Francis Ford Coppola's Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (16 January 2015)

One of my favorite movies, in conjunction with part II. I can't say much here, but one outstanding element is the thoroughly believable though dramatic transformation of Michael Corleone. How does one who has always steered totally clear of his family's mafia ways, is an ivy league graduate and has returned from WWII as a Marine war hero become a ruthless, murderous gangster? Coppola achieves this tragic fall with remarkable subtlety and skill. Now that his buddy Lucas is done with Star Wars, it's interesting to see that Darth Vader fell due to the same tragic flaw: desiring as much power as possible in order to keep his family safe - even if it means becoming a murderer. (The Godfather is an infinitely better film than any Star Wars flick, though I'm a sentimental fan for life.) The other element I find most compelling is Pacino's projection of intense power and charismatic strength. His quiet words are more terrifying than the yelling and machine gun of any action hero (or even of Tony Montana). I can't help admiring his character, even though he is a criminal. His performance is so intense and convincing, I actually can hardly watch Pacino in anything else. Music, cinematography, acting, dialog, etc. are all phenomenal. It is a near-perfect film and the greatest modern tragedy I've seen.