A rare film and occurance, indeed. Hollywood Take Note.

Rating: 10/10 (2 July 2003)

This should have NEVER happened.
The Godfather part one was a wonderful film in 1972. We got to know the family, the business, the violence.
In 1974, Francis Ford Coppola does a sequel. And it's just as brilliant as the original.
I'm writing this in 2003 which will definately go down in film history as "The Year of the Sequels" and not one of those will come near this rare occurance of an epic of a saga. The real term here is "saga".
I got the feeling watching that "The Godfather part two" was NOT done for "sequel's" sake. It was done to complete a story, to answer questions and to get into your mind as to why things turned out for these folks the they way they did. Some things in the Godfather part two you never saw coming. That is the mark of good filmmaking...keeping you on your toes. A few things you KNEW were coming, you may have been upset to see why, but you watch to see HOW it will unfold.
The Godfather part 2 gives you history about Vito and at the same time shows you how his youngest son Michael is taking hold. You're interested in both..watching the past and present unfold and realizing HOW their futures entwine. A rare film making experience.
And even rarer than that, The Godfather part one is chosen best film of 1972, the Godfather part two is chosen best film of 1974. Both, deservingly so.
I got to see The Godfather part 2 as a salute to Francis Ford Coppola on the Los Angeles based "Z" channel immediately following The Godfather part one. The only other film I sat this long through mesmerized and thrilled with at that time was "Fanny and Alexander"... and when you're young, its HARD to sit still.
The Godfather Part 2 is a rare film indeed, another to include in the top 25 of all time.