Brilliance.

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2001)

The greatest American movie of all time, the Godfather marked a new era of film making much closer to the old studio system style. It was also an early example of a new appraoach to film-making ushered in by new wave of directing talent. Known as the Movie Brats, an including The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola and the likes of Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, they were directors emerging through the study of the film medium in the 1960's and here it definitely shows. Coopla brings in a new innovative, stately style and substance to the production.
Coppola takes the classic gangster genre and, complete with an all star cast and a brilliant, perfectly judged and written screenplay, turns the film into an epic work of beauty. Every scene is beautifully and perfectly composed, with the composition owing much to the classic Italian Reniassance era, in particular the of Caravaggio. The dark, warm colours make the film look a painting; a work of art to be more precise. Coppola direction is masterful, evoking classic Hollywood film-making elements, such as the close-up up and shot-reverse-shot, as well as new innovative forms of film-making including tracking shots coupled with the delicate use of sound and precise cross-cutting editing. He is helped by a wonderful script, co-written with Mario Puza, a lush score by Nino Rota and a masterclass in acting from everyone involved, particularly Brando and Pacino. A brilliant, visceral riveting, flawless masterpiece, quite possibly the greatest film ever made.
10/10