The Language of Film in The Godfather

Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece based on co-screenwriter Mario Puzo’s blockbuster novel is routinely praised as a family saga of Shakespearean grandeur, a uniquely American tale that paints a flaws-and-all portrait of our nation, a sterling exemplar of cinematic storytelling, and a cultural touchstone. Yet what most people don’t think about – or aren’t aware of – is that The Godfather could not be any of these things without first being a compendium of finely executed film techniques. In this lecture, we will examine clips from The Godfather to gain both a better understanding of editing, cinematography, and more – a greater appreciation of the film. Surely, we’ve made you an offer you can’t refuse.

Guest Speaker:
Andrew J. Douglas, Ph.D., is the deputy director at Bryn Mawr Film Institute (BMFI), a non-profit film center outside Philadelphia. Previously, he was BMFI’s founding director of education, having joined the organization in July 2005, four months after its opening. The programs he started educate roughly 5000 students of all ages about film each year. Dr. Douglas has given talks at Yale University and Johns Hopkins University and has written for Film International and the Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, among other publications. He has been used as an excuse for his grandmother to meet Robert Redford and was dressed down by Harrison Ford, whom Dr. Douglas still thinks is America’s greatest living leading man.

This talk will take place on Tuesday, November 19 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm online via Zoom.