I watched it recently for the first time, and I really don’t get why it’s so loved. IMDB rates it as the second-best movie of all time, but it seems far worse than that to me. I like most old movies and see their hype, but The Godfather didn’t do it for me. What am I missing?
Honestly, I think time hurts the movie. Coppola is excellent at his craft. It’s cinematically pretty (though aged) Pacino and Brando nailed it, but the content is no longer relevant. The movie is over 50 years old, it’s not paced for the appetite of this decade. It’s a big, complicated, dark, slow burning movie as a lot of the stuff from the 70’s and 80’s was. At the time the subject matter was fresh-ish, There was still a lot of interest in the Mafia and almost nothing of quality on the topic had been published since the 30’s. If was absolutely the best, for it’s time.
You’re not alone in your feelings on the flick. As some have said, Part II was better, but if you really didn’t care much for Part I, you shouldn’t expect to love part II.
Movie pacing has changed a lot. I remember as a kid or even an adult, trying to watch movies from the 70s, and even if I was enjoying it, they moved soooo slooow. Fast forward and I’m trying to share my favorite movies from the 90s and IF it can keep their attention for more than a few minutes, I find myself thinking “I remember this being better.”
I have a very difficult time getting my kids to watch most of my most favorite things because the hook doesn’t come in the first 5 minutes.
Ghostbusters, man, I’m sitting there anxious for them to get to the library so i kids don’t check out before they even see a ghost.