I Had No Idea

I'm not a huge fan of the God Father movies. I know that they are "uber guy movies". Done with incredible direction and cinematography, God Father roles are the roles of a lifetime for many of the players. I know that Martin Scorcese must have really done something to piss off "the academy" that they haven't actually given him a Best Director Oscar (other than that lifetime achievement one from a couple years ago).

One major fact about the trilogy just came to my attention. I swear to God, I had no idea that "The God Father" was a book. It never even occurred to me that it could be a book. No one ever asks "Hey, did you read 'The God Father'?" or "I just read 'The God Father'!", or "meh... it's nothing like the book..." or "It's EXACTLY the way I saw it in the book!".

And now I'm intrigued.

How much like the movies is the book? Is it as close as the Harry Potter books/ movies, which were so close to the way I "saw" the books as I read them that I kept thinking "Are the movie people in my mind?", "How did they know that that's the way it's supposed to look?"...

I'm not sure that even I, with my wild and evil imagination, have the ability to "see" the horse head scene by reading it, as well as Martin Scorcese directed it in the movie.  I wonder if he saw the movie in his head the way he portrayed it in the movie? There's a thought.... wouldn't it be a gas if he logged on here and answered that question? hahahah... I kill me....

The BBC production of "Pride and Prejudice" was made to be as close to the book as possible, using much of the same dialogue lines in the movie that Jane Austen wrote for her characters. May I note that all other productions of "Pride and Prejudice" are not worthy. Just not. For one, they don't have Collin Firth as Fitzwilliam Darcy. There ya go. No. Just no. unh uh. nope.

Have you read the book "Under a Tuscan Sun" by Frances Mayes? It was fabulous. FAB U LOUS! I pictured the lead role being played by that British Actress who starred in "Saving Grace"... you know, the widow with some adventurous agricultural experiments, in hopes that the.... profit... would help her save her home... hang on... IMDB...Brenda Blethyn. She was great in that role (and many others), and she was the person I visualized for the "Tuscan" lead. Certainly not Diane Lane!

So, the movie came out and the gorgeous and young Diane Lane was cast as the lead. I was not optimistic. I was so not optimistic that I waited until the movie came out on video. Or maybe DVD. whatever version we were on at the time.  I loved the movie. LOVED the movie! But you know what? The movie was completely different from the book!  And yet, I loved them equally.

So, now I'm in a quandry. I'm not a huge "God Father" fan. Big Daddy's not really even a big "God Father" fan.  (May I take this opportunity to point out that, if you are not a fan of Naval War Films from the WW II era, you should not come near my house around Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, John Wayne's Birthday, or the 4th of July.)... Should I check the book out of the library? Would I read it twice in a row like I did with "East of Eden" by Hemingway? I have no desire to see that movie! Why do I care so much about "The God Father"? Would it make me any more of a fan of "The God Father"?  Would it make me more indifferent to the franchise?

I don't know.... I think I'll go put "Tora Tora Tora" in the DVD player and call it a day!