Blog #3

BLOG POST #3: Relationships Between Shots

The Godfather

The Baptism Scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfbYp9oaIT8

The movie The Godfather is often considered to be one of the best movies of all time.  The movie is about Don Vito Corleone who was the head of the Corleone crime family, and the transfer of power to his youngest son Don Michael Corleone.

The scene from this movie that I will write about is the 5-minute Baptism scene. This scene focuses on Michael Corleone attending the baptism of his sister Connie’s infant son, Michael’s nephew/godson and at the same time of the baptism Michael has ordered the executions of the leaders of the five mafia families, before they have a chance to kill him.  

Vito died of natural causes and Michael becomes the new Don of the Corleone family.  Michael was asked to meet with remaining mafia leaders and he knew they were planning to kill him so Michael scheduled the meeting after the baptism. Michael ordered the murder of these leaders while he would be attending the baptism.  The baptism also serves as an alibi for Michael.

What is the relationship of the sounds to the images? 

The relationship of the sounds to the images is mostly that of a church organ playing in the background during the baptism.   During the first minute of this scene the audience views long shots of the church then medium shots of the priests and Kay (Michael’s wife) with the baby and Michael by her side walking up to be near the priest.   The priest talks in Latin and the film cuts to a medium close up of Michael, looking very serious. 

The scene eventually cuts to Rocco, one of the Conteone hit men,  as he preparing his machine gun for the planned executions.  The priest continues talking in Latin as the church organ plays.   The film cuts to Clemenza, one of the Conteone hit men, as he walks to his car carrying a large box.  The film cuts back to the church and various locations in New York.   We still hear the priest and the organ.  These cuts go back and forth for three and a half minutes, as the audience watches the Conteone hit men prepare themselves for to murder the leaders of the five families. 

Of the images to one another? 

The images are complete opposites from one another.  One image is religious and holy.  The other image is unholy and of numerous premeditated murders which were ordered to happen at the same time as the baptisms.   In English the priest asks, “Michael Francis Rizzi – do you renounce Satan?”  The church organ continues playing and the scene cuts to a hotel elevator that opens up.  Strachi, who is a Don of a rival family steps out and standing on the outside of the elevator is Clemenza who is still holding the large box under his left arm but his right arm is holding a shot gun.  He kicks Strachi back into the elevator and shoots him two times.  

The film cuts to Michael who responses to the priest question of “Do you renounce Satan?” with “I do renounce him.” This parallel editing sequence continues between the church and the murders until all the enemies are killed while Michael denounces all things evil in the church. 

How are the shots organized in terms of their content, composition, color, movement, etc.? 

The shots are organized so that the audience understands that as the baptism is taking place at the same time as the murders of the enemies of the Conteone family.

What determines how long the shots are and what order they are placed in? 

The screenwriter determines the sequence of the shots and the editor and the director determines the order they are placed in.

It there a “right” place to cut or not to cut? 

The right place to cut is at the end of a sentence or question.  The audience needs to hear the complete thought of the person speaking.

Are the cuts seamless or obvious? Why? 

The cuts are seamless because with the church music playing the audience is still mentally inside the church.  They are suddenly transported to another location where they witness in this movie the planning and finally the execution of the leaders of the five-mafia families.