The movie Gary Oldman called “a masterful piece of filmmaking”
There are very few movie stars quite like Gary Oldman, an actor who has delivered one of the broadest range of performances throughout his career, with a true sense of unique versatility. Oldman came through in 1982’s Remembrance at the same time as making a name for himself as a stage actor, starring in several productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Several features in British movies soon followed, including Sid and Nancy and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead. Before the 20th century was out, Oldman began to conquer America with efforts in JFK and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and from there, the actor established himself as one of the finest actors of his generation with further showings in the likes of Leon, The Dark Knight and Darkest Hour, the latter of which he won the Academy Award for ‘Best Actor’.
While Oldman’s wide range of acting talents has inspired and moved so fan movie fans over the years, there looks to be only one real figure in the film industry who has done to same for the actor himself. When Oldman named his five favourite movies of all time in a feature with Rotten Tomatoes, he highlighted the brilliance of one of cinema’s biggest names.
In fact, Oldman couldn’t help himself from picking three of Francis Ford Coppola’s movies in his top five. Drawing attention to the first, Oldman said, “Well, three Coppola movies. The list changes, but I always hold the three Coppola movies. Apocalypse Now — the sheer grandeur of it and the originality of it.”
Apocalypse Now is Coppola’s 1979 epic Vietnam War movie starring Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Dennis Hooper and Laurence Fishburne. It’s an adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness and tells of a US Army Captain’s secret mission to take out a renegade Colonel who is suspected of insanity.
Another Coppola movie admired by Oldman is 1974’s The Conversation, of which he said: “I love Gene Hackman in The Conversation. I love that internal man who’s just, you know, very closed down.” The film, also starring John Cazale and Allen Garfield, tells of a surveillance expert who experiences something of a dilemma when he comes across evidence for a potential murder.
But few films of Coppola’s are as highly praised as the first two The Godfather movies, and Oldman reserves his biggest admiration for 1974’s second part. “With these three, [he’s] a great storyteller,” Oldman said. “Godfather: Part II, I just think it’s a master class in acting, production design, directing, lighting, and composition. I think that if you were a film student, you’ve got — the way he tells the story, it’s masterful storytelling. And it never ever seems to disappoint.”
The Godfather Part II is both a sequel and a prequel to 1972’s first part. It continues the story of Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino), who has assumed the role of Don of his family, while also telling of the journey his father, Vito Corleone (played by Robert De Niro), from Sicily to New York City.
Check out the trailer for The Godfather Part II below.
