Seeing The Godfather (1972) for the first time on the big screen

My local AMC theater was showing a 50th anniversary screening of The Godfather; I had never need it, believe it or not - only parts of it. 

First of all -- I wish there were an intermission! Movies that are 3 hours should always have an intermission! It used to be a standard thing in the 1950s and 1960s; what happened in the 70s? Sigh. 

But, the movie was good, and emphasizes "family loyalty" in organized crime family. Al Pacino never wanted to be in the family business, but he is drawn in to protect his father at the hospital. His first murder at the restaurant is very suspenseful and dark. It 'feels like this character is being born' says Deep Focus Lens in the video review (see below). 

I need to see Part II and Part III to fully experience the full Saga. I remember when Part III came out but just wasn't interested in it or Part II enough. What bothers me in the film is the racism of the characters; several uses of racial slurs are used and makes these characters very unsympathetic to me. 

But Al Pacino's character is really the focus of the saga. See Siskel and Ebert's review below in honor of the 25th Anniversary. Siskel says the sequence where Al Pacino hides out in Sicily is something that was never seen in a mob film before. I liked this sequence and I think it is my favorite in the film. 

Vlog review of The Godfather by Deep Focus Lens which covers earlier gangster films and how they compare with this film, as well as how it inspires later Italian gangster films like The Sopranos later on.

The trailer for the 50th anniversary show is really cool.

Siskel and Ebert review (1990s)

Knives Out (2019), Death on the Nile (2022), and Murder by Death (1976)

Knives Out is a fun comedy-mystery "whodunnit" movie that I really enjoyed! It features a great cast and great actors that I really like such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer, and Michael Shannon, who is once again playing a sleazy, cold-hearted antagonist who is one of the suspects. The movie features Daniel Craig as the chief inspector/detective solving the case, and he creates a new movie character that is similar to other classic detectives but unique and original in his own regard. A murder was committed in a mansion and everyone is a suspect. The main lead in the movie (and one of the suspects) is Ana de Armas who plays a the patriarch's assistant. 

What I love about this movie is that even once you know the outcome, it's still a fun movie to watch again and enjoy a second time. (I enjoyed this one twice so far).

2022's Death on the Nile was not as good, in my opinion. It's a remake of a 1970s version that I haven't seen so I didn't know the outcome. However the movie could have used a bit more humor in my opinion. It stars and is directed by Kenneth Branaugh, who is a fan of the Poirot detective mysteries, but I feel something didn't work about the movie. Maybe it was the cast. Maybe it was that I just didn't care about the characters enough to invest emotionally into it. I don't recommend it. 

Another take on Death on the Nile from She Likes Movies

Finally on a related theme, I watched the 1976 spoof of murder mysteries Murder By Death, which was written directly for the screen by Neil Simon, a fan of mysteries who wanted to make an homage. The detectives that are spoofed are Poirot (played by James Coco), Marples (played by Elsa Lanchester), Nick and Nora, Sam Spade, and Charlie Chan, a Chinese detective which today modern audiences would consider an outdated and offensive character due to his stereotypical presentation. Back in the 70s, I think the audience of the time would be more familiar with the character. Peter Sellers plays the role in "yellowface" makeup and heavy accent. He's trying to make fun of character, but its also offensive at the same time. 

All the detectives are invited to Truman Capote's dinner party where he promises there will be a murder. Not sure why Sherlock Holmes wasn't invited or why no one jokes about that in the film.  I found some of this movie to be amusing but it mostly falls a little flat 40 plus years later. 

What's unfortunate is that the movie has a phenomenal cast, including Oscar Winners and Nominees. Alec Guiness plays a butler, and Maggie Smith and David Niven play the Nick and Nora characters. Sam Spade is Peter Falk, who was huge on tv with Columbo at the time. James Cromwell has a supporting role. It feels as if everyone was hoping this would be a classic comedy for the ages, but it's one that few remember. It's worth seeing if you like anyone in the cast or are interested in a spoof on detectives. Or if you liked the movie Clue and want to see something similar to that. 

Another take on Murder by Death from Diary of a Movie Maniac