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For
all my love of cinema there were titles and trends that I've purposely ignored.
Some I probably rightly intuited my disinterest in and others possibly
because they were just too obvious. There were a few times I came around to
watching some of the films I originally dismissed and then genuinely enjoyed
them (I went through film school completely ignoring the French New Wave, only
to become a late convert). So a couple of winters back, I thought,
"What the heck," got out a bottle of red wine and watched The Godfather. I'm not a fan of mob
movies or male-centered films where women seem to barely have supporting roles.
The Godfather is all of those things but I
still enjoyed it- and I especially liked The
Godfather 2. I adore Diane Keaton and appreciate her in the Godfather
films, but as Michael Corleone pushes her away, we don't see her as much. She
had a strong monologue in Godfather 2 though- the "Our marriage is an
abortion" scene.
What
I liked the most and what surprised me, was Al Pacino's performance. I guess I
was used to his louder, expressive performances like in Scarface or Scent of a Woman.
I
didn't know he could be so quiet.
Quiet,
controlled. There was so much weight and power to his portrayal of Michael
Corleone. He was this imposing magnet that the camera, the supporting
characters and the viewer gravitate towards. It's actually one of my favorite
performances. It taught me a lot about acting and the comportment of the silent
actor.
Also-
RIP
Gordon
Willis
