Isla Dhillon
Unit 16 Lo1:
The godfather analysis
Development
How does the camera follow the action in the horses head scene?
How does the movement create pace?
1. The camera follows the action, the camera leads you into the upstairs
bedroom and to the person sleeping, his horses head is chopped off and
Mr Walt wakes up to blood on his hand which the camera follows down to
the end of the bed where his horses head is, he wakes up to blood
everywhere and theres a gran unveil as the music and camera slowly
develop and build up tension. The camera is doing a tracking shot and it is
following the action throughout this scene. The tracking shot follows the
action, creating pace as there is a build of tension, this makes a scene
more realistic and the audience feel the emotion more, its continuous
therefore engaging the audience more as its more realistic.
Also follows the action from room to room- why do you think this
has been used here?
2. The camera follows the action from room to room, I think this has been
used here as it creates a more realistic atmosphere engaging the audience
and making them feel as if they are there creating emotion as its effective.
How does this compare to the camera following the action in the
Lumiere Brothers the factory?
3. The Lumiere brothers technique was different to the way the camera
follows the action in the horse scene in the godfather as they used
multiple different snippet of shots to create a film where movement may
be minimum and slower; this makes the film more unrealistic whereas with
the tracking shot it follows the action as a faster piece therefore making it
more realistic.
Are there any scenes which show multiple points if view, explains
what happens.
4. Scenes that show multiple view are minimum in this film, I thought that
this was due to Michael the character was telling the story throughout the
film therefore was all in one opinion. Although there are scenes where
people have different points of view in arguments and in meeting
throughout the film.
There are multiple shot variations throughout the Godfather- list
the ones you believe to be the most important. For example
were the close ups on faces which allowed the viewer closer to
the emotions of the actor, how about low angle shots to shot the
mood or importance of a character?
5. Throughout the film there are many action scenes, there are many camera
techniques used such as a low angle shot which is where the camera is
angled facing up to help make the character look more powerful this is
used when Michael is in the restraint with the gun before he is about to
murder the two men for trying to set up his dad.
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How do these shot variations compare to those shown in a trip to
the moon (look back and discuss)
6. Some of the shot variations are different to the shot variations shown in a
trip to the moon as
Storytelling
How would you say the godfather engaged the viewer and kept
them interested? Explain how the story developed over time?
How much time passed from the beginning to the end of the
film?
1. The film is stretched out in time, its from the year 1945 to 1955, it
shows how Michael became in power and the death of the godfather,
the first film is all about Michaels life as he basically tells the story.
How has the rhythm of the edit engaged the viewer? Is it slow
or fast- compare to other films?
2. The rhythm of the edit of the film in the godfather relies on aspects
such as sounds, different shots, movements within the shots also beat,
and accent and pace of the film help determine how the rhythm edit
can engage the audience. In the godfather many aspects which can
affect the rhythm edit have been used to help engage the audience as
it helps contribute towards the viewers emotions and feelings in the
film.
Conventions and technique
1. Watch the dinner conversation, how is the 180 degree rule
used? How effective was this technique?
Mr Walt invites the godfathers friend (tommy) to his house for dinner,
the 180 degree rule is used as the table is the imaginary axis and the
two men are filmed side on and the camera stays straight on, helping
to show equal power from both men. Also a shot reverse shot is used
when Mr Walt kicks out the godfathers friend from his dinner as they
dont get along, this follows up to the horse head scene.
2. There are two scenes where parallel editing and montage is
used
(a)Towards the beginning of the film when Tom, Sonny and Vito
discuss doing business with sollozzo
Parallel editing is used in the first scene of the Godfather during the
scene where the godfathers daughter is getting married in their
family home and the other scene its playing as a parallel effect is
the godfather and his sons having meetings with people in their
family home whilst the wedding is going on, this shows that there
are different events taking place whilst the wedding is on- showing
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the importance of the meeting as its their sisters and daughters
wedding day and they still have business to take care of.
(b)Baptism and murder scene
In the baptism scene in the godfather parallel editing is used as
during the baptisms in changed from the baptism scene jumping
back and forth from another scene. Michael the godfather son is
becoming the godfather of a child at this baptism, so has to say he
renounces Satan. The parallel editing and sound effects which are
church bells make this scene effective as Michael is saying he
renounces Satan every time the church bells ring its showing a
scene of which Michael is committing crimes or acts of violence he
may have been involved in and the murder scene at the end. This
helps create a juxtaposition.
3. Modern day montage is used at (1.25.49) explain what is
happening and how it differs from the soviet montage effect
Modern day montage is used when the godfathers son Michael joins in
with the family business as his dad is ill, he murders a police man that
tried to set up his dad at a dinner as well as another man involved, he
then flees the country. Modern day montage is used as in the film they
are showing a passing of time when Michaels gone to when he comes
back. This modern day montage effect differs from soviet montage as
soviet montage as its not manipulating the idea, its more to entertain.
Aspects of colour such as red are used to signify danger or even
passion as the Michael the godfathers son has left the country and his
girlfriend visits the family house and asks for a letter to be passed on
to Michael.
4. Continuity errors, theres a continuity error- detail what it is
and the effect it has on the viewers.
Theres a continuity error in the godfather in the scene where sonny
the older son of the Godfathers is murdered. There is an error as in the
scene sonny is in a car and is shot at by multiple people with machine
guns, this smashes the windscreen. As two people are following sonny,
as they drive up the camera changes to a shot of them and when it
comes back to the shot of the car the windscreen isnt smashed
anymore and It was before due to the shots being fired it had
shattered. This can be seen as unrealistic as the glass would still be
shattered and it isnt. The audience may then view this as more
unrealistic and impractical.
5. 1.52.31 in the film changes pace- discuss how and why this
effect has been used.
Throughout the godfather the film changes pace, it helps represent to
the audience that its building up tension which therefore engages the
audience further. An example of when the camera changes pace is
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when the Godfather gets shot and the pace slows as they try to get
revenge.
