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The Godfather - The Greatest Movie of All Time™?


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The Godfather - The Greatest Movie of All Time™?  

50 members have voted

  1. 1. The Godfather - The Greatest Movie of All Time™?

    • Yes
      6
    • No
      38
    • I have not seen The Godfather
      6


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I voted no, but not because I have any objection to it. I just don't quite know where to even begin in the "Greatest Movie of All Time" discussion.

I'll put it this way: The Godfather -- and The Godfather Part II, for that matter -- is one of the few movies that, when somebody tells me that they think it's the greatest movie ever made, I just kinda shrug a little, nod a little, and say "fine by me."

Greatest or not, it's definitely one of the greats. And that's all that really matters.

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I've only seen The Godfather once. I've also seen part II only once, but I remember liking it better. I really enjoyed the back story.

I voted no.

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The Godfather - The Greatest Movie of All Time™?

If you had a family member who was a victim of a Mafia killing, then I'd guess not.

Then again, I doubt you'd be watching the movie in the first place if that is the case.

I myself have not been a victim of the mafia nor know anyone who has, for that matter.

Clearly my response is pointless. I rather enjoyed the movie. But "of all time"? We'll see.

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The movie is far too long and boring for my liking. Its not that I can't sit through a good 2.5 hour+ drama, but to me Godfather has always been a film that is vastly overrated. I completely think with the Dark Knight overtaking it on IMDB, it helped others see that this is not a perfect film. Would I argue that this is a good film, of course not. But I am not a fan and hence voted no. I think there are several films that are better than it (including its sequel).

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I believe there is no such thing as "The Greatest Movie of All Time". The movie are either great or they're not. You can't compare Godfather with 2001 or with Vertigo. Besides, there are number of films which aren't as popular but may be as good or sometimes even better than those. What's the point of polls like this?

Even Coppola seems to be somewhat reluctant when talking about it. As far as I remember it wasn't really his choice to direct this one. After his company collapsed (after Lucas' THX) he was persuaded by the studio to make it. So it seems it wasn't his "love child" or anything. That said, it certainly brought him even greater recognition.

It is a great film, however. As is the second part. I haven't seen the third though, so I can't talk about it.

Karol

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The movie is far too long and boring for my liking. Its not that I can't sit through a good 2.5 hour+ drama, but to me Godfather has always been a film that is vastly overrated. I completely think with the Dark Knight overtaking it on IMDB, it helped others see that this is not a perfect film. Would I argue that this is a good film, of course not. But I am not a fan and hence voted no. I think there are several films that are better than it (including its sequel).

Ah, yes, that vaunted bastion of critical discernment, IMDB...

I love The Dark Knight, but I laugh at anyone who honestly thinks it's better than The Godfather.

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I haven't seen the third though, so I can't talk about it.

Don't see it. :rolleyes:

I won't then :)

Karol

I don't know anyone who thinks The Godfather Part III is in the same class as the first two films, and if I ever meet one, I'm going to want a detailed explanation of why they think so . . . but I also think that the movie gets a slightly bad rap. Sure, it's got at least one mind-numbingly bad performance, but there are also numerous good sequences; I'd say it's worth seeing, but only if you have lowered expectations.

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I don't know anyone who thinks The Godfather Part III is in the same class as the first two films, and if I ever meet one, I'm going to want a detailed explanation of why they think so . . . but I also think that the movie gets a slightly bad rap. Sure, it's got at least one mind-numbingly bad performance, but there are also numerous good sequences; I'd say it's worth seeing, but only if you have lowered expectations.

While it is the weakest of the 3, it still has plenty of fascinating stuff, good acting, good scenes to make it very worthwhile.

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The movie is far too long and boring for my liking. Its not that I can't sit through a good 2.5 hour+ drama, but to me Godfather has always been a film that is vastly overrated. I completely think with the Dark Knight overtaking it on IMDB, it helped others see that this is not a perfect film. Would I argue that this is a good film, of course not. But I am not a fan and hence voted no. I think there are several films that are better than it (including its sequel).

Ah, yes, that vaunted bastion of critical discernment, IMDB...

I love The Dark Knight, but I laugh at anyone who honestly thinks it's better than The Godfather.

Why? What makes Godfather so much better?

Because it has great performances? The Dark Knight has all of those.

Interesting cinematography? Dark Knight is also very intriguing.

I'm not saying TDK is better, all I'm saying is that its in the same league.

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No, it clearly is not.

The Dark Knight is very very very very good, but The Godfather is one of those rare films that changes cinema, how people think of cinema and how cinema is made there after.

For decades it's been high on EVERY serious list about best movies ever.

It's a mile stone, a touch stone and even if you do not personally care for it, like Alex, you still have to give it the respect it's deserved.

We will see if TDK is remembered as much, and as positively 30 years from know? There is no way to know.

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I used to really place The Godfather highly on my Top 10 list, but I've come to see for what it is. Yes, it is a magnificent film, but not near the greatest film of all time. Francis Ford Coppolla is also one of the most overrated directors of all time, up there with Oliver Stone and Brian De Palma. I prefer Apocalypse Now to The Godfather.

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It's very good and has "classic scenes" of the likes we don't see anymore.

But it's not the best movie ever

TESB is MY best movie ever BTW

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MY knowledge of cinema is limited, but the movie I found the one that actually took the characteristics of the medium to a pinacle (sound, image, dialogue, music, etc) was Lawrence of Arabia.

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For me, it's the Seven Samurais the most perfect movie of all time.

Not a big fan of The Godfather myself, I wouldn't call it the "greatest", but it's indeed one of them.

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The movie is far too long and boring for my liking. Its not that I can't sit through a good 2.5 hour+ drama, but to me Godfather has always been a film that is vastly overrated. I completely think with the Dark Knight overtaking it on IMDB, it helped others see that this is not a perfect film. Would I argue that this is a good film, of course not. But I am not a fan and hence voted no. I think there are several films that are better than it (including its sequel).

Ah, yes, that vaunted bastion of critical discernment, IMDB...

I love The Dark Knight, but I laugh at anyone who honestly thinks it's better than The Godfather.

Why? What makes Godfather so much better?

Because it has great performances? The Dark Knight has all of those.

Interesting cinematography? Dark Knight is also very intriguing.

I'm not saying TDK is better, all I'm saying is that its in the same league.

Because, for one thing, The Godfather has the weight of history going for it. People have been freaking out over how great The Godfather is for well over thirty years; this is not hyperbole, it was and is a cultural phenomenon.

The Dark Knight has been in the public consciousness for less than a month.

Thirty years versus less than thirty days. When you're talking all-time worth, perspective counts for a heck of a lot; The Dark Knight -- an admittedly great film, in my book -- simply does not have that going for it, and won't for several years to come. At that point, maybe we can start comparing it to great movies from past years, but I don't think that point is anywhere on the horizon yet.

If that doesn't clear up the reason why I would laugh at somebody who claims that The Dark Knight is a better film than The Godfather, then I don't know what else to say.

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I don't know anyone who thinks The Godfather Part III is in the same class as the first two films, and if I ever meet one, I'm going to want a detailed explanation of why they think so . . . but I also think that the movie gets a slightly bad rap. Sure, it's got at least one mind-numbingly bad performance, but there are also numerous good sequences; I'd say it's worth seeing, but only if you have lowered expectations.

While it is the weakest of the 3, it still has plenty of fascinating stuff, good acting, good scenes to make it very worthwhile.

Indeed. I think Part III is a fantastic film, but the first two were just THAT good.

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Before you vote, I highly recommend you listen to this frank and lively discussion about the all time greatness of the Godfather:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avddxEad7u8

btw, I voted no

Voted no too. great film but not the best of all time.

Damn your avatar man. Every time I read your posts I hear Stewie's voice on my head ROTFLMAO

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For me, it's the Seven Samurais the most perfect movie of all time.

I would definately put that film in my top 10.

The Godfather is a fantastic film but I think The Godfather II is a better.

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It wasn't his intention to amuse you. Elmer Bernstein's rejected score has been a holy grail for many film score buffs and badly needs to be released legitimately.

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That's not too bad a track record. Lots of the greatest films were directed by people who later burnt out or completely lost it (Scott, Coppola, Lucas, etc.).

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Let's put it this way, if the Godfather is the greatest ever, how is it that Godfather II is widely considered to be superior?

The same can be safely said for EMMANUELLE II and BASIC INSTINCT II

Spielberg is an overrated director himself. He has maybe about 5 superb films, the rest are just great blockbusters.

I wouldn't go so far as to call 1941, ALWAYS, THE COLOR PURPLE, EMPIRE OF THE SUN, AMISTAD as "great blockbusters"

That's not too bad a track record. Lots of the greatest films were directed by people who later burnt out or completely lost it (Scott, Coppola, Lucas, etc.).

Don't forget Alan Smithee and Barbra Streisand

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That's not too bad a track record. Lots of the greatest films were directed by people who later burnt out or completely lost it (Scott, Coppola, Lucas, etc.).

I suppose. I still think Ridley Scott makes great films though. Gladiator being his best in recent years.

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Spielberg has made 6 masterpieces, IMO.

Masterpieces: E.T., Raiders, ToD, LC, Jurassic Park, Jaws

Good - Near Masterpiece: Indy 4, CE3K, Catch Me If You Can, Minority Report, WotW

Okay: Hook, A.I., Empire of the Sun, The Terminal, The Lost World,

Bad: 1941

But there are many I haven't seen yet.

I love popcorn film, but occasionally I want something that engages the mind.

Same here. I just wouldn't consider any of those films the greatest ever made.

Out of all the films that I consider to be my favorite, the closest of those to being a non-popcorn film would be Big Fish, unless Signs counts.

And you can't say that RotK doesn't engage the mind, even if it's not as serious as The Godfather.

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