In a way Goncharov (1973) really is the greatest gangster movie ever made. There are thousands of people dreaming up their own versions of this movie. With more plot threads than could ever actually fit into a 2 hour movie. No actual film could ever compare to the imagination of a million strangers and that's weirdly beautiful.
Fred Astaire (Top Hat, Shall We Dance, Easter Parade)—no propaganda submitted
Paul Muni (Scarface)—no propaganda submitted
This is round 1 of the bracket. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage man.
Here are 10 things you should know about Edward G. Robinson, born 130 years ago today. He was a much more versatile actor than he is perhaps given credit for today.
Goncharov (1973) set the standard for Scorsese soundtracks.
It's a given nowadays that any Martin Scorsese film has a great soundtrack, but Goncharov (1973) is where it became a part of Scorsese's signature style. Our titular character Goncharov is introduced to the audience via The Beatles classic 'Back in the U.S.S.R'. Some may see the use of this song as being a bit on the nose but it perfectly illustrates how Goncharov does not want to be back in the U.S.S.R. Because like The Beatles he knows how lucky we are. It may be a cliche that Scorsese uses at least one Rolling Stones song per movie but he has never done it as well as when Sympathy For The Devil fades in at the perfect moment. Mick Jagger sings about how the Devil 'killed the Czar and his ministers' just as Ice Pick Joe has blown away Bruno. The true Devil we sympathise with is Bruno himself. The Stones are used later on with ‘Dead Flowers’ being played over the credits, adding an emotional climax to Goncharov putting flowers on Katya’s grave. Flowers are a recurring theme. Goncharov laments how the beauty of his home country has been torn away by Stalinism, literally asking ‘Where have all the flowers gone’ in an earlier scene. The use of Pete Seeger's song of the same name after Katya’s death implies that the beautiful Katya being killed has taken the joy out of Goncharov’s life, just as Russia has had all traces of colour removed by oppressive communist governments.
In contrast the scenes in Naples are much more upbeat and colourful, reflecting Italy becoming a popular tourist destination in the 1970′s. The soundtrack follows suit using old blues songs such as Muddy Waters ‘Mannish Boy’ and Bo Diddley’s I’m A Man. Which both seem to only highten the movies homoerotic overtones despite their own heterosexual themes. The inclusion of the now famously gay Little Richard’s ‘Freedom Blues’ may imply that Matrin Scorsese knew exactly what he was doing.
WHEN IS A MOVIE SCENE TOO VIOLENT? WHEN COPPOLA DECIDES TO CUT IT FROM HIS EPIC CRIME FILM.
PIC INFO: Spotlight on a deleted scene from Mario Puzo's "The Godfather" (1972), in which Michael returns to America to track down Fabrizio, his former Sicilian bodyguard and the man responsible for the death of his wife Apollonia. Finding him in a pizza parlor, Michael blows him away with a shotgun. The scene was ultimately cut from the film due to its graphic violence.
OVERVIEW: "In the "Godfather" book, Michael tracks down Fabrizio, the bodyguard that tried to kill him (but only succeeded in killing Apollonia). In "Part I," there is a scene that shows Michael recovering and ordering his men to find his former bodyguard. Coppola also filmed a scene in which Michael, toting a lupara just like Fabrizio, confronts him and blows him away, but it was so bloody that it was cut. But Coppola returned to it in "Part II," showing Michael getting the news that Fabrizio had been tracked down."
-- THE PASSION OF CHRISTOPHER PIERZNIK, "Some of My Favorite Deleted Scenes from “The Godfather” Films," published April 18, 2016