“A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man…”

Don Corleone – “The Godfather”

50 YEARS OF FAMILY…

On February 25, 2022, Francis Ford Coppola‘s American crime classic, The Godfather was rereleased in theaters for the 50th Anniversary of the film’s original theatrical release on March 24, 1972. The film was then remastered and rereleased on 4K Ultra HD and Digital on March 22, 2022. The film is based on the 1969 crime novel of the same title by Mario Puzo, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, and Diane Keaton. It is the first installment in The Godfather trilogy, which chronicles the Corleone family under patriarch Vito Corleone, played by Brando, from 1945 to 1955. It also focuses on the transformation of his youngest son, Michael Corleone, played by Pacino, and his rise from a reluctant family outsider to a ruthless mafia boss.

‘TIS THAT TIME OF YEAR…

In 2010, AMC Network became the gift that keeps on giving in the holidays season. It started playing The Godfather Part I and Part II on Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas and they would it would be an all-day marathon. If you missed the daytime run of the films, you could stay up into the wee hours of the night waiting to get up for some early Black Friday shopping and spend “Thanksgiving With The Godfather”, or when the hustle and bustle of the holidays have passed and everyone is happy with what Santa brought them so you just want to lay around enjoying some film classics. And why not, the kids are off playing in their rooms with their new gifts, why not enjoy “The Godfather After-Christmas Marathon” and indulge in some “pornography of violence,” as quoted from a New York Times article from 1974 that took issue with the film playing on television during the day with children possibly viewing it. So how does one associate The Godfather with “family’ and the cheerful holiday season? Regardless of the violent nature of the crime film, it centers around the loyalty and love of an Italian family in America and the holidays are about the love of family and spending time with the ones you car about and showing gratitude for the time given together. That’s just one simple way to explain how the 50 year old crime classic and Academy Award Best Picture winner of 1973 is right where it belongs on AMC. But there is also the holiday scenes in The Godfather that at least make it relevant to be airing during the holiday’s.

FAMILY TIME…

With all of that being said it should be pretty clear to you by now why The Godfather is the Featured Blog of the month for November! The film just celebrated a milestone anniversary of 50 years, and since it is in fact the holiday season, I’m sure you’re about to run into one of those Corleone family marathons any day now. Since the film is the Featured Blog of the month, you can also expect to see a Critique about those 50 years and the films original release in 1972. You can also expect to read a Recommendation that goes more into depth about why The Godfather is a holiday favorite despite the film’s criminal and violent elements at play throughout. There will also be a Review of the things that you may not have known about the making of the film 50 years ago. You will also get a Top Ten List of My Top Ten Thanksgiving Movies! And last but not least, why you’re reading this blog post, for the Official Trailer for The Godfather that was promoting the 50th anniversary and rerelease of the film in theaters to commemorate it!

You can watch the Official Trailer for The Godfather 50th Anniversary rerelease here: