When I told my friend I hadn't seen The Godfather (none of the 3 movies) he suggested that this was a major lack in my cultural knowledge, since they are some of the most important movies made.
I also haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. This is another hole in my knowledge, apparently.
I have seen bits of these movies -- some famous scenes -- and my reaction is that they are tiresome. I am just not motivated to sit through them.
I did watch Citizen Kane once, and consider it two hours of my life I won't get back.
There are plenty of movies I like, some of them part of the movie "canon." Some of them are quite demanding.
So ... is it actually important to see The Godfather in order to be culturally literate?
I have not seen I and II of The Godfather. They came out when I was too young to see, so I missed them. I did see III, though.
I have not seen Urban Cowboy either, though that was a big hit at the time, However, I have seen Porky's.
I worked at a theater for three/four years. Porky's ran for 13 weeks! (Again, too young for Urban Cowboy by a little, but I understand it ran about that long.)
Ive seen parts of The Godfather, but not sure why I havent seen the entire movie.
I consider not seeing Godfather 1 & 2 to be heinous!
In part, it hurts the enjoyment of "You've Got Mail"!!!
Why do the two of you hate America so?
I saw Godfather I and learned enough to skip II and III.
I saw the first Star Wars and learned more than enough to skip any others. There are others, aren't there?
I'm guessing you are significantly younger than I am.
If you are Gen X or older, these kind of cultural touchstones are expected. My personal observation is that Gen X was the last American generation to have a cohesive, common, cultural experience. I'm Gen X. We all grew up watching the same TV shows (only 4 channels counting PBS!), and saw the same movies. We know what means to wake up with a horse head in your bed (to pick a Godfather example) or what it means to pull out a MaryLou.
The generations after us, it was more and more fragmented. More channels, options, movies, and then the internet. My students now (young millennials and Gen Z), find it rude to make these kind of cultural assumptions. Harry Potter might be the last gasp of a common experience I can use for jokes etc.
So if you want in with Gen X, yes see the Godfather. I've seen the first and it's impressive in it's own way. FFC just re-cut Godfather 3 to "fix" the issues with it- so it might be interesting to see all three now.
Regarding my age, I can tell you that I saw "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" when it came out. It was a great movie.
Some of my best friends are Gen X, but they are young'uns compared to me.
Quote from: mythbuster on December 04, 2020, 10:08:07 AM
I'm guessing you are significantly younger than I am.
If you are Gen X or older, these kind of cultural touchstones are expected.
[snip]
The generations after us, it was more and more fragmented. More channels, options, movies, and then the internet. My students now (young millennials and Gen Z), find it rude to make these kind of cultural assumptions. Harry Potter might be the last gasp of a common experience I can use for jokes etc.
The common cultural thing (or lack thereof) in younger generations is interesting, though I haven't gotten the feeling they think it's rude to have cultural assumptions. The closest things to cultural connections for my daughter's age (entering college) that are current and shared seem to be memes and things from tiktok, though even those are fragmented by things like income/social class, race, sexuality, etc. The only references/jokes I make any more that consistently land with my students are related to animated Disney movies.
Re the OP: I have not seen the Godfather and it creates a hole in my self-perception as a lover of classic movies. But I can always find something I would rather do than spend 3 hours watching it, so there's that.
I'm far beyond being a Gen Xer, and I've never seen any of The Godfather films. Nor has my first-generation Italian American partner (for cultural reasons).
I used to have a cat named Rosebud, and everyone assumed she was named after Citizen Kane. But I've never seen that either.
Quote from: mythbuster on December 04, 2020, 10:08:07 AM
I'm guessing you are significantly younger than I am.
If you are Gen X or older, these kind of cultural touchstones are expected. My personal observation is that Gen X was the last American generation to have a cohesive, common, cultural experience. I'm Gen X. We all grew up watching the same TV shows (only 4 channels counting PBS!), and saw the same movies. We know what means to wake up with a horse head in your bed (to pick a Godfather example) or what it means to pull out a MaryLou.
The generations after us, it was more and more fragmented. More channels, options, movies, and then the internet. My students now (young millennials and Gen Z), find it rude to make these kind of cultural assumptions. Harry Potter might be the last gasp of a common experience I can use for jokes etc.
So if you want in with Gen X, yes see the Godfather. I've seen the first and it's impressive in it's own way. FFC just re-cut Godfather 3 to "fix" the issues with it- so it might be interesting to see all three now.
Chime with all of the above. But as a Gen Xer, I haven't seen
The Godfather, and have no intention of doing so. I've got to stand out from the crowd somehow!
I have seen
Citizen Kane, among others, in my Turner Classic Movie days before I dropped cable altogether. I think it largely deserves its reputation. And it's surprisingly watchable. I think people are afraid to watch it because:
1. Everybody knows that film critics like movies that regular viewers don't enjoy
2.
Citizen Kane is one of the most-praised movies by film critics ever
3. Therefore
Citizen Kane must surely be every bit as hard to watch as, say
Moby Dick is to read.
Honestly, though, it's not. It's a fairly entertaining movie, and even quite funny in places. Viewers today miss a lot of its groundbreaking quality because so much of what it did is so familiar now.
QuoteI have seen Citizen Kane, among others, in my Turner Classic Movie days before I dropped cable altogether. I think it largely deserves its reputation. And it's surprisingly watchable. I think people are afraid to watch it because:
1. Everybody knows that film critics like movies that regular viewers don't enjoy
2. Citizen Kane is one of the most-praised movies by film critics ever
3. Therefore Citizen Kane must surely be every bit as hard to watch as, say Moby Dick is to read.
None of the above. I just rarely watch movies at home, because they take too long or I fall asleep. I do watch the occasional French or Italian film though, partly for the language practice and partly because I'd like to be in those places. I love to read hard books like Moby Dick though!
Good bye cruel fora. The members have finally and conclusively demonstrated that I do not belong.
I am quite sad.
QuoteI do watch the occasional French or Italian film ...
Reminds me of an experience I had when I was a kid, maybe six years old. Went to the movies, alone, in the morning, maybe 10 AM. There were multiple films shown in those days. The morning one was for kids. When it was over, the usher came to me and said I had to leave because the next movie was going to be a "foreign picture"!
I have seen the Godfathers, though only once each I think, and a long time ago. The first two were pretty good, but I don't necessarily have any strong desire to rewatch them. The third was not good. I have seen the original Star Wars trio and one or two of the others and have the same feeling about rewatching them. Husband and I were just talking about the original three the other night. His favorite is Empire, and I liked the other two better, but I noted that maybe watching them as an adult would result in a different opinion. I'm sure there are a ton of movies I haven't seen that are favorites. And there are movies I have watched over and over again that others don't take to. I am always perplexed when people say they haven't seen or don't like Clue, for example.
ETA: I fell asleep watching Citizen Kane and woke up at the end.
Quote from: fourhats on December 04, 2020, 11:19:17 AM
QuoteI have seen Citizen Kane, among others, in my Turner Classic Movie days before I dropped cable altogether. I think it largely deserves its reputation. And it's surprisingly watchable. I think people are afraid to watch it because:
1. Everybody knows that film critics like movies that regular viewers don't enjoy
2. Citizen Kane is one of the most-praised movies by film critics ever
3. Therefore Citizen Kane must surely be every bit as hard to watch as, say Moby Dick is to read.
None of the above. I just rarely watch movies at home, because they take too long or I fall asleep. I do watch the occasional French or Italian film though, partly for the language practice and partly because I'd like to be in those places. I love to read hard books like Moby Dick though!
I've tried, but didn't make it all the way through
Moby Dick. I read
most of it.
Just out of curiosity, what were some of the reads you found the most challenging?
Godfather I and II are classics. The third is not so well regarded, but it was solid imo. I'm not a big starwars fan (before my time... although I guess that is true of Godfather as well), but the last few were ok.
I've beenin the room when various family members watched The Godfather on TV, so I've seen parts of it. I've never seen Star Wars, although my brother went to the first twice, which was major praise since movie tickets and gas to drive 45 miles to theatre probably cost him a full day's pay bagging groceries. I enjoyed Citizen Kane as part of a campus film series several years ago.
Never seeing Star Wars is a handicap during trivia games with people in my generation and social network. So is my complete lack of knowledge about Friends and Sex & the City.
My dad has watched I & II whenever they're on TV. (AFI has "The Godfather" among its list of great movies) I've watched bits and pieces but not in full. They're so long!
As for III, it's not often on TV. I'd heard it wasn't a great end to the trilogy. However, it's gotten renewed attention because of its theatrical release this week:
https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/1/21755036/godfather-part-3-new-version-cut-review-coda-death-of-michael-corleone (https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/1/21755036/godfather-part-3-new-version-cut-review-coda-death-of-michael-corleone)
Another review:
https://variety.com/2020/film/columns/godfather-3-coda-review-death-of-michael-corleone-francis-ford-coppola-1234846553/ (https://variety.com/2020/film/columns/godfather-3-coda-review-death-of-michael-corleone-francis-ford-coppola-1234846553/)
I haven't seen it, because I make it a point to avoid Mafia movies. I've seen about a million other movies, though.
I too am a Gen Xer who does not care for mob flicks and has never seen a Godfather movie. I have by now seen all Star Wars movies, and really none are as good as the original trilogy (does this have something to do with the fact that I was a kid then but clearly an adult by the time the rebooted the franchise? Still, I do appreciate Gen X cultural assumptions, having seen all the Dirty Harrys, Rambo, various Schwarzenegger and Norris opera, etc., plus 70s disaster movies, perhaps my favorite genre. I used to make Beverly Hillbillies references in class, but wonder whether I will ever do so again, the next time I work as a teacher...
I saw The Godfather on Christmas Day the year it came out, and I was past my teens. Obviously, I am not a Gen Xer.
Gen X here, haven't seen The Godfather.
Many of these movies won't make sense unless you read the film critic reviews and commentaries. Citizen Kane is significant for the camera techniques and directing. I do believe that there are certain movies that everyone should watch at least once. A few that come to mind are Metropolis, Fantasia and Andrei Rublev.
Quote from: Anselm on December 06, 2020, 01:15:19 PM
Many of these movies won't make sense unless you read the film critic reviews and commentaries. Citizen Kane is significant for the camera techniques and directing. I do believe that there are certain movies that everyone should watch at least once. A few that come to mind are Metropolis, Fantasia and Andrei Rublev.
Interesting. But why?
Arguably everyone should read the Iliad and be familiar with some Shakespeare in order to be culturally literate and see how so much depends on such major works. Is there a similar relationship between those movies you mention and what is streaming on Netflix now?
I think I saw Metropolis when I was a kid, but I am not sure. I haven't seen Fantasia or Andrei Rublev. What am I missing?
I'm younger than most everyone here who has responded, but I sincerely think The Godfather I and II are very worth the watch. I don't watch or enjoy lots of mafia movies either. Just really great acting and interesting storylines.
There are so many TV shows and movies today, I agree it's hard to make jokes or references with students that even half of them would get, regardless of how contemporary (Stranger Things) or recent past beloved sitcoms (Friends, Seinfeld) they are.
I didnt see Game of Thrones either, and I think that was probably a pretty widespread show, so there are likely plenty of things that I missed there as part of the culture.
(Though I missed Downton Abby too, and someone already mentioned Sex in the City).
Probably not as culturally long lived, I dont watch The Great race, Survivor, the bachelor, or any other 'vote 'em off' like shows (add The voice, the mask singer, dancing with the stars...)
Still I probably waste too much time in front of the TV as it is! I guess that I will just have to make due with my cultural ignorance!
Quote from: Anselm on December 06, 2020, 01:15:19 PM
Many of these movies won't make sense unless you read the film critic reviews and commentaries. Citizen Kane is significant for the camera techniques and directing. I do believe that there are certain movies that everyone should watch at least once. A few that come to mind are Metropolis, Fantasia and Andrei Rublev.
I've seen all of these except
Andrei Rublev. Everything I've read about it makes it sound like an even grimmer experience than people often assume
Citizen Kane would be.
I've seen parts of all three Godfathers; I've slept through most of each of them on multiple occasions.