Saturday, October 29, 2011

The Godfather

OK, Cappy Cappites.

I keep getting hounded to watch the damn Godfather series.

Is it worth it, or do my spidey senses tell me it's another crap production from the 1970's condoned by pot-induced 1970's Hollywood's elitists with all of its Oscar winnings and nominations?

It really just does not look appetizing.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Trust me, it's worth it. I steered you right on that Archer clip, didn't I?

Seriously though, give it a chance. It's pretty cool as a look at a form of shadow government.

Anonymous said...

Worth it just for the dialogue.
What did he say, badda-beep, badda-boop, badda-boop, badda-beep, he wants to be re-elected.
Hey open up my vest, there's a stimulus in it.

Stew said...

Really? Watch and learn.

Marvin the Martian said...

Total crap. Don't waste your time. There's nothing glamorous or interesting about the lives of Mafia families. It's all a very sick, codependent, abusive, brutal system.

CBMTTek said...

The Godfather is a true classic of cinema. Well worth the watch. Francis Ford Coppela didn't have anything even remotely close until Apocalypse Now.

The Godfather Part II, was OK. (in my opinion) Still a Coppala directed flick (if I remember correctly) though, and that means not too bad in my book.

The Godfather Part III, should be regaled to the dusty cubby hole of history, never to see the light of day again.

Just my thoughts.

Damn, now I want to watch The Godfather again.

Anonymous said...

Haven't seen the Godfather? I wish I hadn't seen it yet, so I could watch it like new again... Never mess with the family.

Anonymous said...

Liberal crap. You've Got Mail quoted it; 'nuff said.

Anonymous said...

I'll give you an offer you can't refuse. Watch all three movies with some rumpleminze once a year. Doctor's orders.

Side effects may include boredom, dementia, alcoholic poisoning, deafness, death, herpes, and telling people you'll give others an offer that they can't refuse. If you experience any of these, see your doctor right away, but please don't shoot him down in the street.

In other words...

Personal tastes, boredom, or not following with the dialogue and names will result in one not enjoying them, but I think they're captivating movies with no gimmicks, as far as I know about plot gimmicks.

Dave Killion said...

It certainly resonates strongly for many people. I have seen the films AND read the books, but my loathing for criminals meant I had very little sympathy for any of the characters, nor could I indulge in any respect for their speeches about honor, trust, and family. I just wanted them to all die. Happily, that was mostly what happened.

John S said...

They're great movies. I think you'd love them, actually.

They have great themes of self-reliance, risk-taking and self-discipline. (At least the first two, I've never seen the third. It was made so much later and I never heard good things about it.)

I especially think you'll like the final shot of the first movie :)

Anonymous said...

No, no, no. It's one of the best movies ever made.

I recommend watching it the first time just with the guys only. Pour yourselves tumblers of chianti, set out a plate of antipasti, and let yourselves get sucked into the dark world of organized crime and its moral paradoxes.

Doug said...

I can't comment on the movie series, but the book (equivalent to the first movie) is excellent.

Anonymous said...

It's good cinema, great acting and a day's worth of entertainment. Especially Godfather 2. Highly recommend it, even the weaker part 3. Try to get the original versions rather than the edited set where the flashbacks are put in order.

Anonymous said...

Watch the first and second movies. It's worth it for the study in human nature....or read the book.

Anonymous said...

I should add that it's also a study in unrestricted capitalism...it's worth the effort to sit thru it.
Seriously, watch one and two and then try three.

Anonymous said...

The first is clearly the best. I've never thought the second was all that great, but many others think it's very good. Don't waste your time with the third one. You should most definitely watch the first though.

Anonymous said...

Hello Cap'n
Godfather I is magnificent, Godfather II is very good, Godfather III is forgettable. As an economist, GF I is interesting in its discussion of financial benefits vs cost in business goodwill. Worth viewing.

Anonymous said...

Its a classic.

Anonymous said...

The 1970s was a great era for movies.
The Godfather, The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, just to name a few. Today all movies are for a target audience of twelve year old children.

In regards to the Godfather, most people agree that it was great movie. My folks on the other hand, thought the movie was huge disappointment and a bad movie. They both said the Godfather novel was fantastic, and the movie ended up being a let down.

"Leave the gun, take the cannoli".

Jim said...

My favorite scene from the first one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtYjdEwa8GA

ScottH said...

Meh. It ain't got John McClane in it.

Make sure the hounders cough up any cash needed to watch it.

Anonymous said...

Watch the first two - the third is a tepid afterthought. They're good movies, definitely over-hyped but featuring Pacino, Duvall, Caan, Deniro, and Brando when they were young and at their best.

I would try to watch them with a neutral mindset. You already seem to be edging into the camp of those dedicated to dislike the movies because of all the hype surrounding them. Just watch the first one, and if you like it, watch the second.

Mark Adams said...

Well, nobody would blame you to skip the third installment, but the first two really are worth setting aside an afternoon for.

Vito, and later Michael, Corleone were the very model of a small family business-turned-American success story in spite of the government's efforts to prevent it.

Anonymous said...

Watch the 1st one and then stop.

Rick in Vic said...

I found myself getting bored and sleeping through most of it after being told how amazing it was.

If you're looking for something compelling, I'd go with the Game of Throne TV series. That's about 10 hours which is about the same as the 3 Godfather movies and time much better spent!

Anonymous said...

The first two are great, but avoid the third one like the plague.

Anonymous said...

Watch the first two. Think Objectively - Who is Micheal Corleone working for? Himself? Or his family? These movies are great BECAUSE they have some moral nuance. Of course it's easy to relate to the protagonists and get sucked into the glamorization of the mafia - and to admire the conviction, strength, and character of the two Dons... The restaurant scene is epic because it is the divergent point in a man's life - who will you serve? What will be the costs?

...Even atheists should read some parts of the bible just for cultural context - These are MUST see movies.

Anonymous said...

I like Coppola. I like long movies. I like Goodfellas. I do not like the Godfather. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and the subject itself wasn't interesting to me. Three hours is a lot of movie to watch when you couldn't care less what happens.

Rowan said...

I think you will like the first film for the same reason I do, the patriarchy. That's what the whole film is about, a great patriarch looking after his family and his son's journey to succeed and be worthy of succeeding him.

The film became so popular because people wanted to see a strong patriarch when patriarchal society was in free fall.

PallidBust said...

I'm shocked that a clear thinking human would deny himself the pleasure of The Godfather and The Godfather: Part Two.

Dude, whatever the fuck you are doing in the next two hours, its not as good as watching The Godfather for the first time. This includes emergency surgery.

Anonymous said...

You are missing out, just like the all the children you could have illegitimately fathered.

Anonymous said...

I and II are tremendous films, good stories well told and full of moral dilemmas and paradoxes. Worth paying to see.

III is bad enough that the only reason that you should watch it is if your regular dominatrix, who you pay to insult your intelligence, is taking a week off in the Bahamas.

Anonymous said...

I think it is worth it. Expect the 70's style movie, but with a good story line.
Al Pachino steals this movie away from Marlin Brando. (he is known more for this movie than Scarface.)
Fredo is a great character too.

Watch with low expectations and just follow the story. Too high of expectations and you will be dissappointed.

Other good movies worth watching from the 70's:
Scarface
Deer Hunter
Apocolpse Now

Anonymous said...

Yes. And No.
Wait, I'll explain...

It's a product of it's time. With so much different media product available today, it's difficult to remember the "blockbuster" phenomenom of the day. There was a movie, sure, but don't forget the book - a huge hit available everywhere (bought my paperback copy @ Peoples Drug. Dating myself there) - the music (one could not escape that violin theme) - the constant commentary on TV...

All available media sources would be saturated for such an "event", and this was repeated on & on (Roots, Star Wars, etc.)

Resulting in a big impact on pop culture. Huge. So overwhelming that it can not be gainsaid without incurring the wrath of many who, in the case of The Godfather, have never seen more than a butchered version on TV.

Get it? You're supposed to like...no, respect it because, well, it had such a huge cultural impact.

I do know a few who have recently watched it for the 1st time, and without exception the response is a resounding "meh". You see, they are watching the movie as, well, a movie - and noticing such things as the occasional odd pacing (as if FFC said "hey, let's not waste that footage"), the anachronisms (20's & 30's era firearms w/the occasional late 50's auto - all in '45 to '55. Odd that such things are never to be mentioned when discussing The Godfather) and the occasionally stilted dialogue.

So, is it a good movie? Sure. Well done sets, acting, etc. (w/the caveats above - also note that the "acting" is often credited due to what many of the cast did later...). Great soundtrack. Worth your time? That's your call...

lelnet said...

"De gustibus non disputandum est", and all that. If you watch it, you may not like it. It's a free country.

But your spidey senses are leading you astray. It is not just '70s potheads sniffing their own secondhand excretions who declare it a classic of cinema. It has earned genuine respect from people whose respect is genuinely worth earning.

Those who urge you to watch it and are convinced you will love it may turn out to be incorrect. Their prediction is not, however, lacking a rational and realistic basis, and thus, I think, deserves testing.

Aynsley said...

I'd give my honest opinion on it, but I've never managed to stay awake through the whole thing.

eljay said...

Without reading any other comments I will commend the Godfather trilogy as the nearly best series of movies EVER made. There may be better but they are not top of mind. At the very least it should be required viewing for anyone that pretends to be in to movies at all.