" I always wanted to use the Mafia as a metaphor for America. Both...have roots in Europe. Basically, both... feel they are benevolent organizations. Both... have their hands stained with blood from that it´s necessary to do to protect their power and interests. Both are totally capitalistic phenomena and basically have a profit motive. Of course it´s a romantic conception of the Mafia.
-Francis Ford Coppola
Movie making is influence. Influence of life, influence of what we see, Influence of what we want. It was there before, it will be there tomorrow. Our amazement at that light in a dark room. An almost religious affair. This movies are my favorite Crime Movies. They´ve influenced me in so many ways i can only try to mention a few.
Movie genres are both, similar and different. They all have their distinct features. The western has the outdoors as atmosphere and the eternal conflict of good vs evil. Horror as atmosphere the unknown and features a darkness that hides in the shadows. And the Crime movies as atmosphere the Big City by featuring the greed of power and money of the human being. Few movies have made what this ones have.
Become the standard.
I BELIEVE IN AMERICA
As Bonazera DEMANDS Vengance with Don Corleone. Don Corleone respectfully DEMANDS RESPECT. If you watch carefuly on Bonazera´s neck when he says(HER NOSE WAS BROKEN) you can see when he raises his hand a shadow made by the small lamp that lights him. As if we were watching a play at the theatre Bonazera asking The Devil for a favor.
Made to resemble a memory or an old yellowish picture....Francis Ford Coppola´s masterpieces The Godfather & The Godfather Part II are the quintessential crime movies from 1972 &1974 to our days. As James Cagney & Humphrey Bogart were inmortalized in that genre. So was Brando, Pacino, De Niro, Duvall, Cazale and James Caan.
The Godfather was born Vito Andolini, in the town of Corleone Sicily. We are witnessing both Michael´s and Vito´s first murder. How by fate they turned their life towards crime and power.And how both of them eventually loose a child by the life they choose.
YOU BROKE MY HEART
Family is synonym for tradition. Such is cooking. Non other than FAT Clemenza is the best for that giving his spaghetti and meat balls recipe. Clemenza tells Michael after hanging up the phone with Kay. "why didn´t you tell that girl you loved her? ...I love you with all my heart" ...Years later Michael mentions his heart not to Kay but to Fredo at the new years party in Cuba. "You broke my heart" Both lines are opposites one of love and advice. The other one as a disappointment and hurtful reminder. As he gives him the kiss of death like Kirk Douglas did in the 1968 movie The Brotherhood.
AND THEN... THEY WILL FEAR YOU
In the Godfather part II, Coppola had the chance to tell his tale on a non linear way of both father and son.That is why the use of fade in´s and fade out´s work so beautiful. It works both ways as a sequel and a prequel. Telling the story of the head of the family, the DON that will not give up and will do everyhting to protect his family and his chair of power.
IT´S NOT PERSONAL IT´S JUST BUSINESS
I´M GONNA MAKE HIM AN OFFER HE CAN´T REFUSE
DON´T EVER TAKE SIDES OUTSIDE THE FAMILY
WE DON´T TALK BUSINESS AT THE TABLE
KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE BUT YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER
To me the greatest advise in movie history in one liners.
"Crime isn´t a disease, it´s a symptom"
-Raymond Chandler (novelist)
"as a director you don´t have to do that... your job is to hire talented people that can do that. Your job is explaining what your vision is"- Terry Gilliam´s advice to Quentin Tarantino
Oliver Stone was inspired by his writing, bought one of his scripts and turned it into Natural Born Killers, about a husband and wife serial-killing duo, and Tony Scott did the same with True Romance, the story of another couple who uncover a cocaine cache.
Quentin Tarantino made a name for himself in 1992 with Reservoir Dogs. But his next movie was distinct, unique and has become an american classic by its style and sounds. As Singin' In The Rain in A Clockwork Orange or Ride Of The Valkyries in Apocalypse Now .
Misrilou is Pulp Fiction.
YOU READ THE BIBLE BRETT?
In 1994 Quentin Tarantino took us to a familiar place called the streets of L.A. in 3 short stories. About a watch, a briefcase and a date with the bosses wife. Never the less Vincent Vega would say: "It´s not a date!!!"
Simple to match? it hasn´t been done in 20 years. What Tarantino learned on the set of Reservoir Dogs he perfected it on Pulp Fiction. He took his love for movies... Embrace it. And put it on FILM.
THE LITTLE DIFFERENCES
"And i will strike down UPON thee with great vengance and furious anger"-Jules
It was, it is, it will forever be an american tale of crime. Mixing AND BLENDING the american pop culture: hamburgers, milk shakes, cartoons and rock n roll. In such a cool way, within 5 mins of the movie we started to like all this bad guys.
A FIVE DOLLAR SHAKE
Not for what they said but how they said it. Taratino´s epic crime movie is a colorful feast and rewachable at any time. It is both timeless and epic. Using the oldest trick in the book. As Coca Cola. He created a product then the LOGO & then he sold it. It is PULP FICTION.
As Jules eats his big Kahuna burger i can´t help but wonder...how much i want a burger! It is visual food marketing. Featuring ICONIC figures as waiters Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. And a memorable dance sequence with Chuck Berry´s "You Never Can Tell ".
WANAKI KEPT HIS WORD
As many movie directors before him, George Lucas had Alec Guiness on STAR WARS. In the Godfather Francis Ford Coppola had Brando. As Harvey Keitel did on Reservoir Dogs to give credibility and respect to a movie. Tarantino got for Pulp Fiction the one and only Christopher Walken. It almost seems as a tribute to The Deer Hunter. Timing mearly 4 and a half minutes of monologue(almost a mini movie on its own) that becomes prologue for what that WATCH means to the story of Butch´s Birth Right.
There are very few directors that inspire so much in just one movie. Orson Wells in Citizen Kane or David Fincher on Seven. This is a tale that proves every body is conected some how. And it doesn´t matter if it´s at the beggining or at the end. We are all supporting roles in everyone elses story. Except our own.
" I wanted you to hear them say very ugly things, I also wanted you to hear them say profound things. I wanted them to come across like fucking idiots one moment and brilliant geniuses the next."
-Quentin Tarantino
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