{"id":18317,"date":"2024-05-09T14:44:40","date_gmt":"2024-05-09T04:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/?post_type=article&p=18317"},"modified":"2024-05-10T11:28:50","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T01:28:50","slug":"faith-family-and-films","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/article\/faith-family-and-films\/","title":{"rendered":"Faith, Family and Films"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Page to Picture Part Three<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

J. K. Tang<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I BELIEVE IN FILM<\/strong>. Film has made me happy. And I hold certain films in particular high regard. This is a film that gives us a sense of freedom, but Coppola\u2019s The Godfather (1972) taught the audience never to dishonour the novel. Indebted to Mario Puzo\u2019s \u2018crime-canon\u2019, this crime-thriller \u201cDon\u201d reigns quietly in the depths of Netflix, \u201cready to make an offer [contemporary audiences] can\u2019t refuse\u201d. As Coppola and Puzo open a retrospective window into 70s \u2018Mafia\u2019 culture, shall we awe at their seamless projection from page to picture?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Title Card<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Under the immense symbolism behind the infamous \u2018puppeteer\u2019 title card, the film perpetuates ideological parallels between \u2018mobster\u2019 crime structures and the Catholic paradigm. Firstly, the titular term, \u2018Godfather\u2019, associates the role of Marlon Brando\u2019s Don Vito Corleone as a paternal figure of authority and power in both his family and New York\u2019s criminal underworld. Hence, the metaphorical \u2018puppeteering\u2019 emphasises the narrative power of Vito for he commands the rise and demise of certain participants in his illicit games. Furthermore, a crucifix binds the deification of the Godfather to the Catholic backbone of Italian-American culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Wedding<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By taking historical glimpses into real-world events, Coppola situates us in a wedding-reception based on the marriage of mobster Salvatore Bonanno to Rosalie Profaci in August 1956. Held in a mansion, located in Long Beach, NY, the suburb was notorious for rum smuggling during America\u2019s prohibition era. A Sicilian wedding in the rum-smuggling neighbourhood. Nothing more \u2018mafia\u2019 than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As Don Vito wrestles with the instability of organised crime, Coppola commits to layers of subtle cuts between the confines of his office and the glamour of the Corleone wedding. Thus, elucidating the bi-faceted responsibilities as \u2018The Don\u2019; family-man and mob-boss. Running very Mod B Henry IV (Part I) undertones here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amidst the festive affairs, we immerse ourselves into Michael\u2019s distant reality. His anecdotal exposition contextualises, not only Corleone\u2019s past, but foreshadows the events of Corleone\u2019s future. Via these close-ups, we are intimate and drawn to his story as he rises from a prodigal son to a worthy successor of Vito\u2019s criminal empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In just twenty seven minutes, the genius of Puzo and Coppola has already \u201cmade an offer [we] can\u2019t refuse\u201d. Consider the history, the location and theological semantic field. In just twenty seven minutes, \u201cthe first Godfather is in the best 20 movies of all time\u2026\u201d \u2013 Mario Puzo, himself.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

More than novels. More than \u2018films\u2019. Have \u2018faith\u2019 that I will continue this intermedial journey into the expansive story of cinema\u2019s most dangerous crime \u2018family\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

J. K. Tang<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":18326,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","article_category":[10],"article_tag":[],"class_list":["post-18317","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","article_category-student-journalism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/18317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18317"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"article_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_category?post=18317"},{"taxonomy":"article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/shore-weekly-record\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_tag?post=18317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}