The Godfather trilogy

[prath92]

Due to an unexpected holiday yesterday I binge watched the trilogy again. It's been about 5-6 years since I did (don't think I did since I left school)

How good is this. I really love the series and even the third (Sofia Coppola s wooden expressions aside). The casting is just perfect.

My one complaint would be the lack of Robert Duvall in the third as Tom Hagen is probably my favourite character other than vito. Though that's mainly because paramount was skint and refused to pay him the salary he wanted.

I really love the soundtrack too. Especially the Italian songs (or Sicilian, I can't really tell the difference tbh)

 

[Organic Potatoes]

Got a chance to watch part of the 'Epic' version with the deleted scenes and all that. I hadn't seen the films in a while, and rewatching them made me realize for the first time how much better 2 is in comparison to 1.

 

[LouisDanGaal]

Still never seen 3. 2 is easily the best of the others.

 

[Slevs]

Al Pacino's anger in 2 in the abortion scene is inspirational.

 

[sullydnl]

Two of the few highly rated films that I never see getting called overrated.

John Cazale is brilliant in II as well.

 

[Cheesy]

3's fairly rubbish, first two are probably the greatest films of all-time.

 

[Sylar]

Yeah I thought 2 was better than 1, but both were just excellent. I remember binge watching all three years ago. Number 3 was terrible in comparison though. I might have enjoyed it more watching it as a standalone movie (without the other two to compare to).

 

[Raees]

Love the first film. I don't like the second as much because of all the flashbacks, but everyone loves it and the third I think is pretty enjoyable but not a great film.

 

[Tarrou]

I find them a bit boring if I'm being honest. I appreciate they are brilliantly crafted films but they just don't do it for me.

 

[RexHamilton]

Yeah I thought 2 was better than 1, but both were just excellent. I remember binge watching all three years ago. Number 3 was terrible in comparison though. I might have enjoyed it more watching it as a standalone movie (without the other two to compare to).

I agree with this. Part 3 is, for me, better than it gets credit for. That's understandable because it is always going to be compared to the first two. But I think, on its own, Part 3 is really good.
But yeah, when compared to the first 2, it really pales.

I think the first two are my two favourite films. It's hard to argue against those who say Part 2 is better. It's a phenomenal film. Both Pacino and De Niro play their parts perfectly. The scope of part 2 is bigger too. John Cazale really shines in Part 2 also. But I just can't help preferring Part 1. Brando is immense. Michael's arc is great and Pacino plays him perfectly.

I just think there are better, more memorable scenes from the first film. I mean there are few scenes as iconic as the horses head in the bed. Michael shooting Sollozzo and McCloskey, Apollonia's death, Leave the gun, take the canolli, the tension leading up to Vito being shot and those final scenes with the Christening are all incredible. Even some more subtle scenes are brilliant, like when Michael is explaining how he'll kill Sollozzo and he becomes the centre of the scene. Tom Hagan ends up sitting on his right and even though Sonny and everyone starts to laugh at him in the end, you know after that scene that it's Michael's family now.

 

[2cents]

2 has probably my favourite scene from any movie:


Everything about it is perfect.

 

[entropy]

 

[adexkola]

More of a Goodfellas fan here, but the Godfather Pt 2 is brilliant.

 

[sullydnl]

Pacino and Cazale followed Godfather II with brilliant performances in Dog Day Afternoon as well. That's some peak form.

 

[Ubik]

Strangely never been tempted to watch part 3, the ending of 2 is perfect.

 

[Ubik]

Pacino and Cazale followed Godfather II with brilliant performances in Dog Day Afternoon as well. That's some peak form.

Cazale's short acting resume is amazing, just 5 films and they're all great.

 

[Cheesy]

Cazale's short acting resume is amazing, just 5 films and they're all great.

Every single one nominated for an Oscar. Not a bad record.

 

[Tommy]

I actually quite like 3. It doesn't hold a candle to 1/2, but it's still a good movie.

 

[ThierryHenry]

Obviously they're both perfect films, but I prefer One. More iconic, classic scenes, and a 'cleaner' story - I find that parts of the Michael story in Two drag slightly, and as a result I've rewatched One significantly more times.

 

[77]

The epic version is superb

 

[Red Dreams]

3 is very good but pales in comparison to the first 2.
The Epic with deleted scenes is a good experience.

But The first two are among the greatest films ever made.

For me 2 must rank as the best film ever made.
You can see the man lose everything because he did what he had to do. The final scene is simply the best. I think Copolla should have stopped there.

 

[2cents]

3 is very good but pales in comparison to the first 2.
The Epic with deleted scenes is a good experience.

But The first two are among the greatest films ever made.

For me 2 must rank as the best film ever made.
You can see the man lose everything because he did what he had to do. The final scene is simply the best. I think Copolla should have stopped there.

Yeah another perfect scene:

 

[entropy]

Cazale's short acting resume is amazing, just 5 films and they're all great.

Dog Day Afternoon

 

[prath92]

Of course 3 is nothing on 1 and 2. That was bound to happen though after an 18 year gap (compared to 2 between the first two parts) and no Robert Duvall who was an integral part of the first 2. But as an individual film it's still good (though as a standalone it won't make much sense since it heavily borrows elements to continue from both part 2 and part 1).

 

[prath92]

Yeah another perfect scene:

James caan got paid the same salary he received for the first part for appearing on this one scene in godfather 2.

Marlon Brando also wanted the same but he wasn't approved so he wasn't in this scene.

 

[Man of Leisure]

Still never seen 3. 2 is easily the best of the others.

2 is undoubtedly great, but still think the first one was better. Just so iconic. Either way, can't say "2 is easily the best".

 

[Moby]

Nice movies. Two is good but I liked the first better.

 

[entropy]

James caan got paid the same salary he received for the first part for appearing on this one scene in godfather 2.

Marlon Brando also wanted the same but he wasn't approved so he wasn't in this scene.

I think the third film sucked because Robert Duvall wasn't in it.

 

[Zen]

1+2 are nailed on Hollywood perfection really, I myself give the minor edge to 1 and have never seen how people can sometimes 'easily' rank 1 above the other, you are talking very little really. Even if you throw in the Conversation and Apocalypse Now, theres very little in all of Coppola's golden run.

 

[2cents]

James caan got paid the same salary he received for the first part for appearing on this one scene in godfather 2.

Marlon Brando also wanted the same but he wasn't approved so he wasn't in this scene.

Scene works better without Brando, I remember on the commentary Coppola saying something like you feel the weight of the Don's presence more sharply in his absence.

 

[FCBarca]

Still never seen 3. 2 is easily the best of the others.

I haven't watched the 3rd since the first time I saw it, memories of how poor it was and Sofia's terrible acting are too painful to revisit - Andy Garcia was entertaining however

The first two films along with Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America, really top notch - over & over again

 

[Stobzilla]

The first two are just story telling perfection.

 

[SSSSnake]

If I ever fancy watching these I always go with Part 1.

 

[Red Dreams]

Scene works better without Brando, I remember on the commentary Coppola saying something like you feel the weight of the Don's presence more sharply in his absence.

true

 

[Wibble]

Yeah I thought 2 was better than 1, but both were just excellent. I remember binge watching all three years ago. Number 3 was terrible in comparison though. I might have enjoyed it more watching it as a standalone movie (without the other two to compare to).

Agreed. 1 is great but II is stunning - Pacino in particular

 

[Wibble]

Strangely never been tempted to watch part 3, the ending of 2 is perfect.

good choice

 

[Sylar]

Yeah the best thing about 3 was Berbatov.

I cant say 1 or 2 is easily better than the other, it is opinion of course however.

 

[Eckers99]

2 has probably my favourite scene from any movie:


Everything about it is perfect.

Utterly brilliant scene. The pacing, lighting, direction, acting...like you say, it's perfect.

As great as number 2 is, I think that number 1 has the most great scenes, and it's probably my favourite. Whereas the sequel has a handful of the best scenes - Fanucci, Fredo's assassination, Michael's showdown with Kay - number 1 is basically a procession of some of cinema's greatest moments, while also hanging together as a cohesive film. The wedding, Michael looking after Vito at the hospital, the assassination scene in the restaurant, Sicily, Sonny's death, Michael taking over and the door closing on Kay. They're both great films but number 1 is pretty much perfect.

 

[2cents]

Utterly brilliant scene. The pacing, lighting, direction, acting...like you say, it's perfect.

As great as number 2 is, I think that number 1 has the most great scenes, and it's probably my favourite. Whereas the sequel has a handful of the best scenes - Fanucci, Fredo's assassination, Michael's showdown with Kay - number 1 is basically a procession of some of cinema's greatest moments, while also hanging together as a cohesive film. The wedding, Michael looking after Vito at the hospital, the assassination scene in the restaurant, Sicily, Sonny's death, Michael taking over and the door closing on Kay. They're both great films but number 1 is pretty much perfect.

Love The Simpsons' nod to Fanucci:

But yeah I think you're basically right, 1 is more coherent. Sometimes in 2 you just want to get back to young Vito as soon as possible, the stuff with Hyman Roth and Frank Pentangeli isn't quite as captivating as Michael coming back from Italy and wiping out the other families.

Every scene set in Sicily, in 1 and 2, is fecking brilliant.

 

[R.N7]

I don't the think the Vito backstory is in perfect harmony with the rest of the second film.