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Godfather 2

The document provides an in-depth analysis of Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 film The Godfather. It discusses the film's critical and commercial success, winning several Academy Awards including Best Picture. The analysis also examines Coppola's directorial style, the film's themes of family, power, and loyalty. Technical aspects like cinematography, mise-en-scene, sound design and editing techniques are considered, highlighting how they build tension and drama to tell the story of the Corleone crime family.

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harkirat arora
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149 views

Godfather 2

The document provides an in-depth analysis of Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 film The Godfather. It discusses the film's critical and commercial success, winning several Academy Awards including Best Picture. The analysis also examines Coppola's directorial style, the film's themes of family, power, and loyalty. Technical aspects like cinematography, mise-en-scene, sound design and editing techniques are considered, highlighting how they build tension and drama to tell the story of the Corleone crime family.

Uploaded by

harkirat arora
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GODFATHER

THE FILM
▸ Directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1972

▸ Based on the book Godfather by Mario Puzo

▸ Won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Actor


(Marlon Brando) and Best Screenplay (Mario Puzo and
Coppola)
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
▸ Films
Godfather I, II, III

Apocalypse now

One from the Heart

‣ Stylistic traits
Cross-cutting to build tension

Intellectual montage

Coppola’s operatics - Sound serving


both diegetic and non diegetic
functions intensifying the emotion

Family dynamics, character study,


existential crisis are focal points of his
stories
THEMES
▸ American Dream

▸ Power

▸ Family

▸ Trust and loyalty

▸ Honour

▸ Deception

▸ Line between personal and business


NARRATIVE
▸ Linear narrative with cause and effect - Vito’s refusal to
protect Sollozzo’s drug business leading to crisis in the
family, Michael’s entry into family business; each of the
petitioners in the beginning are called to do a favour

▸ Restricted narration - The involvement of Barzini is learned


through Vito’s revelation

▸ Parallels between Bonasera and Michael


MISE-EN-SCENE
▸ Setting - The ruthless business centre in New York city, the idyllic town of Sicily, the
entertainment centre Vegas

▸ Opening scene - Minimal lit office space and dark interiors symbolise the dark
business world of Corleone, highlight the material status of the characters

▸ Character Blocking in opening scene - Places Vito as the centre of focus

▸ Use of red rose on Vito’s coat separates him as an important person in the room

▸ The well lit wedding scene highlights the personal world of Corleone

▸ Don Corleone’s make up - Wore a prosthetic mouthpiece to have a jaw dropped


appearance of a bulldog

▸ Overhead lighting used for Brando to avoid attention to his make-up

▸ Use of oranges as an metaphorical prop to foreshadow death

▸ Ending - The growing space between Michael and Kay, the door shutting on Kay as
she watches Michael getting enclosed in his business
CINEMATOGRAPHY
▸ Cinematographer Gordon Willis “The Prince of Darkness”

▸ Opening scene hints the dark nature of the story - low key lighting, use of heavy
shadows on Bonasera’s face and the zoom out to show over the shoulder
silhouette of Vito

▸ Chiaroscuro lighting/Low lit scenes - highlight the nature of the family business

▸ Bright outdoor lighting for the wedding scene and the Michael’s time in Sicily

▸ Overhead lighting creates more shadows on the faces of characters

▸ Lighting highlights the duality of the characters - Vito and Michael

▸ Ending - the focus on Michael in the background and Kay is off focus in the
foreground
SOUND
▸ Don’s voice based on real life gangster Frank Costello’s whisper
like voice

▸ The restaurant scene - The suspense is created by the ambient


sound of the passing subway train; the rising tempo of the music
also signals Michael’s anxiety and passover into the family business
and his loss of innocence

▸ Organ score in the baptism heightens drama of Michael’s


transformation into a ruthless Godfather

▸ Organ score serves both diegetic and non diegetic functions in the
baptism scene.

▸ The Organ score also serves a contrapuntal effect to the shots


where heads of other mafia families are being killed.
EDITING
▸ Baptism scene - Intellectual montage signalling Michael’s
own baptism, becoming the Godfather of the Corleone
business

▸ Inserts of empty hallways in the hospital scenes - adds to


the impending danger

▸ Montage of newspaper clippings - Put together by George


Lucas from clippings of actual events

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