Godfather vs Goodfellas
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57368
Printed Date: February 03 2025 at 15:39
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Topic: Godfather vs Goodfellas
Posted By: marktheshark
Subject: Godfather vs Goodfellas
Date Posted: April 22 2009 at 21:23
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Considered by many critics as two of the top gangster sagas in film. Both are groundbreaking in their own right. And not to mention two of my own personal favorite films. Although, I'll put Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America pretty close to these too.
The differences are quite broad. The Godfather, being the most fictional of the two, was a more larger than life and mythical portrayal of the post-WWII Italian mafias. However, Puzo did base a lot of the events on fact. There was in fact a war between the families over the incoming heroine trade. Goodfellas, on the other hand, gives a more factual first hand account of a more modern day look at the mafia today. There wouldn't be a Sopranos without Goodfellas, or the Godfather as well. Me, I go with Goodfellas by a molecule because of it's rapid pacing. Marty just doesn't let up on this film not a dull moment anywhere. Either way, these two films are the result of two Italian/American film geniuses and will stand forever as masterpieces. |
Replies:
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: April 22 2009 at 21:49
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I admire all three Godfather films tremendously but there's something about Goodfellas that's more interesting, it captured a realness I don't think has been recreated in movies since. |
Posted By: rpe9p
Date Posted: April 22 2009 at 22:11
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I'd expect The Godfather to win this poll because of the average age of the people on this forum. Younger people (my generation) seem to prefer Goodfellas, and although it is a good movie, it doesnt come close to the Godfather. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: April 22 2009 at 22:34
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ooh, PA's next big fight |
Posted By: memowakeman
Date Posted: April 22 2009 at 23:33
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Great poll. however my love for Godfather began since i was a child, and i still love it a bit more than Goodfellas, which is also marvelous ------------- Follow me on twitter @memowakeman |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 02:34
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Big fan of both movies & not an easy choice to make; at the end of the day, I think I'd have to go for The Godfather - (1) for its sheer scale (when you take into account II and III that's a 60/70 year history right there) & (2) because it's more a film about family ties & loyalty than it is about crime per se.
One movie I think gets overlooked though is 'Casino' - a great look at the development of Las Vegas & where the money really came from. ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Jimbo
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 02:53
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Godfather for me. Goodfellas is a pretty good movie, but I always felt it lacked something. What that something is, I couldn't say, but I'm just not emotionally attached to it at all.
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Posted By: toolis
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 02:56
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i don't really care for Godfather... 
Goodfellas is awesome, so is Casino(^)... i even care for Donnie Brasco more than Godfather!!!! ------------- -music is like pornography... sometimes amateurs turn us on, even more... -sometimes you are the pigeon and sometimes you are the statue... |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 03:55
I think you answered your own query without realising it - the word is "emotionally"; The Godfather protrayed the whole family as a unit & over the course of the original film (and the sequels) you care what happens to them. Goodfellas, whilst being a great movie, to me doesn't grab you like that - you don't have an attachment to the main characters; you want to know how they get on & what happens to them, but you don't actually care which way it goes in the same way as (for example) you care about Michael Corleone when he's separated from his fiancee & flees to Sicily, only to get married there before his past catches up with him. -------------
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Jimbo wrote:Posted By: marktheshark
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 07:28
In terms of characterization, Godfather wins on that account. Goodfellas is more plot driven than character driven. And you're right Jim, Casino is a fascinating film about the underground workings of the gambling industry. My only problem with that film was it seemed like Marty was just going on autopilot with Goodfellas Part II. Plus I thought he went a good bit over the top with the violence and gore. Still, I just love anything he does and was glad to see him finally nab the Oscar for The Departed. He'd been screwed by the Academy too many times. |
Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 13:34
Casino - finds new uses for pens I'd never previously considered  I just about prefer Goodfellas but there is nothing between them. The Godfather is probably a better piece of "cinema" but the pacing and dark humour of Goodfellas is a winner for me. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 15:46
Scarface 
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: StyLaZyn
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 15:59
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Johnny Dangerously ------------- 
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Posted By: marktheshark
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 16:12
I never really went for that film. Pacino just overacts to no end and the whole thing is just plain unsettling. IMO, Carlito's Way was a much better DePalma/Pacino collaboration. DePalma and Pacino actually showed some restraint on that one. 
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Posted By: mr.cub
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 19:41
Doesn't deserve to be in the same sentence with either of the two films in this poll...a mess to be polite
The Godfather gets my vote. Pt. 2 for its incredible cohesiveness with the two storylines going on. The hospital scene through the shooting at Louie's in the Bronx in The Godfather Pt. 1 is the reason why I love that film and hold in it such high regard
The ending of Pt. 3 when it flashes to Michael dancing with Appolina, then Kate and then his daughter comes to mind...just heartbreaking
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Posted By: rpe9p
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 23:25
| No movie has ever created more powerful and compelling characters than the godfather. The acting and character development in that move is just amazing. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 23 2009 at 23:31
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In all seriousness, I am a big fan of the Godfather series, even 3 which wasn't as well received as the other two. Fascinating movies. Lots of great actors. The music, the violence, the cotton in Brando's cheeks, whatta hamster! And now, say hello to my little friends. So while we're on mobster films, anyone want to opine on the Sopranos? ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: April 25 2009 at 13:32
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The Godfather, and even more, The Godfather 2!!! Perfect movie, even more than the first one. Goodfellas is just as good though, incredible movie, and probably more fun to watch then Godfather too, because of Scorsese´s fast, gritty, rock n roll, style behind the camera. ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: April 25 2009 at 13:42
Carlito´s way? So so movie. Yes, it has all the elements of a great gangster movie, but I´ve seen them all before... kind of what happend to me with the Departured. Great movie, but it´s not new to me, even if it´s done in a very fresh, modern way... ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?"
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Posted By: marktheshark
Date Posted: April 25 2009 at 13:57
I agree that the Departed doesn't measure up to Scorsese's previous masterpieces like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas, but he was well overdue for an Oscar. I about threw a fit when he lost to Costner for Dances With Wolves. Good film, but not nearly as bold as Goodfellas was. That was the second time he lost to an actor making his directorial debut. The other was when he lost on Raging Bull to Redford for Ordinary People. |
Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: April 25 2009 at 18:29
And he never descerved them more than those two times! Ok, Ordinary people is a nice movie, a very good one I might even say... but giving the Oscar to Dances with wolves just shows how popularity wins quality. Damn, even The Departured is another good example. It´s not so much that the Departed won the Oscar, it´s that FINALLY a Scorsese movie won it... and don´t get me started with Slumdog millionaire...  ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?"
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Posted By: marktheshark
Date Posted: April 25 2009 at 20:20
All in all, I thought 2008 was a crappy year for films. I was a bit ticked seeing Clint's Gran Torino ignored. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: April 25 2009 at 20:53
sure, from the episodes I've seen it sucks big monkey balls.. it's dull, very dark without any of the humor or uplift in a film like Goodfellas, and am I crazy or does nothing actually happen ? |
Posted By: Jozef
Date Posted: April 28 2009 at 15:20
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Ouch, I love both of these films equally. If I HAD to choose just one though, I guess I'd go with Goodfellas.
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Posted By: Jimbo
Date Posted: April 28 2009 at 16:08
I understand your sentiment, but during the first seasons I thought it was often hilarious actually! A fearsome, big mob boss crying over the ducks at his pool! It was often funny in a quiet way, so to speak. Admittedly, it got pretty depressing towards the end and lost most of its very subtle humor. Still, it's easily one of my favorite tv shows. -------------
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Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: April 28 2009 at 22:26
Personally I think it was a ... I wouldn´t say good year cause not that many good movies came out, but the good ones, although few, were really good! Benjamin Button, Milk, Wall-e (probably the ebst movie of the year), The Dark Knight, The Wrestler... it was ok... just ok ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?"
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Posted By: Roj
Date Posted: May 06 2009 at 08:33
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Goodfellas.
I just love everything about the film. The cast, the actual filming and the storytelling style. It's one of my favourite films of all. I prefer the combo of De Niro/Pesci/Liotta than Godfather to be honest.
Changing tack a little, what about Heat? De Niro and Pacino are superb with Kilmer and Voight giving good support too. The street shootout after the bank raid was particularly amazing on the big screen.
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Posted By: marktheshark
Date Posted: May 06 2009 at 08:54
Heat was great except that it dragged too long. If they had cut it by about 20-30 min. and picked up the pace a little, it would've been a perfect heist film. And too bad Robert and Al only shared the screen for about 3-4 minutes. |