From: J Geoff Malta Subject: Sofia, GF3 & GF4 Date: Sat, 21 Dec 1996 12:33:48 -0500 Hi, all! I posted this a while back to the newsgroup alt.movies.past-films. --> On 26 Oct 1996, J Geoff Malta wrote: Howdy... I've stated this before on The Padrino Mailing List (see my Godfather site for more info) about Sofia Coppola... I think she did a fine job. Regardless of who she is, and who she's related to, she portrayed Michael's daughter appropriately. Sofia wasn't "some actress" playing a part -- she was an innocent, fresh face (and a nice one, too;) who was herself, without the pretentiousness that a "real" actress might have conveyed. She *was* Michael Corleone's daughter in as much as she was Francis' daughter. On screen, Sofia looked and acted like a NORMAL person in the situations she was in -- and she pulled it off just fine. I'm not saying she made an Oscar-winning performance, or that she's a great actress -- but she was REAL. How many people do you know in real life who are like her? And how many people do you know in real life who are always "together" and know what they're going to say days before they say it? Face it, real people don't memorize their lines when communicating, and real people do hesitate and stutter and are sometimes confused. IMHO, Sofia accomplished what most actresses and actors strive for: total realism. I think the casting of GF3 was perfect. Andy Garcia was perfect, and I cringe at the thought of Johnny Depp being considered for that role of Vincent. And Winona Ryder as Mary? Forget about it. Yes, Ryder and Depp are fine actors, and I really enjoy watching them -- but GF3 was no place for 90's Brats... it's a continuation of a classic, and we didn't need the distractions of Teen Beat and 16 magazine covers in there. I also think that Eli Wallach was a perfect Altobello, who with his mannerism reminded us of GF1 and GF2. Sure, GF3 was not GF1 or GF2 -- although I think it was very good -- but after the first two, it's very difficult, if not impossible, to compete with its prequels. For a long time I was starving for a GF4 -- at this point, I'm not sure I'd want one -- at least one that takes place in modern times. I would, however, love to see a GF4 with De Niro, playing the "middle years" between his Young Vito in GF2 and Brando in GF1. Let's actually see the "scary looking guy" Luca Brasi actually KILL someone for chrissakes. Let's see Moe Greene, Vito, and Roth "make their bones" and Michael going out with cheerleaders... Let's relive the rise of the Corleone clan. Andy Garcia could very well continue his Vincent story in a GF4, but I wouldn't want too much time devoted to the modern times. Just enough to see some parallels, but not too much to lose its connection with Brando's [and Michael's] Godfather. Salute i miei amici! Geoff J Geoff Malta http://www.jgeoff.com/ * The Godfather Trilogy * The Official Mario Puzo Library * Scarface: Make Way for The Bad Guy * more!