This is one of the greatest stories that ever came out of 1970's Hollywood, the chronicling of the Corleone family has gone down in history as some of the best film making ever. The whole story runs from 1901 through to 1979 and just shy of ten hours of film, which shows three generations of the family and its business. From the first moment that I saw these films I fell in love with them and then I heard that Mario Puzo was working on a screenplay for the fourth movie at the time that he died. It's a shame that we will never know what he direction that he was going to take with the Corleone family.The Godfather-Vito Corleone is the head of his family and their associates, which are all a part of one of the five crime families of New York City. Through all the trials and tribulations of this family goes far beyond any of us could imagine, but then there are a few who have seen some of these things first hand. By the end of the movie you truly realize that Michael is a more bloodthirsty killer then his father was, and that everyone should fear him. Francis Ford Coppola, who directed all three films, shoots a lot of the scenes with very dark shadows, so that you get the feeling that there are things going on that you are just not privy to. This is an outstanding piece of work by all of the actors and actresses, the crew and the production staff, it is as close to flawless that you can get. This, in my opinion, is Marlon Brando's greatest role, and it's the one that people will remember him for, more than any other.
The Godfather Part II-This movie broke the mold about sequels; this film is a far superior film than the first one, yet you can't have one without the other. Seeing Michael use all of the things that his father had taught him is great, from the opening sequences to the last there is no deigning that he is in complete control. The power that Michael has in this film is beyond belief and you just feel it radiating off the screen. After seeing Michael fight to keep his family together, it's hard to see him end up alone and reflecting on his actions, many of which he regrets doing.
The Godfather Part III-Being the weaker of the three films, this movie had a lot to live up to and it tries to hard to be like the previous two installments. The similarities to the first two films are undeniable but if you watch it with an open mind it is still enjoyable. One of the best things that I love about it is that after all the years between these movie they were able to find the original actors and actresses to come back and reprise their roles. Introducing Andy Garcia as the son of Sonny is great and works to the point of showing how much like his father he is, full-blown temper and all. The make-up jobs done on the three main stars of this film, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton and Talia Shire, is great work and can see how their past exploits have taken a toll on their bodies.
Growing up in an Italian home we watched these films over and over again, and grew to love these characters as if they were members of our own family. After having such great success with the first two films, Coppola and Puzo only naturally wanted to finish the story of the Corleone family in a fitting way. In recent years an author by the name Mark Winegardner has continued the story with two books, The Godfather's Return and The Godfather's Revenge, both of which are essential to read along with the original book by Puzo. There is also a book out on the market called The Godfather Companion, which is about the myths and facts about the movie and the efforts to get it to the screen and then to keep people from seeing it. This is a great book to have and read if you are truly into the movies and want to know more about them.
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