Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall in the Francis Ford Coppola movie ‘The Godfather Part II’

Matt Lynn Digital reviewed the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather (1972) in January 2023. Today, we look to Ford Coppola‘s sequel as released in December 1974, namely The Godfather Part II (1974). Both claim the Mario Puzo book The Godfather as source material, with screenwriting credit for Puzo and Ford Coppola.

(From left, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The original movie told the story of a clandestine organized crime dynasty’s transfer from an aging patriarch to a reluctant son of the original; the second movie tells of the early life and career of that patriarch from Sicily, Italy to New York City, New York as prequel while showing the son expand and control the dynasty as sequel. This storytelling decision to expand upon the original while speaking to the fate of the Don Vito Corleone’s family broke cinematic ground with meaning while offering satisfaction.

(From left, Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone and Leopoldo Trieste as Signor Roberto in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The story of Don Michael Corleone within The Godfather Part II opens in 1958 in Lake Tahoe on the California and Nevada border, accepting meetings in that role on the day of his son’s First Communion. Capo Frankie Pentangeli raises dismay about extracurricular behavior in the Bronx by Jewish mobster Hyman Roth’s organization. Meanwhile, Senator Pat Geary insults the Corleones specifically and Italians generally, demanding a bribe for casino operations that Michael aims not to pay. A failed assassination attempt on Michael Corleone leads him, while departing, to confide in consiglieri Tom Hagan that he, Corleone, fears a traitor exists within the organization. Al Pacino, Michael V. Gazzo, Lee Strasberg, G.D. Spradlin and Robert Duvall portrayed Corleone, Pantengeli, Roth, Geary and Hagan, respectively.

(Giuseppe Sillato as Don Francesco in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The story of Don Vito Corleone starts within The Godfather Part II as nine-year-old Vito Andolini in the Corleone neighborhood of Sicily in 1901. An insult to Mafia chieftain Don Francesco by Vito’s father led to the murder of Vito’s family, with Vito fleeing to New York City with the name Vito Corleone. It was 1917 that Vito loses his job due to interference by Don Fanucci before Vito’s neighbor, Peter Clemenza, asks Vito to hold some guns to avoid criminal consequences. The pair later strike up the beginnings of the Corleone crime empire while we get to meet Vito’s wife, Carmela, and the couple’s four kids. Oreste Baldini, Giuseppe Sillato, Robert De Niro, Gastone Moschin, Bruno Kirby, Francesca De Sapio, Roman Coppola and Louis Marino portrayed Vito Andolini – as a Boy, Don Francesco, Vito Corleone, Don Fanucci, young Peter Clemenza, young Carmela Corleone, Sonny Corleone – as a Boy and young Michael Corleone.

(From left, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone and John Cazale as Fredo Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The stories escalate from there, with Michael moving against Geary for political support while aiming for business plans in Cuba. Intrigue with Pentangeli and Roth bring Johnny Ola and Fredo Corleone into clearer focus, while Geary goes to bat for Michael Corleone and the Corleone criminal enterprise against a Senate Committee in Washington DC. When Mama (Carmela) Corleone as portrayed by Morgana King, drama for Michael comes full force with revelations for Connie, Fredo, Kay and the ongoing legacy of the family. Meanwhile with the prequel, a partnership with Salvatore Tessio brings additional friction with Don Fanucci that leads to the initial expansion of the Corleone crime family that many years later becomes the storyline explored with Michael. Dominic Chianese, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton and John Aprea portrayed Johnny Ola, Fredo Corleone, Connie Corleone, Kay Adams Corleone, and Young (Salvatore) Tessio, respectively.

(Diane Keaton as Kay Adams Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The Godfather Part II movie raises so many questions and suspense that are resolved with clarity, directness and brutality. Loyalty and betrayal are strong themes running throughout; that the story of Vito Corleone and Michael Corleone have moved from an initial innocence to an assertive, yet seemingly principled criminal philosophy is remarkable and substantial when looked at in parallel. I grant The Godfather Part II as directed by Francis Ford Coppola 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, April 6, 2024

Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando and Robert Duvall in the Francis Ford Coppola movie ‘Apocalypse Now’

The Francis Ford Coppola homage to the Vietnam War captures our focus today. The conflict itself had the United States getting between two warring parties in Vietnam; the conflict extended into Laos and Cambodia. The story presented in Apocalypse Now (1979) uses these historic truths to craft a story reminiscent of the Joseph Conrad book Heart of Darkness, as reviewed here.

(From left, Martin Sheen as U.S. Army Captain Benjamin Willard, Jerry Ziesmer as CIA Agent Jerry Moore, G.D. Spradlin as Lieutenant General R. Corman and Harrison Ford as Colonel G. Lucas in the Francis Ford Coppola movie Apocalypse Now).

The fictional Nùng River supplies the path that the classified mission U.S. Army Captain Benjamin Willard, as portrayed by Martin Sheen, is ordered to take through Vietnam into Cambodia to find and end, with extreme prejudice, the continuing and unauthorized military leadership of one Colonel Walter E. Kurtz. Kurtz, bearing the same name surname as the pursued antagonist in Heart of Darkness, was portrayed by Marlon Brando.

(From left, Sam Bottoms as Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Lance B. Johnson and Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel William ‘Bill’ Kilgore in Francis Ford Coppola movie Apocalypse Now).

The journey proves itself a path into each man’s heart of darkness, with an escalating sense of naivete growing from one incident to another into insanity. An early example encountered by the river patrol boat included questionable support from a helicopter-based assault unit commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore. Kilgore, portrayed by Robert Duvall, demonstrates a shocking suspicion towards using his command ethically. Supporting Captain Willard’s mission only gains appeal once the surfing prowess of Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Lance B. Johnson is revealed. A famous speech by Kilgore follows the raid, occurring with its own brand of whimsy, with Sam Bottoms having portrayed Johnson.

(From left, Albert Hall as Chief Petty Officer George Phillips and Laurence Fishburne as Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Tyrone ‘Mr. Clean’ Miller in the Francis Ford Coppola movie Apocalypse Now).

Tensions rise into the continued journey owing to the increasing severity of the philosophical and moral tension Willard and the crew of the patrol boat are under. A scene with a local family trying to protect their dog echoes the rising insanity for the crew of the river boat, with the darkness taking over the spirit of the enterprise. Willard starts challenging Chief Petty Officer George Phillips, as portrayed by Albert Hall, for control of the ship. Sailing beyond the last American outpost on the Nùng River, with echoes of the identical mission of Richard Colby in his head after seeing the horrors of an outpost with leadership. Scott Glenn portrayed Colby.

(From left, Dennis Hopper as an American photojournalist and Frederic Forrest as Engineman 3rd Class Jay ‘Chef’ Hicks in the Francis Ford Coppola movie Apocalypse Now).

Arrival at the temple compound Kurtz has taken command of is fraught with peril. A photojournalist portrayed by Dennis Hopper serves as a reluctant go-between for Kurtz and Willard. Engineman 3rd Class Jay ‘Chef’ Hicks, as portrayed by Frederic Forrest, serves as a confidant for Willard in this moment, and pays owing to the tactically superior Kurtz. The questions surrounding where empathy, sympathy, duty, judgment, self-awareness and cultural conflicts borne of hearts turned dark are drafted in the human condition; the mask of military service, mandated or otherwise, is a mask many wear in Apocalypse Now.

(Marlon Brando as Colonel Walter E. Kurtz in the Francis Ford Coppola movie Apocalypse Now).

Friend of the Matt Lynn Digital blog, Airport Friend, ranks this film among his ten best. John Milius, Michael Herr and Coppola all shared writing credit for Apocalypse Now, a winner of two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs and a Palme d’Or from the Cannes Film Festival. High ratings among critics and general audiences on Rotten Tomatoes also exist. I grant the Francis Ford Coppola directed and produced movie Apocalypse Now 4.25-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and James Caan in the Francis Ford Coppola movie ‘The Godfather’

I’ve known for a significant time that the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather (1972) has been well regarded in many circles. The movie has been on friend Cobra‘s listing of best movies for far too long to not offer our thoughts for the crime drama set primarily in New York City, New York, United States, Sicily, Italy, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

(From left, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone and Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The Godfather movie, along with the two sequels that followed, are drawn from the Mario Puzo book named The Godfather. The story begins in 1945 in New York City with the receiving of requests by the father of Constanzia ‘Connie’ Corleone as she is due to marry Carlo Rizzi. Connie and Carlo were portrayed by Talia Shire and Gianni Russo, respectively. Mafia don Vito Corleone, as portrayed by Marlon Brando, is compelled by tradition to accept all requests in this setting. Former marine and squeaky-clean Michael Corleone introduces his girlfriend, Kay Adams, to the family at the wedding reception. Michael and Kay were portrayed by Al Pacino and Diane Keaton, respectively.

(From left, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen and John Marley as Jack Woltz in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The film offers really solid exposition of the power dynamics and traditions for the family as established by the family patriarch Vito, along with the command-and-control structure of the working the business. For example, a wedding day request from Vito’s godchild Johnny Fontane, a popular singer, was in gaining a feature role in a movie to be made by a studio run by Jack Woltz. Corleone sent his consigliere, or underboss, Robert Duvall to see Woltz about addressing the casting request. The exceptionally clear response to being rebuffed by Woltz quickly changed when a shocking crime was perpetrated upon Woltz and his prize horse, which quickly prompted Woltz to change the casting decision to Fontane’s benefit. Al Martino, John Marley and Robert Duvall portrayed Fontane, Woltz and Hagen, respectively.

(From left, Richard S. Castellano as Peter Clemenza and Lenny Montana as Luca Brasi in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

It was soon after these dynamic introductions that the Corleone family is approached drug baron Virgil Sollozzo to enter the drug trade. The friction that informs much of the movie begins with this meeting, wherein the decision to decline the offer to protect the Corleone political connections leads to an escalating series of back-and-forth intrigue. Don Vito Corleone suspicion escalates beyond Sollozzo to the man’s business connections, with the rejection of a business collaboration perceived as an insult. Luca Brasi suffers for this rather quickly, with Peter Clemenza continuing to serve the Corleone family with what follows. Al Lettieri, Lenny Montana and Richard S. Castellano portray Sollozzo, Brasi and Clemenza, respectively.

(From left, James Caan as Sonny Corleone and Talia Shire as Constanzia ‘Connie’ Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The escalating feud among the leading mobster families provokes conflict that really disrupts the way the Corleone family is led. Circumstances call into question who should lead the family and how to address an attack on the family patriarch. Sonny Corleone, as portrayed by James Caan, Fredo Corleone as portrayed by John Cazale and Michael Corleone diverge in their support for the family with two of the three leaving for Las Vegas and Sicily, respectively. The family rallies around their father while pursuing different ends, while it is the situation precipitated by the offer of the drug business that sparked the conflict among the families.

(From left, Diane Keaton as Kay Adams-Corleone and Simonetta Stefanelli as Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The notion of loyalty underpins so much of the storytelling at this point in the larger story. Connie’s husband Carlo has become abusive while Carlo’s brothers-in-law are set about their business. One of the brothers gets married only to have his wife meet an exceedingly bad end. With Connie pregnant to Carlo and another brother getting killed with the animosity between the families, the core point of the film becomes almost inevitable; who leads the family when Vito Corleone ultimately dies? Will any within the family have the will and the capacity for the leadership? Will the family continue on for another generation?

(From left, Alex Rocco as Moe Greene and John Cazale as Fredo Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The resolution to these artfully raised questions brings so many changes. One brother’s temper does him in. Another making questionable judgments while not sticking up for himself leads to separate problems. Vito Corleone’s grooming leads to an interesting outcome, along with a change in the disposition of the siblings, the family and the marriages for the two wedded siblings at the end of the movie. The trajectory of the family coupled with the emotional dynamics really worked will against a clearly difficult backdrop of criminal drama.

(From left, Richard Conte as Barzini, Victor Rendina as Philip Tattaglia and Al Lettieri as Virgil Sollozzo in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The Godfather movie raises so many questions; the flick resolves so much with a directness, clarity and brutality that feels appropriate to the place this story lives. That the story doesn’t seem to meander despite coming in at a longer than typical length is a testament to the quality of the cinematic achievement; the settings and costumes feel remarkable in their own right. With so much that works, I grant The Godfather as directed by Francis Ford Coppola 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, January 7, 2023

Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Robert Duvall in the Tony Scott movie ‘Days of Thunder’

2022 was a summer of revisiting a 20th century adrenaline-infused collaboration of director Tony Scott and actor Tom Cruise. With this film review, we look into the other adrenaline-infused need for speed with the movie Days of Thunder (1990).

(From left, Nicole Kidman as Dr. Claire Lewicki and Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle in the Tony Scott movie Days of Thunder).

The movie Days of Thunder introduces us to young racer Cole Trickle of the Eagle Rock community of Los Angeles County, California. Trickle, as portrayed by Tom Cruise, had success on the World of Outlaws circuit of racing. Realizing that he wouldn’t be able to rise to the level of financial backing to compete at the Indianapolis 500, Cole Trickle’s fortunes took a turn for the better when Chevrolet dealership tycoon Tim Daland, as portrayed by Randy Quaid, recruited him to race on what in 1990 was called the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

(From left, Robert Duvall as Harry Hogge and John C. Reilly as Buck Bretherton in the Tony Scott movie Days of Thunder).

Daland had recruited crew chief and car builder Harry Hogge, as portrayed by Robert Duvall, out of retirement to lead Cole’s pit crew. Hogge had retired so as to avoid a NASCAR investigation of Hogge’s role in the death of driver Buddy Bretherton. The introduction of personalities and histories weren’t completely smooth, as Buck Bretherton became Cole Trickle’s car chief with this deal. John C. Reilly portrayed Buck Bretherton.

(From left, Randy Quaid as Tim Daland and Michael Rooker as Rowdy Burns in the Tony Scott movie Days of Thunder).

The transition to the NASCAR racing style began for Trickle with the race in Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Besides the intimating style of racing by Winston Cup champion and dirty driver Rowdy Burns, as portrayed by Michael Rooker, communicating with his crew and the aerodynamics of NASCAR racing were a challenge. Races at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennesse, Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware and Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina led to further communication difficulty.

(From left, Cary Elwes as Russ Wheeler and Fred Thompson as Big John in the Tony Scott movie Days of Thunder).

Things would begin to turn the corner at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Things between Burns and Trickle as competitors take a dangerous turn at the Firecracker 400 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Cole Trickle develops a romantic relationship with neurosurgeon Dr. Claire Lewicki, as portrayed by Nicole Kidman, in the aftermath. NASCAR President Big John, as portrayed by Fred Thompson, intervenes between Trickle and Burns after their incident, though as interesting exchange involving rental cars occurs before the heat of this latter relationship diminishes. Meanwhile, Russ Wheeler, as portrayed by Cary Elwes, races in Burns’ place as the two recover.

(From left, actor Tom Cruise and director Tony Scott during the filming of the Tony Scott movie Days of Thunder).

The drama that climbs to the surface at the Daytona 500 to start the next racing season, with many strings of story coming to a head with how the race resolves itself, were satisfying if a bit predictable. The racing scenes themselves were more realistic than I’ve seen in other racing films. The extreme sense of wills clashing seems legitimate to the sport of auto racing, however. It is in this space that my regard for the film improves. Overall, I give Days of Thunder as directed by Tony Scott and co-produced by Jerry Bruckheimer 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, August 20, 2022

Viola Davis, Colin Farrell and the film ‘Widows’

Thanks to the British mini-series Widows (1983-1985). That 7-episode series inspired the film featuring an ensemble cast in modern-day Chicago, Illinois. The plot follows four women attempting to steal $5 million from the home of a prominent local politician to pay $2 million to a local crime boss. The women’s husbands were killed in a botched getaway attempt from that local crime boss. The film that resulted is Widows (2018).

(Screenwriter Gillian Flynn left, and Screenwriter/Director Steve McQueen of the film Widows).

Writing credits for the film go to director Steve McQueen and writer Gillian Flynn. The film opens with the depiction of a $2-million theft from a crime boss aiming for Chicago alderman named Jamal Manning. Manning (portrayed by Brian Tyree Henry) and his brother Jatemme (as portrayed by Daniel Kaluuya) are the initial crime victims who give Veronica (as portrayed by Viola Davis) the ultimatum to return the cash set on fire in one month’s time.

(Daniel Kaluuya as Jatemme Manning, left, and Brian Tyree Henry, right, as Jamal Manning in the film Widows).

The heist gone wrong was established by Harry Rawlings, as portrayed by Liam Neeson, husband to Veronica. The spouses Linda (as portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez), Alice (as portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki), and Amanda (as portrayed by Carrie Coon) died in the fire. For a significant portion of the film, it was presumed that Harry Rawlings had also died and left a book depicting his past crimes for Veronica to use for extortion purposes following his presumed passing.

(Liam Neeson as Harry Rawlings and Viola Davis as Veronica in the film Widows).

Unable to gain a meaningful extortion from the criminal past of her husband, Veronica convinced Linda and Alice to participate in the detailed heist left behind by Harry Rawlings. Alice, under coercion by her mother (as portrayed by Jacki Weaver), enters almost immediately into an exclusive sexual relationship for money. The arrangement leads to the acquisition of plans used to execute the theft planned by the widows. Alice recruits a fourth of the widow heist in Belle, as played by Cynthia Erivo. Amanda as a new mother, and in a extra-marital relationship with Harry Rawlings, chose not to participate in the heist.

(Michelle Rodriguez as Linda, left, and Elizabeth Debicki as Alice in the film Widows).

The home that Veronica and three ladies were do to rob was the home of current alderman of the eight ward of Chicago, Tom Mulligan (as played by Robert Duvall). Mulligan is a corrupt, bigoted, gruff old politician beset with the political sense of a criminal politician that expects and gives loyalty. Mulligan’s son, Jack, is running for alderman against crime boss Jamal Manning, and is complicit in the graft of his father. Jack Mulligan and Tom Mulligan have differing views for how to run Jack’s campaign for alderman, yet aims to keep the family (and his son) relevant to Chicago politics.

(From left to right, Carrie Coon as Amanda, Cynthia Erivo as Belle and Robert Duvall as Tom Mulligan in the film Widows).

Jack Mulligan reveals himself as the crook you hope he isn’t in the face of contentious conversations between he and his father. Campaign aid Siobhan (as played by Molly Kunz) serves on Jack’s inner circle, in fact aiming to talk truth about the nature of his leadership when Jack experiences self-doubt. The truth of Jack’s nature evolves over the course of the film, perhaps making the telling of his character one of the more relevant and rewarding of the entire film. A similar depth of narrative arc for Veronica and Alice are explored through the course of the film.

(From left to right, Viola Davis as Veronica, Colin Farrell as Jack Mulligan and Molly Kunz as Siobhan in the film Widows).

There is surprising depth of action and character through the course of this film. The audience reception to this film had to do with the side stories that gave the viewing some intelligence, in my opinion. My sense is the film offers more than it has too, with some clues and twists that ultimately pan out well if not exceptionally. I further enjoyed the means through which the traditional script for this type of film was flipped to allow for women, including minority women, to take leading roles. My grade for Widows is 3.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, September 04, 2019

Remakes and Sequels in the Service of Story

Matt Lynn Digital recently reviewed the Disney animated movie Dumbo (1941). We did so anticipating the live action movie Dumbo (2019)‘s theatrical release in the United States on Friday, March 29th. Without making a fine distinction between remake and reboot, we at Matt Lynn Digital wanted to review why some remakes work well while also looking at why sequels, as a distinct thing from remakes, also are worth the time.

(The movie A Star Is Born was first made in 1937 with remakes in 1954, 1976, and 2018).

Followers of the 2019 Academy Awards will recognize A Star is Born (2018) as a featured nominee for best movie. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga starred in the directorial debut for Cooper. Part of the success this movie enjoyed rested in starring a well-known musician and actor (Cooper and Gaga) in featured roles executing their craft using contemporary film and musical take on a movie that had been made three times before. A Star Is Born (1976) with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, A Star Is Born (1954) with Judy Garland and James Mason, and A Star is Born (1937) with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March were others that succeeded with a similar compelling story.

(1939’s movie The Wizard of Oz was remade as The Wiz in 1978).

We at Matt Lynn Digital have ranked the movie The Wizard of Oz (1939) as the fourth best movie ever made. Starring Judy Garland and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion singing and dancing in the service of an adventure of rural versus city, labor versus management, poor versus rich, the music enhanced the telling of a story that has endured for many years. The same themes with a Motown soundtrack and an African American cast including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor starred in The Wiz (1978). A powerful story serving powerful audiences are powerful reasons to remake a movie.

(1982’s musical movie Annie was remade in 1999 and 2014. All take inspiration from Little Orphan Annie of 1932).

The final look into remade movies includes the music filled song of looking towards tomorrow with family with Annie (1982). In reprising a heartwarming tale of the adventures of a young girl in finding her family, whereas The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz both reinforce getting back home, the original stars Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Aileen Quinn and others. Annie (1999) rebooted the franchise for television with Kathy Bates as a notable star. Annie (2014) offered an entertaining review of the movie with a more robust and contemporary telling of the underlying story with stars Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhané Wallis, and Cameron Diaz. The 1982 and 2014 movies experienced commercial success. Each of these movies trace back to the comedy and drama Little Orphan Annie (1932).

The notion of making sequels to movies often is more creatively deliberate. Its goals are often are not to retell a story with a more modern take or for a more modern audience, as we explored with some examples above. Instead, sequels seek to extend a story or take themes explored within a story to something more robust or fanciful.

(1972’s The Godfather experienced sequels in 1974 and 1990).

The Godfather (1972) joins with The Godfather: Part II (1974) and The Godfather: Part III (1990) to tell the trials and tribulations of an Italian American mafia family with the surname Corleone. The story tells of how Vito Corleone became a major American criminal, how he died, and then how his youngest son Michael Corleone succeeded him and then became corrupted. The first two movies often are considered superior to the third movie in the sequence. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, and Talia Shire are notable stars in these movies.

(2005’s Batman Begins was followed by The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises in 2008 and 2012, respectively).

The Dark Knight Trilogy of movies collectively refers to Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Heath Ledger are notable stars telling the background story of Bruce Wayne (aka Batman), his becoming a crime fighter, and some graphic crime and violence he fights while simultaneously fighting his own emotional baggage wrought by the death of his parents at the hand of violent crime. Christopher Nolan became a director of worldwide reputation thanks to these movies.

(The 1975 blockbuster movie Jaws was followed by sequels in 1978, 1983, and 1987).

The movie Jaws (1975) led to three sequels, namely Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws 3-D (1983), and Jaws: The Revenge (1987). The first movie launched the career of director Steven Spielberg, who directed only the first movie. Roy Scheider starred in the first two movies, as did Murray Hamilton, and Lorraine Gary. Other notable stars in the original were Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss. The notion for all four movies was to extend the suspenseful interplay between unsuspecting folks on the beach, a hungry great white shark, and the engaging conflict the allows the audience to question who is the predator and who is the prey. Each movie in the series had a different director. Both the quality and originality of the series suffered from one movie to the next in this series, which is to say that this series demonstrates cases where sequels failed in the mission to extend the story into new and original places.

In walking through some notable remakes and movie sequels, my aim was to begin a dialogue for where one or the other is appropriate. Especially with some examples of sequels, we are aiming to stake more ground for where sequels are not appropriate. For example, two sequels for Batman Begins seem justified, and a second sequel for The Godfather seems unwarranted. Multiple follow-ups for Jaws seem clearly unnecessary. The remakes of films largely seem justifiable reaches into new territory. What do you think?

Matt – Wednesday, March 27, 2019