Is "The Godfather: Part II," the perfect sequel?

Summary

Consider This from NPR: Is "The Godfather: Part II," the Perfect Sequel?

Release Date: December 20, 2024
Host: Scott Detrow
Producer: Mark Rivers
Episode Duration: Approximately 10 minutes

Introduction

The episode kicks off with Scott Detrow referencing iconic lines from the Mission Impossible series, specifically highlighting the latest installment, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (00:05-01:18). Detrow uses these references to segue into the broader discussion about movie sequels, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of what makes a sequel successful—or not.

Scott Detrow [00:09]: “Those words are spoken by Ethan Matthew Hunt, better known as Tom Cruise, at the end of the trailer for Mission Impossible, The Final Reckoning...”

The Prevalence of Sequels in Hollywood

Detrow points out that Hollywood has a long-standing tradition of producing sequels, often dominating the box office despite mixed critical receptions.

Scott Detrow [02:09]: “The sequel has been a mainstay of the movie business for generations. But how many of them are actually good?”

He highlights recent examples of sequels such as Gladiator 2, Moana 2, and Mufasa: The Lion King, questioning whether the surge in sequels stems from a lack of new ideas or a commercial strategy to capitalize on established franchises.

Scott Detrow [06:30]: “But bad reviews clearly have not deterred studios from making them and moviegoers from shelling out the money to see them.”

Why The Godfather: Part II Stands Out

The core of the episode revolves around why The Godfather: Part II is often hailed as the perfect sequel. Scott engages NPR producer Mark Rivers in this analysis.

Scott Detrow [02:09]: “...many agree is the gold standard when it comes to sequels.”

Mark Rivers’ Insight

Mark Rivers delves into the multifaceted brilliance of The Godfather: Part II, comparing its depth and artistry to a Beethoven symphony.

Mark Rivers [03:39]: “It touches every aspect of you that you want art to touch... It has all these rich historical and cultural resonances...”

He emphasizes Francis Ford Coppola's ability to expand the original narrative without merely recycling its elements. Instead of seeing the sequel as a product to be rehashed, Coppola transforms underlying themes—such as the corruption of the American Dream—into a sprawling epic that both honors and elevates the original.

Mark Rivers [05:18]: “Coppola... takes what was kind of subtext in the first Godfather... and he turns it into this real epic of Americana.”

The Current Landscape of Movie Sequels

Detrow and Rivers discuss the current trend of sequels dominating the box office, questioning whether this is due to a lack of originality or strategic industry decisions.

Scott Detrow [07:06]: “Everybody seems to have run out of ideas. Is that what's going on?”

Rivers counters this notion by pointing out that the success of recent sequels and adaptations, such as Wicked, suggests that Hollywood still produces compelling content but favors proven properties to minimize financial risks.

Mark Rivers [07:31]: “I think it's not that Hollywood has run out of ideas. I think that Hollywood is just not putting its weight behind those original ideas.”

Favorite Sequels: A Lightning Round

In a lighter segment, Scott and Mark share their favorite sequels, providing insights into why these particular films succeeded where others may have faltered.

Mark Rivers’ Picks:

1. The Bourne Supremacy (20:25):

   • Reason: Transition from an existential quest for identity to a moral struggle, coupled with innovative action sequences.
   • Quote:

     Mark Rivers [08:25]: “That movie is such a stylistic achievement... you can feel every body blow and every car crash in your chest.”

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day:

   • Reason: Transformation of the Terminator from a villain to a protector, enhancing emotional depth and action dynamics.

3. Aliens:

   • Reason: Reinvention of the original horror-sci-fi vibe into an action-packed military thriller, expanding the narrative scope.

Scott Detrow’s Picks:

1. Empire Strikes Back:

   • Reason: Deepens the Star Wars universe with complex character development and darker themes.

2. Star Wars: The Wrath of Khan:

   • Reason: Continues the saga with compelling antagonists and philosophical undertones.
   • Timestamp & Quote:

     Scott Detrow [09:05]: “...Star Wars: The Wrath of Khan...”

3. The Dark Knight:

   • Reason: Elevates the superhero genre with intricate storytelling and moral complexity.

4. Terminator 2: Judgment Day:

   • Reason: As mentioned by Mark, it redefines the protagonist-villain dynamic, enhancing the film's emotional resonance.

The Anatomy of a Great Sequel

Through their discussion, Scott and Mark highlight that successful sequels like The Godfather: Part II, Terminator 2, and others share common traits:

• Expansion and Deepening: Rather than merely continuing the story, these sequels expand the universe, adding new layers and complexities.

• Artistic Integrity: Directors like Francis Ford Coppola and James Cameron approach sequels as opportunities to explore deeper themes and character development, not just as commercial products.

• Innovative Storytelling: Great sequels offer something fresh, whether it's a shift in perspective, enhanced action sequences, or more nuanced moral questions.

Mark Rivers [09:46]: “It's not a recycling. It's not a rehash. They're different experiences.”

Conclusion

The episode concludes by reinforcing that while Hollywood may be inundated with sequels, the hallmark of a perfect sequel lies in its ability to honor the original while offering something new and profound. The Godfather: Part II exemplifies this balance, serving as a benchmark for what sequels can achieve when crafted with artistic vision and narrative depth.

Scott Detrow [10:10]: “...they are different experiences.”

Key Takeaways

• The Godfather: Part II is celebrated as the pinnacle of sequels due to its expansive storytelling and artistic depth.

• The prevalence of sequels in Hollywood reflects strategic industry choices rather than a complete lack of original ideas.

• Successful sequels build upon their predecessors innovatively, offering new insights and enriching the original narrative.

• Favorites among sequels often share traits of expansion, artistic integrity, and innovative storytelling.

Notable Quotes

• Mark Rivers [03:39]: “It touches every aspect of you that you want art to touch...”

• Scott Detrow [02:09]: “How many of them are actually good?”

• Mark Rivers [09:46]: “It's not a recycling. It's not a rehash. They're different experiences.”

Final Thoughts

This episode of Consider This provides a comprehensive examination of what makes a sequel resonate with audiences and critics alike. By dissecting The Godfather: Part II and comparing it with other exemplary sequels, Scott Detrow and Mark Rivers offer valuable insights into the art of sequel-making in Hollywood.

Transcript

[Ethan Hunt]

I need you to trust me one last time.

[Scott Detrow]

Those words are spoken by Ethan Matthew Hunt, better known as Tom Cruise, at the end of the trailer for Mission Impossible, the Final Reckoning. The movie which hits screens next May, is the eighth, and you guessed it, final installment in Cruise's Impossible series.

[Ethan Hunt]

Abort. That's an order.

[Scott Detrow]

The franchise first appeared on the movie screens back in in 1996.

[Ethan Hunt]

This tape will self destruct in five seconds.

[Scott Detrow]

And across these almost three decades, Cruise's Hunt has engaged in death defying stunts. Like when he jumps off the top of a mountain on his motorcycle in Mission Impossible. Dead Reckoning.

[Mark Rivers]

Did you make it?

[Scott Detrow]

Are you okay?

[Ethan Hunt]

I'm trying to get away from this mountain.

[Scott Detrow]

Or the time he hangs on the outside of a plane as it takes off in Mission Impossible. Rogue Nation.

[Ethan Hunt]

I'm on the plane. Open the door. How did you get in the plane? Not near the plane. I'm on the plane. Open the door.

[Scott Detrow]

And he has appeared to have died no less than three times as he did in Mission Impossible 2.

[Mark Rivers]

Now this is what's known as getting your gun off.

[Scott Detrow]

But Ethan Hunt is not the only spy who keeps returning to theaters.

[Ethan Hunt]

I admire your courage, Ms. Trench. Sylvia Trench. I admire your luck, Mr. Bond. James Bond.

[Scott Detrow]

These spies who keep showing up in your screens, they are just the tip of the iceberg. Hollywood loves sequels. Movie critics, not so much. Just listen to famed critic Roger Ebert giving a big thumbs down to Highlander 2. The Quickening.

[Ethan Hunt]

Our next movie is one of those works that will provide in the years to come a point of reference for myself and probably for a lot of other people when the conversation turns to the worst films of all time.

[Scott Detrow]

But bad reviews clearly have not deterred studios from making them and moviegoers from shelling out the money to see them. Consider this. The sequel has been a mainstay of the movie business for generations. But how many of them are actually good? Coming up, we talk about the movie that many agree is the gold standard when it comes to sequels. From npr, I'm Scott Detrow. It's Consider this from npr. Given the fact that it seems like Hollywood turns out nothing but sequels, you would think that by now the industry would have perfected the genre. Some sequels are pretty good, but many believe the perfect sequel came out 50 years ago this month. Of course, we are talking about Francis ford Coppola's godfather 2. Not only considered the greatest sequel of all time, it's also considered one of the greatest movies of all time. So why does Godfather 2 work when so many other Sequels fall short. NPR producer Mark Rivers, who some might say is obsessed with movies, has been thinking a lot about that. Hey, Mark.

[Mark Rivers]

Hey, Scott. Good to be with you.

[Scott Detrow]

This is, like, a tricky question to ask, but, Mark, tell me why Godfather 2 is such a good movie.

[Mark Rivers]

Yeah. You know, like, at this point, four hours later, at this point, I feel like trying to talk about that, in brief, is like trying to talk about, like, why is a Beethoven symphony good? Right. It's like, where do you start and where do you end up? Right? But I think it just. It touches every aspect of you that you want art to touch, right? Like, it thrills you, it moves you, it transports you to another place. You know, it's wonderful evocation of, like, an early 20th century New York. Right. It has all these rich historical and cultural resonances that, you know, legion of scholars have written essays on. But at the same time, when you're watching the movie and, you know, Al Pacino with Michael Corleone gives his brother Fredo that kiss of death.

[Ethan Hunt]

There's a plane waiting for us to take us to Miami in an hour. All right. Don't make a big thing about it. I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart.

[Mark Rivers]

Or the dissolution of his marriage with K in play by Dan Keaton. You're watching those great scenes, you're just thinking, like, damn, that's just a good movie.

[Ethan Hunt]

Oh, Michael. Michael, you are blind. It wasn't a miscarriage. It was an abortion. An abortion, Michael. Just like our marriage is an abortion.

[Scott Detrow]

I feel like the thing that it does that, like, maybe is a through line for good sequels, is it takes. Now, the original Godfather is already so good and so complex, but it takes that world and just zooms out and zooms out and zooms out, and you learn so much more.

[Mark Rivers]

It expands upon the world. It deepens the world. I think one of the things that a lot of sequels do or a lot of bad sequels, even a lot of, like, decent sequels do, is they look at their movies, kind of like products to kind of be recycled or even. Even more cynically, kind of like a roller coaster to take again. Yeah. You know, because you liked it the first time, you'll obviously love it if you just take it again. And Coppola, who is not a product maker, but he's an artist, you know, I think he takes what was kind of subtext in the first Godfather about this kind of, like, metaphor for the kind of rot of the American dream and the kind of corruption of kind of the American capitalist System. He takes the subtext and he makes it text. He takes the kind of moral rot of Michael Corleone, his arc, and he takes that and he kind of externalizes it and expands it outward and gives it global, you know, like not just national, but global ramifications. And he turns it into this real epic of Americana.

[Ethan Hunt]

I enlisted in the Marines, Mikey. Wow. Why didn't you come to us? I mean, Pop had to pull a lot of strings to get your deferment. I didn't ask for it. I didn't ask for a deferment. I didn't want it. What's your. Come on, come on, come on, come on. Hey, come on. Sonny. Hunk, son.

[Scott Detrow]

Sonny.

[Ethan Hunt]

Sit.

[Mark Rivers]

Sit up.

[Scott Detrow]

So much of the conversation in Hollywood these days is about IP intellectual property, kind of remaking what you have already.

[Mark Rivers]

Oh, that dreaded C word content.

[Scott Detrow]

Yeah, yeah. So right now, just in the past month, we have seen Gladiator 2, Moana 2, and a prequel to the Lion King, which is out today. Mufasa, the Lion King, in case you.

[Mark Rivers]

Didn'T know who it was talking about. You know, we gotta. I think I know who Lion King.

[Scott Detrow]

As opposed to the other Mufasa from Crypto. The criticism, the line is just like, everybody seems to have run out of ideas. Is that what's going on? Is it just people trying to make money based on stuff that you already have in your head already? It seems like a real increase in sequels.

[Mark Rivers]

Yeah. I mean, it's interesting, you know, you think back to the year of Barbenheimer, you know, last year, where the success of these two movies that were not sequels, by and large, these were original works from distinctive artists. And people thought, well, was their success a sign of. Well, we want less sequels. You know, we want more original ideas. And if we judge from the box office, that was not the case. If you look at the top 10 highest grossing movies of 2024, only one of those movies is not a sequel. Could you guess what movie that is?

[Scott Detrow]

Is that Wicked?

[Mark Rivers]

It is indeed Wicked, which is, of course, defying Gravity and everything, but based on. But still based on those. Something that's been out there for 20 years, based. Still based on a very popular Broadway show. So I think it's not that Hollywood has run out of ideas. I think that Hollywood is just. It is not putting its weight behind those original ideas.

[Scott Detrow]

Lightning Round. I've got my list here. What are some of your favorite sequels?

[Mark Rivers]

My picks. Some of my favorite sequels are pretty. I think might be pretty expected. But the Bourne supremacy, which turned 20 years old this year and kind of influenced the Next, I think 10 years of films from 2004 to 2014. If you look at the first movie, the Bourne Identity, the central question of that movie was, who am I? Right? This guy has no idea who he is. And all the journey's about finding out who this guy is. In the second movie, the question kind of veers from a kind of existential question to a moral question where it's like, what have I done? And have the things that I've done do that dictate whether I'm a good or bad person?

[Ethan Hunt]

Then what do you want with me? Berlin. Have you forgotten what happened in Berlin? You killed two people. Born, you killed two people.

[Mark Rivers]

You killed two people. And that's what the Supremacy is all about. And then that movie is such a stylistic achievement. If you look at action movies before and after Bourne Supremacy, you can see the difference. Like, the action is more propulsive. You can kind of feel every body blow and feel every car crash in your chest.

[Scott Detrow]

Can I tell you some of mine?

[Mark Rivers]

Please do.

[Scott Detrow]

Obviously, Empire Strikes Back, classic aliens. Those two are always on the list. I would Also add Terminator 2, the Dark Knight, and Star Wrath of Khan.

[Mark Rivers]

So many Wrath of Khan, I think, just got entered into the National Film Registry this week. It's so good.

[Scott Detrow]

And the first Star Trek movie was like.

[Mark Rivers]

And these are all examples of movies that are doing something different from the Predecessor. Like Terminator 1, that was almost like a backdoor horror movie, right? Like, the Terminator was like a slasher villain.

[Scott Detrow]

And that's all he does.

[Mark Rivers]

That's all he does. In Terminator 2, they make him the protagonist and it becomes more of kind of an action where he has to defend young John Connor against this more advanced robot. Right?

[Ethan Hunt]

How long do you live? I mean, last, whatever, 120 years with my existing power cell. Can you learn stuff that you haven't been programmed with so you can be, you know, more human and not such a dork all the time?

[Mark Rivers]

Aliens in comparison to Alien. Alien was this, like, haunted house in space kind of thriller, right? And James Cameron, also Director of Terminator 2, James Cameron, says, let's just take that. Let's throw that away. Not throw it away, but let's revamp it and let's make it instead this kind of action military, you know, almost like Vietnam allegory type thriller. You know, it's. You can appreciate Aliens and Alien as two very distinctive achievements. It's not a recycling. It's not a rehash. They're different experiences.

[Scott Detrow]

That's Mark Rivers, a producer for All Things Considered who sometimes comes in and talks to us about movies. Thanks, Mark.

[Mark Rivers]

Thanks, Scott.

[Scott Detrow]

This episode was produced by Briana Scott and Mark Rivers. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sammy Yenigun. Thank you to our Consider this Plus listeners who support the work of NPR journalists and help keep public radio strong. Supporters also hear every episode without messages from sponsors. You can Learn more at plus.NPR.org foreign It's Consider this from NPR. I'm Scott Detrowed.