Francis Ford Coppola

Francis Ford Coppola's approach to Auteur Directing.

The Godfather: Opening Scene

-The opening scene of The Godfather uses - many visual effects which are synonymous to Coppola's style.

-The lighting on Bonasera's face casts a very harsh shadow over half of his face, giving a visual sense of the shady business which Bonasera is conducting with Vito Corleone.

-This is particularly reminiscent of Coppola's later work Apocalypse Now, where shadows are used throughout the film to visually represent the moral ambiguity of the characters.

-The scene consists purely of a two way conversation between Bonasera and Vito. The scene establishes how powerful Vito is and what he represents to the community

-After the police fail to help, Bonasera turns to The Godfather 'We must go to Don Corleone' shows his power and influence. 

Apocalypse Now: Ending Scene

-The scene opens with Willard in the swamp, with his face covered in shadows. This is very similar to the opening scene of The Godfather. 

-The majority of the scene takes place in darkness to create a surreal and confusing experience.

-The death of Kurtz is mirrored by the tribe sacrificing a karabao. This is meant to show how Willard was sent by the government to kill Kurtz in the same way the tribe sacrifice the karabao to their god or chief.

-' The horror, the horror' This phrase repeated by Kurtz is said to emphasise the 'horror' of Willard's slaughter of the colonel.