NFT: Godfather I or Godfather II?

both were great but I was the more entertaining so I go with that.

the series on paramount with miles teller about the making of I was also highly entertaining.

Those flashback scenes in 2 are in the book, which also covers all of the first film. The book is so, so good. The first film is the best for me though.

II.

The ending with Michael sitting & thinking alone in Lake Tahoe…powerful.

Probably because I'm such a Deniro fan, but it's been awhile since I saw either of them or gave it much thought, I just remember that that's how I felt decades ago.

you meet Hyman Roth. :)

Although James Caan as Sonny was all wrong. Thought 2 was the better filmed movie.

But both are top 100 films of all time

but 2 goes down as one of the best sequels of all time

I think it has more iconic scenes and it’s the more rewatch able of the two. Both great though.

Watch the total Saga 1901-1959 version which is not only recorded chronologically but has all those deleted scenes included. It's totals about 7:15 or so and is a great watch over a weekend.

.

I can't really choose. Both are so good. I will say I today and II tomorrow .

The first time I saw 1 I thought it was by far, the best movie I ever saw.
Haven’t changed my mind!

for sure

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In comment 16442784 truebluelarry said:

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Watch the total Saga 1901-1959 version which is not only recorded chronologically but has all those deleted scenes included. It's totals about 7:15 or so and is a great watch over a weekend.

Agree. The Saga, which Coppola stitched together, was excellent chronological story-telling. Anybody with an ounce of Italian blood in their veins has to love the scenes representing Italy, and those early New York scenes shot in the East Village.

That's just good movie-making magic right there.

insist upon itself.

over both

They are just such incredible movies.

And there is a chronological version that combines the two that is awesome.

In comment 16442821 SoZKillA said:

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over both

Infamnia!

In comment 16442821 SoZKillA said:

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over both

I love "Goodfellas" but it doesn't compare to either "Godfather" movie. There would be no "Goodfellas" if it were not for "The Godfather".

Love 'em both though.

In comment 16442821 SoZKillA said:

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over both

I feel like that's comparing classical music to rock and roll. Both are music but it's kinda tough to compare them to each other.

It's darker.

…

2 slightly more entertaining. But there's no wrong answer.

In comment 16442821 SoZKillA said:

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over both

I saw Goodfellas and other mob movies before I saw Godfather 1 & 2, and I think it took some of the wind out of the sails of the latter as different as they are. I think what counted for shocking violence in the 70s was somewhat subdued after I saw the other movies.

That said, I enjoyed Part 1 more. I just thought the narrative flowed a little better and it had some truly beautiful shots, especially considering when it was made.

A mob movie that I loved was ‘Donnie Brasco’. Great performances from Depp & Pacino.

so fake, missing punches by a foot

From a narrative perspective, the parallel ascension/demise of (i) Michael from a war hero to the Godfather and (ii) Vito from an invincible leader to a feeble, disappointed father gives it the edge.

II was Michael's fall into complete oblivion by destroying his relationships with everyone left in the family. It's just all tragedy. Without the flashbacks, it would be one of the most depressing (but great) movies ever.

You can't say that the performances in one movie were better than the other. They are all stellar.

In comment 16442921 gtt350 said:

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so fake, missing punches by a foot

They couldn't, James Caan broke a finger and Carlo Rizzi cracked 2 ribs filming that scene. There's only really one punch that that was really, painfully obviously missed, but otherwise it's a great scene. Supposedly Caan had a problem with Rizzi and the start of the fight where he throws the stick at him wasn't in the script, Cann improvised it and Rizzi wasn't sure if it was a real fight or not.

The re-edited version where 1 &2 are in chronological order. Eight + hours of getting pulled back in. Leave the gun & take the cannoli.

Felt more like the book to me.

There is no two without one so it should be considered a package deal.

DeNiro and Pacino's best work - and Coppola's.

If only he hadn't made the mistake of doing III. II had the perfect ending.

about the making of 1 is almost better than the actual movie.

.

but I would choose Godfather I if I had to choose.

2 has the better performance with De Niro.

was completely a coincidence. Weird Brando found it in the backlot and "bonded" with it. Since then, a "big boss" petting a cat is iconic. It's been reused a few different times.

Tony Soprano

Both are incredible films.

i've seen the chronological saga and I think it weakens the story. I understand why people like it, but the intercutting of Michael's story with Vito's in part II is so, so powerful.You lose that in the chronological version. Though some of the deleted scenes are really good.

ove so many great, and now recognizable and required scenes:
Settling all family business
Sleeping with the Fishes
Horsehead in the bed
Leave the gun, take the cannolis

I also love the beginning, "I believe in America"

Just greatness

Which puts 1 and 2 together in chronological order.

series on Paramoubt + … it gives (albeit 1 view) a great perspective on the backstories of making the film .. including a piece on the fight scene mentioned above.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

but 2 is a piece of art. Love them both in different ways.

Godfather III?

...but if I had to chose, I guess I prefer 1 because it's like this grand arc, and didn't have the foreshadowing of II (which I liked, but I prefer the unbroken narrative?).

Also Brando in 1.

In comment 16442965 RCPhoenix said:

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DeNiro and Pacino's best work - and Coppola's. If only he hadn't made the mistake of doing III. II had the perfect ending.

Never watched III because it seemed like a Coppola cash-grab at the time that would ruin the previous movies if you watched it. Kinda like how I never watched any Matrix movies after the first.

In comment 16442732 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

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II. The ending with Michael sitting & thinking alone in Lake Tahoe…powerful.

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I would concur. I'll tell you this much, I tried a couple times to watch Godfather III, and I couldn't do it, wasn't good. The tale had been told...

A little story if I may here, so years ago or back in the day, taking this class where I matriculated...this particular class was in an amphitheater type of setting okay. So the professor/teacher, whatever asks 'What is your favorite movie of all time". Now most of the class mentions popular pop culture, so they get to me, and I say, well
Godfather I and II, I guess that's two movies okay.
Most of the class was laughing a bit at that, I'm done.

I have to pick II. The Vito flashbacks with Deniro and the Fredo betrayal and murder are so powerful that it puts the sequel over the top. But I totally get the argument that I is the better film.

I watched III the other day and I didn’t hate it. While the Vatican scheme is way too long and convoluted, there are things about the movie to really like.

- Sonny’s bastard being a dumb hothead like his father
- Michael re-establishing his relationship with Kay
- Michael’s son not forgiving him for murdering Fredo
- Michael losing the most important thing in his life (his daughter) due to his actions

In comment 16443023 PatersonPlank said:

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Which puts 1 and 2 together in chronological order.

This is actually my favorite version.

I think 2 was the more ambitious movie with the different time period storylines. DeNiro was just so good and truly hit it out of the park as young Vito. And Pacino was just as good in highlighting Michael’s descent into a heartless killer.

I think I’d say 2 was “better” because of the parallel storylines. However, I do think I prefer to watch 1 because it just feels “smoother” and is a a little more rewatchable. The best scene of the franchise might just be the initial wedding scene. If I had to list out my 10 favorite scenes/moments out of the 2, I feel like most would be from 1. Something about it feels a little more iconic than 2.

I really like origin stories for whatever reason, it’s why I prefer Batman begins in many ways to Dark Night.

2 is an all time great though, maybe my favorite movies ever.

In comment 16442921 gtt350 said:

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so fake, missing punches by a foot

Yeah, but that's real life, hahaha.

Unless they dubbed the sound effects with those missed punches!

In comment 16442811 Pete in MD said:

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insist upon itself.

ha!
Peter Griffin: “I did not care for The Godfather” - ( New Window )