The Godfather

Righty, watched this for the FIRST time last nite (yes, i know- SHOCK! HORROR!) and it was a good film if a bit long winded- 3 hours or something??? Though having to switch the subtitles on to hear what Don Vito Corleone was saying was a tad annoyng. Though my copies are the cheaper versions- hopefully the sound is better on the boxset version.

Anyway, I come to ask- which is the best film 1, 2 or 3? I'm hoping its not 1 as its nowhere near in the league of Goodfellas. I know many swear by the godfather but i wonder if its/it was just a trendy bandwagon to jump on. I hope the other films are better.

 

I have the boxset but I have never actually watched any of them. I also have Goodfella's on DVD but I have never watched that either. I really should start watching all these dvds I keep buying.

Anyway, people who I have asked always seem to say 2nd is the best and 3rd is the worst. I think thats the overall general opinion. But I can't say for myself. Gotta watch it for myself first.

 

I've got the Godfather boxset and have watched them all numerous times. I think that Godfather 2 is definitely the best with some great performances from everyone in it. It's like a masterclass in human drama film-making. The sound on the DVDs is fine on them as well; you just have to turn the volume up a little more than usual for Brando's scenes.

And though they deal with the same subject matter, Goodfellas and The Godfather are very different films. Goodfellas is a lot faster-paced with more action and violence whereas The Godfather is more subtle and more about the relationships of the characters.

 

After three previously unsuccessful attempts to watch The Godfather I finally managed to watch it last thursday. I was incredibly underwhelmed.

I don't plan to watch Part II.

Boxset version didn't help me on the sound issue. Subtitles were required here too.

 

Blasphemy!!! The Godfather has long been the greatest Mafia movie ever made. Goodfellas has its good points, but the Godfather is a classic!

 

Why is it a classic in your opinion? Is it because 'thats the thing to say about it' or what reasons make it a classic? Its good film but not a classic in my opinion. Though it was out in 72 so maybe it was a new type of film for its time. I guess to really appreciate it ya had to live through the time of it (i.e. when it was released- not when it was set).

 

You can't compare The Godfather and Goodfellas, totally different movies with different styles and themes. The Godfather is a mafia movie, whereas Goodfellas is a gangster movie which has a totally different dynamic. Part of the attraction of The Godfather is the family aspect which is missing from Goodfellas.

Goodfellas is one of my favourite movies of all time, and I personally rate it higher than The Godfather, but The Godfather is a movie masterpiece which has to be viewed and not compared to other movies.

Remember, The Godfather predates all the recent mafia/gangster movies, and set the bar for modern day movies in this genre. To some people The Godfather looks cliched, but it was the original which was subsequently ripped off by so many other movies.

Possibly the greatest scene in The Godfather is when Pacino stands outside the hospital where his father is, backed up by the baker to stop the hitmen killing off his father. Beautifully done, and compelling cinema.


Of the three movies, I'd argue the first is the best as it's the only "official" one. Howver the combined performances of Pacino and De Niro in Part 2 are outstanding. Part 3 is often described as the weakest, and it is in so many ways, but the whole tragic ending of Part 3 does make it worth viewing just to see the whole Mafia angle in it's completeness.

 

Seen the first one. Wasn't too impressed. But I think it's generally accepted that part 2 is the best of the 3, followed by part 1, with part 3 a long way behind

 

The second is great, but the first is better for one reason and one reason only


Marlon Brando

[image=http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/02/03/marlonbrando_narrowweb__200x273.jpg]



His depiction of Don Vito Corleone is brilliant. And as good as Pacino is in the second, he cant beat Brando

 

I love the Godfather. It just gets me hooked. I like all them and like the Star Wars films I think of them as one movie.

 

I've not seen part 3, but I've heard its like a remake of part 1 just not done very well

 

The only thing wrong with three is Corleone's daughter's acting...

 

Yeah, if ya can make him out.

Has to be said that some of the acting is a bit wooden. And I dont get this crap that it shouldnt be compared to other films. I personally think it could have been shorter.

 

I'd have cut it by at least 1/2 an hour. It really started to drag from Sicily onwards, IMO.

 

Yeah, the Sicily bit was a very slow bit- not 'classic' material at all.

 

So they're walking around the Sicilian hills....












Still walkin'.....















Still walkin'...

 

Then when yer man Michael gets 'lovestruck' by yer woman and she gets 'lovestruck' too and I had to laugh- that was awful.

 

Personally I prefer Goodfellas. One of my favuorite movies of all time, along with Star Wars of course.

Hmmmm, imagine if some god like figure combined Star Wars and Goodfellas?

What a movie that would be!!

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/Welshguy/starjedif.jpg]

 

Maul wanted to be a Jedi? And some other dude besides Anakin and Yoda. Hmmmm... throws an interesting twist on TPM.

 

Sounds like LOTR to me!

 

I've never seen Goodfellas, so I can't compare them. However, I think the first two Godfather movies are brilliant, especially the second, which is close to being a masterpiece. The family theme is really what makes them work for me.

 

Trust me, the script worked!

It was going to be my Citizen Kane!!!!

But alas, funding issues (or the lack thereof) put the skids under my plans.

And that other guy is so obviously Obi-Wan, you little scamp.

Glad I was recognisable as Anakin anyway, though I did add the scar in post.

 

they are totally different films

Godfather = the family side of the mafia
Goodfellas = the action side of what they do

 

lol at Halibut! too true! too true!

Welshguy- didnt he get the scar with longer hair?

JediWolst23- and yer point is?

 

But at least in LOTR there were occasionally some interesting monsters to look at!



And Viggo.