Whenever one speaks of 20th century American cinema, a name that inevitably comes to mind is that of Francis Ford Coppola. With as many as five Oscars (excluding the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 2010), two Palme d’Or wins and countless other esteemed awards under his belt, Francis Ford Coppola, is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated filmmakers of our time. To Coppola’s credit, he not only succeeded as a director but also proved his mettle as a screenwriter, right at the onset of his career, with powerful works like Patton (1970). There was a time when Coppola’s name was synonymous with American cinema while his movies epitomized 20th century America. His eccentric, cynical, larger-than-life characters came across to the whole world as an embodiment of the modern American men: be it Harry Caul [The Conversation, 1974], Colonel Walter E. Kurtz [Apocalypse Now, 1979], or Don Vito Corleone [The Godfather, 1972]. 1970s saw Coppola go from strength to strength as he delivered one blockbuster after another. The 80s turned out to be mixed affair but his great reputation helped him endure the decade. However, 90s posed unprecedented challenges for Coppola as success became more far-fetched than ever. Coppola was devastated by the accidental death of his eldest son Gian-Carlo in a speed boat accident in the year 1987. Many believe that it proved to be the starting point of Coppola’s decline as a filmmaker.
After directing Rainmaker in the year 1997, Coppola decided to take a break from active filmmaking so as to solely experiment with motifs that appealed to his deepest creative urges. The first product of Coppola’s self-indulgence was the enigmatic Youth Without Youth (2007)—a story of a timid professor metamorphosed by a cataclysmic event. Coppola backed it up with two more ambitious ventures, Tetro (2009) and Twixt (2011). While these movies may not be significant from the entertainment point of view, their academic significance cannot be overlooked, for these movies serve to be classic examples of unbridled creativity in cinema—a formidable overture to its limitless scope. Coppola’s decision to disassociate himself from commercial filmmaking can be interpreted as a deliberate attempt on his part to escape the expectations of his ever so demanding producers. Coppola’s ‘hermitic’ descent into self-indulgence is also characteristic of a perturbed artist desperately on the lookout for some divine source of inspiration in order to prove himself all over again.
Top 10 Movies by Francis Ford Coppola (as per IMDb ratings)
1). The Godfather (1972)
2). The Godfather: Part II (1974)
3). Apocalypse Now (1979)
4). The Conversation (1974)
5). The Godfather: Part III (1990)
6). Dracula (1992)
7). Rumble Fish (1983)
8). The Outsiders (1983)
9). The Rainmaker (1997)
10). The Rain People (1969)
Top 5 Movies by Francis Ford Coppola (Author’s Pick)
1). The Conversation (1974)
2). Apocalypse Now (1979)
3). The Godfather (1972)
4). The Godfather: Part II (1974)
5). The Godfather: Part III (1990)
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