sheep in a family but he is a sympathetic character
# 3 Michael has his father’s intelligence, patience, and strategic planning. Michael is the ultimate chess player, always thinking multiple moves ahead of his opponents. While he is an effective Don, and extraordinarily successful in business, he ends up isolating himself from his family. Michael views himself as a good father because he views it largely through the lens of being a good provider but fails Vito’s standard for being a good father which emphasizes a balance of business and family. “A man who does not spend time with his family can never be a real man”
Al Pacino gives one of the greatest performances of all time. I think Brando’s performance in Godfather 1 is more iconic and one of the greatest performances of all time, but I think Pacino’s performance in 2 is overall superior. Michael’s transformation over the course of the first film is one of the key elements of the narrative. Michael’s heart only darkens further in this film as shown by his relationships with a number of characters but none more important than his older brother Fredo. Pacino is so verbally gifted but is often at his best when he internalizes. The scene when Kay tells him it was not a miscarriage, but an abortion is one of his single greatest acting moments as he is consumed with rage. Another of his best acting moments is “my offer is this…nothing, not even the fee…” as Michael assumes a position of power while calmly seated down, despite the Senator insulting his family’s heritage. And the final scene he is able to bring back the Michael from early in the first film
John Cazale is given a much more significant role compared to the first film and he is incredible. The “your nothing to me now Fredo” scene is emotionally devastating. It is so perfectly done, the two brothers in the dark cabin on an icy winter day. John Cazale’s delivers “I’m your older brother Mike and I was stepped over” with so much resentment and pain. His body is shaking but it is not rage. bnIt hits even harder in the final scene, which is a flashback; Fredo was the only character to congratulate and support Michael on his decision to join the Marines
Lee Strasberg is tremendous as Hyman Roth who is a worthy adversary for Michael; they are both incredibly intelligent men playing high level chess. The scenes featuring the two of them start friendly but a tension initially below the surface slowly rises leading to one of the best scenes, the “that kid’s name was Moe Green, and the city he built was called Las Vegas”
Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen is great as always. Michael V. Gazzo is magnificent as Frank Pentangeli. The scene between the two late in the film is one of the most poignant in the entire series. There is a profound sadness in Tom’s voice when he responds “It was once” in response to Frank’s referring to the Corleone Family as a Great Empire
Robert De Niro is unbelievably great as a young Vito Corleone who makes his ascent in New York’s Little Italy. Playing a character just two years after Marlon Brando is a difficult act to follow to put it mildly, yet De Niro captures the commanding presence of Vito. De Niro learned how to speak Sicilian which is a distinct dialect
After Coppola and Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Gordon Willis might be the next most important contributor with his immaculate lighting which might be the film’s greatest cinematic element. It succeeds in both aesthetics and contributing to the narrative. Just like the first film, light is used to distinguish the contrasting worlds of the Corleone Family and the Corleone Crime Family. The dimly lit interior locations where Corleone Family Business is discussed is vastly different from the Corleone Family. Similar to the first film, this is at its most pronounced in the first 30 minutes. With the first film it was the Corleone Wedding in the New York Estate and here it is the First Communion and celebration on the Corleone Compound in Lake Tahoe. The use of shadows top lighting casts shadows over the eyes of characters, in particular Michael’s throughout the film. Characters often have parts of their faces covered by shadows emphasizing the secretive nature of their world and the constant deceptions present throughout the film
The dissolve edits are a strong formal choice for moving between the two timelines. They have Michael and Vito sharing the screen even if it is for only a few seconds. They effectively link events from the past to the present and have thematic purpose of demonstrating differences between Vito and Michael
The immigrant experience is one of the themes present throughout the series. The Vito Storyline begins in Sicily and goes from Ellis Island to Little Italy in New York City. Vito has little money early on but is surrounded by fellow Italians, their cultural identity is intact. The Michael timeline starts in Lake Tahoe where the Corleone Family has migrated to from New York. The corrupt Senator insults Michael and makes bigoted remarks about his ancestry, though Michael would get the last laugh. The Corleone’s are far wealthier, but their cultural identity slowly evaporates. I have read that Francis Ford Coppola was picked at least in part because he is an Italian American
The score from Nino Rota is phenomenal and on par with the original. Part 2 is darker, and the score reflects that; it is foreboding and haunting at times. There is a pervading dread present throughout the film that was not present in the first film, or at least not to the same degree
Ultimately the Godfather II is more ambitious, it serves as both a sequel and a prequel. The scope is expanded beyond the business dealings of the Corleone Family to political and social themes and events. The film effectively explores politics and immigration via the Senate Hearing and the corrupt Senator Pat Geary, who appears early in the film. Geary drastically underestimates Michael who is simply operating at a higher level in terms of strategical maneuvering. Michael by this point in the story is not only a businessman but is essentially a politician himself. In fact, Michael is arguably the most powerful man in the Country aside from the President
Verdict: MP (Top 10 Film of All Time)
@James Trapp – Michael V. Gazzo is even better in Fingers.
I think the choice to go to a flashback at the end is superb. The family atmosphere of it is powerful compared to the loneliness and icyness of the current Michael.
@Malith – I still need to see Fingers (1978), will definitely check out soon
agreed about the flashback scene, it hits so hard, especially given that Fredo is the only one to congradulate Michael and support his decision. Apparently, Coppola wanted to bring Brando back for that scene but Brando being Brando was so difficult to deal with that they did without him. As amazing as his character is, I wonder if it was actually for the best. Interesting article about Brando:
https://screenrant.com/the-godfather-2-marlon-brando-cameo-michael-story-change-op-ed/
@James Trapp- I think even more than Brando (which is only a cameo really) it should be noted Richard S. Castellano (Clemenza from the previous film) turned down the offer to return in this film so they replaced him with Michael V. Gazzo (who is billed as a relative of Clemenza?). How do you think it impacts the film? Do you think Castellano would have done a good job in this role? He was very friendly, affectionate with Michael in the first film, so his betrayal here would have been striking.
@Malith – interesting I did not know that, I love Clemenza in the first film and some of the smaller moments like Clemenza showing Michael how to cook pasta sauce or “Sunday Gravy” if this were the Sopranos
Yet, I think this works better with Gazzo’s Frank Pentangeli who is a more abrasive character that comes off as more threatening for Michael. Pentangeli represents the old school mafia values while Michael is more interested in adapting the mob to the changing environment. While Clemenza is from the same generation as Pentangeli, he is not defiant and is far more likely to go along with changes than the stubborn Pentangeli.
A betrayal from Clemenza might hit harder but it would feel less credible. It is interesting that Tom Hagen is surprised that Tessio, not Clemenza, would be the one to betray him although Michael is not surprised
“It is interesting that Tom Hagen is surprised that Tessio, not Clemenza, would be the one to betray him although Michael is not surprised”
This is a great subtle touch because Michael know Clemenza can be trusted because of their relationship built up in previous scenes like when Clemenza hands Michael the gun. But Michael is a changed man in the second film I’m not sure it’s a stretch for Clemenza to betray him.
I think Gazzo does a fine job. But he was indeed a replacement because Castellano turned down the offer to return. I think Eli Wallach’s character is based on Gazzo in Part 2. (But hey, the third film sometimes feel like a parody of the first two even though it has its moments). I think in a case like this I would watch the three Godfather films back to back. Coppola made a lot of films after 2 and 3, so the memory of the first two is not as fresh if you are doing a marathon and get to Part 3.
@Malith – Yeah I actually haven’t decided if I am going to watch GFIII next or Apocalypse Now as I usually go chronological order. I am leaning toward Apocalypse Now
It is tough to say if Clemenza would betray Michael. All the mafia psychology is quite fascinating. It is true that Michael is a changed man but it could be aruged that it would make Clemenza less likely to make a move against him. Near the end of the first film, both Clemenza and Tessio are hesitant to view Michael as their new boss even as Vito asks them to do so. Tessio makes a move I think because he underestimates Michael and by the timeline of the 2nd film Michael has shown himself to be ruthless and far more feared
Coppola the artisit may have survived the jungle of Apocalypse Now, but I think he died with his son, Gian-Carlo Coppola. Gian-Carlo was tragically killed in 1986, struck by a towline while boating with Griffin O’Neal, and Coppola never made a classic again.
@K- The Godfather Part 3 and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Not ranked even close to The Godfather, or Rumble Fish. I’ve never read the person calling Bram Stoker’s Dracula a classic.
The Conversation (1974)
Cast:
Gene Hackman as Harry Caul
John Cazale as Stan Ross
Allen Garfield as William P. Moran
Cindy Williams as Ann
Frederic Forrest as Mark
Notes:
Opens with a bird’s eye shot of San Franciso’s Union Square, the camera holds on this image followed by a slow zoom in which eventually reaches Gene Hackman’s character, Harry Caul. Throughout the sequence there are muffled sounds, these sounds are distorted by a combination of ambient noise, street traffic, and overlapped audio recordings from Harry Caul’s team
3:19 cut to man using a parabolic microphone, from an elevated position
4:46 distorted audio as young couple walk through the square
9:38 piano/jazz score as Harry leaves work for his apartment
11:23 Harry’s apartment is bare, dimly lit, and desaturated with no primary colors
12:27 phone call serves as expository dialogue
13:31 Harry in close up profile shot playing his saxophone which appears to be his only interest outside of work, Jazz music is present during opening scene
16:53 cross cutting between Harry Caul listening to the tapes and flash backs to the young couple that he recorded, this cryptic conversation
18:35 cut to shot of empty warehouse which serves as Harry’s office
19:02 magnificent shot of Harry inside phone booth with red neon lighting
21:49 Harry’s girlfriend is first time he is shown with another person outside of work
30:08 Harry and Harrison Ford’s character who works for a character named “The Director” who is one of Harry’s Clients, are shown in separate shots creating a level of tension
39:08 “he’d kill us if he got the chance” – Mark
39:56 after a shot of Harry’s equipment cuts to a close up of Harry’s face to a cut of a shot inside of a Church as Harry prepares to enter a confessional
40:57 profile close up of Harry’s face inside confessional booth
44 min Harry attends Surveillance Convention
54:04 Harry, Moran, Stan, and a few others leave convention to go to Harry’s warehouse
1:00:04 Harry opens up emotionally for the first time in the film with the camera moving 360 as Harry speaks with blonde woman in warehouse
1:04:40 reference about a job Harry worked in New York a while back where Harry’s work may have ended up in people getting hurt
1:09:34 Harry finds out Moran bugged him as a joke, but Harry is furious and kicks everyone out
1:17:49 dream sequence with blue tinted frame, the distorted noises from the film’s opening are present in the sequence. In the dream sequence he learn Harry was very sick as a kid and almost died
1:24:14 Harry is told he’s being watched by Director’s assistant
1:24:41 low angle shot of Harry walking into building to see The Director, the camera angle makes the building look massive compared to Harry as the top of the frame is only about 10-stories
1:24:48 blue tinted filter in silhouette profile shot of Harry walking through the hallway
1:26:50 triangle composition with Harry, the Director, and the Harrison Ford character
1:33:25 close up on Harry’s surveillance kit after he books hotel room next to the one he fears the murder will take place
1:36:21 loud scream accompanied with shadow of person being attacked
1:41:32 overflowing bathroom filled with blood
1:44:59 the Director is murdered in a flashback, demonstrating that Harry had misinterpreted everything
1:45:57 cut from the Director wrapped in plastic to a shot of Harry in his apartment playing the saxophone when the phone rings
1:48:01 Harry scanning the walls of his apartment after getting a phone call from the Harrison Ford character that Harry is being listened to
The film ends with the camera panning 360 degrees around the torn up apartment and a shot of Harry playing his saxophone
Thoughts
The famous opening shot creates immediate intrigue. The bird’s eye shot of San Franciso’s Union Square, followed by the camera slowly zooming in not only establishes one of the film’s thematic elements of surveillance but also establishes the film’s unsettling and paranoia filled atmosphere where higher powers diminish the privacy of work people
Walter Murch’s sound design is crucial to the film’s narrative. The distorted sounds the viewer hears is a combination of ambient noise, street traffic, and overlapping audio recordings. Gene Hackman’s Harry Caul is a virtuoso surveillance engineer who records sensitive conversations for his clients. What is brilliant is the way this information is established from the opening of the film as it aligns the audience with the job Harry Caul is tasked with, resulting in viewers becoming active participants. Afterall, the viewer hears what Harry hears, no more, no less
While Coppola has called this his most personal film, it was heavily inspired by Michaelangelo Antonioni’s 1966 film Blow Up. In that film the main character, who is a photographer, believes he has inadvertently photographed a murder when taking photographs in a local park and he becomes obsessed with analyzing the photos. In this film Gene Hackman’s Harry Caul becomes obsessed with analyzing a particular recording as he believes his work might lead to someone being injured or even killed. The Conversation (1974) certainly has thematic connections to the Alan J Paluka’s “Paranoia Trilogy” which includes Klute (1971), The Parallax View (1974), and All the President’s Men (1976). In the aforementioned opening scene, there is a shot of a character holding a tool, a parabolic microphone, that at first glance resembles a weapon, it even has a target resembling a sniper rifle. Given the film’s themes of paranoia and mistrust it is hard not to think of The Kennedy Assassination which was about a decade in the film’s rearview
Gene Hackman plays against type as an introvert. Hackman, who is known for his emotionally charged performances, uses incredible restraint here. In much of the film Harry is alone but even in scenes with other characters, he tends to be the quietest person in the room. Hackman’s ability to use body language in depicting Harry Caul’s internal life is essential for the role. Of course, the writing deserves credit as well. Harry Caul is a bit of a mystery although we are given clues about his past, particularly during a dream sequence where it is revealed he was very sick in childhood. Harrison Ford is excellent in his few minutes on screen as he carries with him a particular menace. John Cazale is great as always, but this is Gene Hackman’s show start to finish
The editing is top notch, both the visual and auditory editing. The film uses repetition of both audio and visuals and recontextualizes them throughout the film. The recordings that Harry Caul listens to are distorted by design due to all the background noises in addition to the multiple tape loops, all this demonstrates the difficulty of Harry’s work and highlights its subjective nature as a slightly different ordering of the words can drastically alter their meaning
Coppola uses few primary colors and instead uses a muted color palette to match Harry’s drab existence. The score from David Shire adds to this as it captures Harry’s lonely, isolated life. It also captures a sense of growing dread and paranoia that increases over the course of the film
I liked that the Corporation and Director have such generic names as they serve almost more as an allegory for all powerful people, whether those people are in business, politics, or any other field. There are several shots of Harry walking into the building the Director works at (on the top floor no doubt) where Harry is diminished in stature when sharing the frame with the building. Shots inside the Corporation’s office building use negative space to accentuate the cold corporate atmosphere
Only Polanski and Alan J. Pakula are better at creating an atmosphere of intense paranoia with Rosemary’s Baby being the gold standard. This is achieved largely by immersing the viewer into the film and aligning with Harry’s perspective
The final scene works exceptionally well by not giving the viewer any answers. Again, it is the alignment with Harry’s perspective that makes it work so well. Harry has a need to compartmentalize his work and homelife and the fact that he can no longer do this becomes utterly unbearable
Above I mentioned this film was inspired by Blow Up (1966). Brian De Palma’s 1981 film Blow Out uses a similar concept. I have all 3 of these as Masterpieces which is quite amazing. I cannot think of any other examples where a single thematic and narrative device can connect to 3 MP level films from 3 different auteurs
This is a perfect film; I have no complaints as it works on every level as it is a great character study, and psychological thriller with an all time performance from Gene Hackman. The sound design is top notch as is the editing
Verdict: MP
@James – Do you post your film reviews/studies anywhere other than here? They are top notch and you could certainly have your own site by this point haha- a lot of us follow them as you post!
@Matthew- @James Trapp- agreed- James’ comments have been one of the best things about this website for a very long time.
@Matthew@Drake – Thank you, I really appreciate the kind words
Funny enough, I am currently working on creating my own site. I don’t know much about how to create websites so I am working with my sister as she understands coding and web design. I am hoping to have it up and running within the next month, definitely by the end of the year. I will of course post a link when I do
It will definitely focus largely on the types of reviews I post on this site. I also plan on writing essays and articles. I imagine it will be an evolving process, I am very excited about it
It probably goes without saying that Cinema Archives has been a huge inspiration
@James Trapp- good for you- please share the details here when you’re ready so we can check it out
@James – This is going to be awesome, really excited to see the site come along and grow.
@James – That’s phenomenal news! I think that will be the 3rd site that’s spawned from a Cinema Archives user (Declan and Ruj as well) haha. And there’s actually about 15 of us (almost all original Cinema Archives commenters/browsers – me, Declan, Harry, etc etc) that have been working on starting a sort of community-built site. If you’ve seen any of our group rankings we’ve been posting on the yearly pages, that’s what that’s for. You’ve obviously been one of (if not the main commenter) of the site throughout the years so you should consider joining (you wouldn’t have to write as that can be reserved for your site, but it would be great to atleast have your opinion in the lists)! I think you joined our server last year on discord, so if you’re interested you should just be able to log back into that account to get back in touch with us, if not let me know
@Harry@Matthew – thank you, much appreciated. What is Rujk website? Declan’s Scene by Green is phenomenal, I love the essays. Yeah, I’ve been meaning to start watching more current films which is the reason I have not done the voting on the yearly rankings. But, I am going to try to find a bit more balance and will definitely participate in the voting
@James – this is @RujK’s site: https://usualmovies.wordpress.com/2007-2/
Would be great to have you on the server
@James fair enough – we’ll eventually work our way down to all the older decades. If you need us to repost the link let us know!
The Godfather (1972)
Cast:
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
James Caan as Sonny Corleone
Richard Castellano as Peter Clemenza
Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen
Diane Keaton as Kay Adams-Corleone
Abe Vigoda as Salvatore Tessio
Talia Shire as Connie Corleone
John Cazale as Fredo Corleone
Notes:
Opens with a “I believe in America” speech and slow fadeout until Brando’s Vito Corleone is in foreground in a dim lilt room
4:19 Iconic image of Brando in tuxedo with cat on his lap
5:25 dimly lit orange lights up parts of the frame while the other parts remain dark
6:33 favor for a favor shows how Vito conducts business
7:08 cut to a shot outside as it is a bright sunny day with wedding celebrations outside
8:09 the frame is packed with vehicles as FBI agents take license plate numbers
13:28 two-shot of Michael (Al Pacino) and Kay (Diane Keaton) eating, using Kay as an outsider is an effective use of expository dialogue in explaining mafia related concepts to the audience
14:46 Luca Brasi
20:50 Michael tells Kay about the “family business” but insists he is not involved
21:58 John Cazale as Fredo, the middle brother
23:35 “you can act like a man” Vito to Johnny Fontaine
27:00 sweeping shot of Los Angelos followed by dissolve to Waltz Movie Studio
30:27 multiple frame in frames in shot of Tom and Waltz eating dinner
30:45 Tom Hagen meeting with a movie producer with a grudge against Fontaine
32:14 a series of dissolve edits
33:36 dead horsehead scene with dissolve taking the story back to New York with Vito
42:00 the red/orange tint accentuates the level of danger Luca Brasi is in
43:19 close up on Luca Brasi’s face as he is strangled to death
43:38 fish in the foreground foreshadows the Luca Brasi package
45:00 cut to birds eye view as Vito is gunned down, with the trumpet score returning
49:07 profile shot of the Virgil Sollozzo aka The Turk
49:26 immaculate shot of Turk meeting with Tom Hagan
55:17 Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes
57:36 “leave the gun, take the cannoli”
1:01:19 Christmas lighting in otherwise dark frame as Michael visits Vito in hospital
1:01:05 series of POV shots as Michael looks at empty halls
1:09:21 Captain McClusky sucker punches Michael
1:10:07 surveillance camera angle of Corleone Estate
1:13:46 camera slowly pushes in on Michael who plans out the hit on Captain McCuskey and The Turk
1:15:27 close up on gun as Clemenza preps Michael
1:17:46 the Corleone crew eating dinner
1:21:10 Jack Dempsey’s Restaurant lit up with neon signs
1:23:55 shot of exterior of Louis Italian Restaurant, lit up with neon signs as Michael, The Turk, and Captain McClusky eat dinner and talk shop
1:25:26 orange and red lighting similar to scene with Luca Brasi
1:28:55 Michael make his move after retrieving the gun and returning to the table, the train noise is accentuated during Michael shooting The Turk and McClusky
1:30:19 newspaper as narrative montage
1:36:49 dissolve from Vito to Michael who is now in Italy
1:39:45 Michael falls in love on the spot with a beautiful Italian woman named Apollonia
1:41:21 a humorous scene with Michael meeting the father of Apollonia (played by Simonetta Stefanelli)
1:48:00 Sonny beats Carlo after finding out that Carlo hit Connie
1:49:12 the 2nd wedding scene of the film
1:50:09 beautiful long shot of landscape during wedding ceremony
1:52:50 Kay returns looking for Michael
1:57:30 over the top shooting at toll booth as Sonny is shot to death by a group of men using machine guns
2:00:38 Vito is devastated by news of Sonny but orders Tom to set up a meeting with the 5 Families
2:01:32 undertaker from opening scene is called to repay his service to Don Vito
2:06:01 devastating car bomb kills Apollonia
2:06:47 pan over the heads of the 5 Families as well as other mobsters
2:13:27 Michael visits Kay after not seeing her for years
2:17:56 Michael is being made in charge by Vito
2:19:21 series of dissolves as Michael arrives in Las Vegas
2:24:04 Michael and Moe Greene argue over purchasing the casino
Thoughts:
This is my # 1 film of all time. There are many great films of course and there are probably at least 20 or even 30 that someone could make a reasonable argument for being the greatest of all time. But for me, it is The Godfather Part I that stands at the very top. It is perfect in every way imaginable
There are films such as Stalker (1979) and Tokyo Story (1953) to list a couple of examples that are all time great films but are more “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” as they do not necessarily have singular scenes that stand out above the others. The Godfather (1972) on the other hand is comprised of amazing scene after amazing scene. The screenplay is immaculately efficient, despite it being nearly 3 hours there is not a single unnecessary sequence. Everything is additive in pushing the narrative along and even seemingly minor characters like Enzo the Baker or the undertaker from the opening scene reappear later in the film. I love some of the smaller moments like Clemenza teaching Michael how to cook pasta sauce
The opening 15-20 minutes masterfully set up the story by introducing most of the relevant characters and establishing one of the key thematic elements of the film which is the intersection of the Corleone Family and the Corleone Crime Family. I like the way Kay is used as an outsider as it allows for expository dialogue the feels natural such as Michael explaining what a consigliere is to name one example. The film’s pacing is perfect, never stagnating as it moves along in a measured manner
The lighting is one of the best cinematic elements of the film, it is great in terms of aesthetics but also fits into one of the film’s themes of duality. The opening shot occurs in a dimly lit room where Vito listens to requests for favors on his daughter’s wedding day. Around the 7 minute mark there is a cut to a shot outside the house where it is a beautiful sunny day and we see the festivities associated with the wedding. In the first 7 minutes a pattern has been established that continues throughout the film where secretive mafia activity occurs in dimly lit rooms behind closed doors and regular non-criminal activity occurs outside. I particularly like the use of orange and/or red lighting during most of the scenes that result in violence
Doors are a motif used throughout the film, and they overlap to a degree with the use of lighting in terms of their role in separating the “criminal underworld” from ordinary society. There is no better use of this than the final scene where Kay Adams watches the door closing as Michael prepares to talk business. While many law abiding members of society can compartmentalize work from their personal life, it is obviously much more crucial in the world of the film
The parallel editing during the hits on the 5 families is magnificent on a technical level and is so perfectly intertwined with one of the themes of the film regarding the co-existence of the Corleone Family and Corleone Crime Family.
Similar to other all-time great films there are many great singular images that I associate with the film. You have the horse’s head in the bed, a fish wrapped in a bullet proof vest, Vito wearing a tuxedo playing with the cat in his lap, Michael standing up to shoot The Turk and McCluskey, Barzini shot running up the steps, the Italian landscape, etc. The use of mainly on site shooting adds to the authenticity as there are scenes shot in New York City, Sicily, and California
Nino Rota’s trumpet based score to open the film is both haunting and nostalgic. This film is a Saga which covers 10 years of the Corleone Family in operatic fashion. The film captures the substantial moments including weddings, baptisms, funerals, etc.
Marlon Brando gives one of the best and perhaps the single most iconic film performance of all time. Vito Corleone has less screen time than most people realize but he makes every second count. Pacino is incredible as well as Robert Duvall, and James Caan, Diane Keaaton, among others but Brando stands at the top with Pacino not all that far behind
Al Pacino’s portrayal of Michael Corleone is incredible. Michael goes from a quiet and wholesome character to ruthless mob boss. The scene where he warns Fredo to never side against the family and then the scene where he confronts Carlo are both utterly chilling. Al Pacino is probably my favorite actor of all time along with De Niro, but I really wish Pacino had more roles playing introverted characters. Pacino communicates so much through posturing and facial expressions, especially during the scene at Louis Italian American Restaurant which is one of the most iconic sequences and my personal favorite. It marks the point of no return for Michael who becomes fully invested into the life he initially tried to avoid. The dim neon red and the accentuated train track noise is one of the first images and sounds I think of whenever the film is mentioned
Mafia related films, TV shows, and other medias have become so commonplace in American pop culture that it is easy to overlook just how fresh this material was. Of course, American culture has been fascinated with outlaw figures going back to the Wild West. And while Gangster films had been a significant genre for decades, there was something different about the Godfather (1972) in the way it mixed the Crime life and domestic life of the gangsters and told the film from their perspective. The Corleone’s are neither heroes nor outright villains but instead Anti-Heroes. As mentioned above, he use of life events is crucial in getting the viewer to become interested in the lives of the characters. The film begins with a wedding and ends shortly after a funeral. This makes the Corleone Family more relatable as characters than the gangster characters from earlier times
Verdict: MP (The Greatest Film of All Time)
@James Trapp- The chemistry between Caan and Duvall is incredible in this film. They are arguing with each other one moment, then soothing each other like brothers the next. They did 5 films together (including the final scene in The Godfather Part 2 and Peckinpah’s The Killer Elite after this as co-leads). And lived in the same apartment I think. And that chemistry shows. Frankly, the second film misses Caan’s presence and is why Duvall’s performance is not near this level. Duvall is fine in it but there is no one there to bring Duvall out of his shell. Certainly Keitel and De Niro in Mean Streets is a valid comparison where the chemistry between the two actors take each other’s performances to the next level.
@James Trapp- really well done here- enjoyed reading this- thank you for sharing
@Malith – great point, I did not know they were so close in real life. Michael and Duvall have their fair share of disagreements in Part II but their personalities prevent that same level of emotionally charged moments that you see between Caan and Duvall in the first film. I think Godfather I has the greatest cast of all time
@Drake – thank you, curious if you have seen Coda which is the reedited version of Godfather 3. When I bought the trilogy the set came with both films. And if so, which do you prefer?
@James Trapp – “I think Godfather I has the greatest cast of all time”
Agreed. Brando, Pacino, Caan, Keaton all of whom who were stars for years. Duvall with his body of work while being an occasional star as well. Cazale who always provides excellent support.
I can give you an opinion about the CODA Version. It is AWFUL. However make sure to watch both the Theatrical and Redux versions of Apocalypse Now.
@Malith – It is not set in stone but I am planning on including the following films for the Study
The Rain People (1969)
The Godfather (1972)
The Conversation (1974)
The Godfather Part II (1974)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
One from the Heart (1981)
Rumble Fish (1983)
The Cotton Club (1984)
Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Tucker: A Man and His Dream (1988)
The Godfather Part III (1990)
Bram Stroker’s Dracula (1992)
Tetro (2009)
I am open to suggestions though
Regarding Apocalypse Now (1979) I am planning on watching the Final Cut but am not opposed to watching the other versions. It is quite a time commitment but it is such a great film that I think it is worth doing
@James Trapp- There are some amazing sequences in the Redux Version of Apocalypse Now that you won’t find anywhere else in Coppola’s filmography. But those dinner scenes in the French plantation drag. You definitely should watch it if you are doing a study of Coppola.
I was surprised to find what we usually call as the “theatrical” cut of The Godfather Part 3 is actually a slightly extended cut of the theatrical version that was released on Home Media. I’m yet to see the true Original cut and haven’t found it. Even the cut I saw of One From the Heart was a trimmed ‘different’ cut around 2002 (which is the most widely available I think) and I haven’t found the Original cut of that film either. I think if you can find the Original cut of these films you should watch them. Coppola has a terrible habit of tinkering with his films and none of his later cuts are better than the Original from what I have seen.
Your picks are good. I’d definitely recommend Gardens of Stone (1987) if you can find it or I can look it up for you. Please let me know. And I believe Megalopolis needs to be seen ONCE (and not no more) to know a film like that actually exists. Perhaps Peggy Sue Got Married and Tetro could be cut from that list if you have limited time. I’m yet to see Tucker: A Man and His Dream but certainly a film of that stature lensed by Vittorio Storaro (he is a true genius) needs to be seen.
The Final Cut is not a good cut at all. It is rather pointless. Sorry. I was thinking you were planning to watch the Theatrical Version. Then you should watch the Redux version instead.
The Rain People (1969)
Cast:
Shirley Knight as Natalie Ravenna
James Caan as Jimmy “Killer” Kilgannon
Robert Duvall as Gordon
Notes:
Opens on gloomy day with camera low to ground and puddle in foreground with garbage truck in background. The puddle in the foreground contains a reflection of part of the background
2:36 camera holds on medium shot of man and woman laying in bed
3:18 extreme close up of the face of the woman in shower
4:18 camera holds on shot of puddle during rain
6:24 cut to a wedding scene with rapid crosscuts
10:38 shot of Natalie in phone booth with close up on her face, claustrophobic atmosphere
19:36 Natalie picks up hitchhiker named Jimmy aka Killer who is played by James Caan
22:18 reflection off window of neon red and blue billboard
24:32 composition features 3 Natalie’s (two are reflections) and Killer
25:55 Natalie demands Killer take off his shirt and he complies although asks why to which she asks if he always is taking orders from other people
31:56 cut to shaky camera shot of football game
31:31 window frame in frames
32:56 Killer framed behind fence resembling prison bars
34:32 another shot with frame in frames separating Natalie and Killer
35:32 postcard imagery
45:24 Natalie tells Killer to get out of car
46:38 bizarre collection of insults
49:39 disorienting camera edits and movements in sequence involving a marching band in the street
52:16 Natalie talks to her husband on phone and says she is considering an abortion
55:13 shaky camera capturing middle America during road trip
1:03:40 postcard image of middle America
1:04:24 Gordon (Robert Duvall) makes appearance as cop on motorcycle pulling over Natalie
1:05:07 Gordon in frame in frame using Natalie’s vehicle
1:13:24 Natalie and Gordon see Killer back at the farm
1:18:06 zooms used to alternate between Natalie and Killer during car ride
1:24:14 the score here does not really work, as Natalie becomes fed up with Killer’s childish tactics
1:27:08 Gordon is emotionally abusive to his daughter
1:29:45 shot of Natalie in dark similar to shot early in the film
1:35:58 rapid edits used during flash back
1:37:49 shaky camera effective in capturing the chaotic fight between Killer and Gordon which includes flash backs to Killer’s football career
Thoughts
The first film of Coppola Study and my first time viewing it. Yet another road film associated with New Hollywood, the film even references Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
I love the film’s opening shot which uses a static camera positioned low and captures a garbage truck in the background and a puddle in the foreground containing a reflection of the background. The gloomy weather sets the film’s mood
Shirley Knight as Natalie gives an interesting performance, it is difficult to explain Natalie’s character as she does not fit into any traditional character archetypes and displays contradictory behavior. It is not clear exactly what her character is looking for but it is clear she is unhappy with the direction her life is heading, and Knight captures this disillusionment effectively. She is annoyed whenever other characters ask why her husband is not around, as if she does not have autonomy over her own life
Natalie’s interactions with James Caan simple minded character feel more akin to an older sister/big brother relationship than anything romantic
Coppola uses frame in frames often in the earlier scenes as Natalie is shown in phone booths or framed using windows or doorways. This functions as a contrast to shots of open landscapes
There is a great composition between 24 and 25 minute mark with 3 Natalies in the frame (2 from mirror reflections) and Killer in the background. The images are slightly out of focus reflecting the emotional state of the characters
This is a solid character study and road film
Verdict: R
@James Trapp- I thought one of the best shot in the film is at the hotel with Knight and Caan separated visually by a pole or something. It’s very Antonioni like. There is another great one with Knight’s character totally in the dark with only her face visible in the Duvall’s character’s trailer in the end. This is a fine film but stumbles a lot in the last section. The phone booth screaming scene didn’t work for me at all and is poorly acted from Knight. Not sure what happened there. And there is no continuity in the next scene with Caan’s character still hanging around where Knight is. And the
editing in the final fight is a disaster. Took me completely out of the film with
the flashbacks during the fight. It’s an
immediate situation and needed to be
choreographed properly without
flashbacks to land. It’s a fine film nontheless. I also loved the music and
shots of the countryside with Knight travelling. Coppola would come back to the same themes in One From The Heart but with a completely different style.
@Malith – yes, there were a few Antonioni like compositions. This is the last original screenplay of Coppola’s until 2009 Tetro. I am excited for this Study, outside of The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now, I have not seen most of these films more than once.
Might do Coppola Study. Are any of his pre-Godfather films worth viewing?
@James Trapp- Yes. The Rain People. Especially for James Caan. His role here is nothing like his other roles. I also hope you watch Gardens of Stone if you can get to it. It’s solid.
TSPDT has The Cotton Club ranked below Twixt and Jack.
@Malith – my siblings and I loved Robin Williams when we were kids. We watched Hook (1991) and Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) so many times. I remember we watched Jack together, it is very disappointing. Obviously this was long before I viewed films as an art form but I cannot imagine Jack had any merit as art and was not even humorous or enjoyable from a kid’s perspective, just all around terrible
@James – I hate to bring this up, but I did watch Jack a year or too ago and it was pretty awful.
*two
@James Trapp- Did you watch Megalopolis? TSPDT also has it among the top 20 best films of 2024 ahead of things like Dune: Part Two and Conclave.
@Harry – I wonder what drew Coppola to make Jack in the first place
@Malith – not yet on Megalopolis. I might do Coppola Study in the next several months, and if I do I would watch Megalopolis. Have you seen it?
@James Trapp- Yes, I have seen Megalopolis. It is awful.
If you do a Coppola study, you should make sure to watch Gardens of Stone. It is a very fine film. Melancholic, engaging, and a tribute to the troops. There is hardly anything or rather nothing wrong about it. Great performances from legendary actors(Caan, Earl Jones, Anjelica Huston). It may not have the highs of some of his best work or even his 2nd tier work(Godfather Part 3, Bram Stoker’s Dracula) but it doesn’t have the lows of those films either. Really lovable, huggable film.