45. Coppola Cast #26: The Godfather Part III (1990) & Mario Puzo's The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (2020)

At last we come to the end of Michael Corleone’s story and then we come to the end of his story again as we discuss The Godfather Part III (1990) and Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (2020). Bryan and A.J. talk about the movie’s long production history, what motivated Francis Coppola to finally agree to make another Godfather movie, and speculate on what really makes this sequel stand apart so much. We also review Coppola’s recent re-edit of the movie, titled Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. Of course, we discuss the story behind the surprise and controversial casting of Sofia Coppola, her much maligned performance, and the overly harsh criticisms lobbed at her. Other topics include the 1991 Oscars, Catherine Scorsese, and A.J. finds a more relevant way to talk about The Irishman. This episode’s Coppola wines were: Sofia Rose Monterey County 2018 and Sofia Blanc de Blanc

32. Coppola Cast 14: The Godfather Saga (1977)

What would it be like to watch The Godfather Parts I and II in chronological order? We found out! We tracked down the hard to find The Godfather Saga, the TV miniseries which edits both Godfather films together in chronological order and includes additional scenes. It originally aired on NBC in 1977 and has aired on various TV stations since. We discuss what it’s like viewing the two films as one, things we overlooked the first time like ominous oranges, driveway scenes, and a Roger Corman cameo, and which new scenes work and which don’t. This episode’s Coppola wine was Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Red Blend 2017.

31. Coppola Cast 13: The Godfather Part II

It’s a prequel and a sequel in one movie: it’s The Godfather Part II. This episode we review the much acclaimed sequel to The Godfather, that, just like the first one, Francis Ford Coppola did not want to make. We work our way through the film’s parallel plotlines in different eras, dig into the themes, talk about the great performances, and much more. Once again we marvel at the lineup of the 1974 Academy Awards, spoil the less celebrated De Niro/Pacino movie Righteous Kill, and wonder who will be the next filmmaker to deliver two powerhouse films in the same year. This episode’s Coppola wines were: Director’s Coppola Sonoma County 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon and Francis Coppola Diamond Collection 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon. 

28. Coppola Cast #10: The Godfather (1972)

It’s the episode we’ve been excited about since beginning the podcast! After a brief discussion about The Irishman and ice cream we delve into the landmark film, The Godfather (1972). There is so much to talk about in The Godfather that over two bottles of Coppola wine we discuss certain aspects in detail and only scratch the surface on others. We discuss the performances, Gordon Willis’s cinematography, the stylized presentation of the mafia, and how The Godfather permeated into pop culture. This episode’s Coppola wines were: 2017 Diamond Collection Blue Label Merlot and Rosso & Bianco Pinot Grigio.