Godfather III: Coppola's "provocative" commentary

[Summer]

Last week-end I bought a dvd of "Godfather III" to try and spot one of my "passions" among the extras.

I'm generally not very fond of hardcore gangster films (all that evil and cruelty upsets me) so I watched it with the commentary on. Now, on the dvd cover it says: "featuring the original, provocative director's commentary". I cannot for the life of me think of what could be considered provocative about it, it was excellent and very informative, and I was most impressed by the fact that Mr Coppola could keep my attention all on his own for almost 3 hours!

A quick search on the net hasn't enlightened me, does anyone know what the controversy might have been about?

[Windthrop]

I dont know about the commentary (I rarely watch the extras) but I am assuming Eli Wallach got the Frank Sinatra part in recompense for Frank getting the Wallach part in From Here To Eternity and reviving his career.

I quite liked GFIII myself.

[pelam123]

The only "controversy" I recall was Coppolla's decison to cast his daughter Sophia as Michael Corleone's daughter after Winona Ryder dropped out. She was universally and mercilessly panned for her wooden performance and this, not surprisingly, upset daddy somewhat.

[AdrianTurner]

excellent and very informative

In Hollywood speak and in the annals of director commentaries, being excellent and informative amounts to being provocative.

[Steve Crook]

Last week-end I bought a dvd of "Godfather III" to try and spot one of my "passions" among the extras.

I'm generally not very fond of hardcore gangster films (all that evil and cruelty upsets me) so I watched it with the commentary on. Now, on the dvd cover it says: "featuring the original, provocative director's commentary". I cannot for the life of me think of what could be considered provocative about it, it was excellent and very informative, and I was most impressed by the fact that Mr Coppola could keep my attention all on his own for almost 3 hours!

A quick search on the net hasn't enlightened me, does anyone know what the controversy might have been about?

Does the word "provocative" apply to "director" or "commentary"?

Steve

[Rowdon]

The only "controversy" I recall was Coppolla's decison to cast his daughter Sophia as Michael Corleone's daughter after Winona Ryder dropped out. She was universally and mercilessly panned for her wooden performance and this, not surprisingly, upset daddy somewhat.

I thought she was great in the role when I saw it. It was only later, after I read the reviews, that I realised I was wrong. Just goes to show.

[jaycad]

i love 'the godfather trilogy' although 'godfather part III' is by far the weakest,i still enjoyed it! sofia coppola's performance is weak but the biggest let down for me is al pacino's almost unrecognisable 'michael corleone'! on first viewing 'the godfather part III' i found the plot to be almost ridiculous but i've since read the following conspiracy theory which proves to me that pope john paul I was killed by 'don lucchese'
Pope John Paul I conspiracy theories

[Steve Crook]

i love 'the godfather trilogy' although 'godfather part III' is by far the weakest,i still enjoyed it! sofia coppola's performance is weak but the biggest let down for me is al pacino's almost unrecognisable 'michael corleone'! on first viewing 'the godfather part III' i found the plot to be almost ridiculous but i've since read the following conspiracy theory which proves to me that pope john paul I was killed by 'don lucchese'
Pope John Paul I conspiracy theories

But the standout performance is Talia Shire as Connie - the black widow
It's her performance that makes the whole film worth watching

Steve

[jaycad]

But the standout performance is Talia Shire as Connie - the black widow
It's her performance that makes the whole film worth watching

Steve

i thought talia shire was great in all three films!

[Summer]

Thank you for your replies. So the brouhaha was all about little Sophia! Her performance seemed all-right to me but so far I've only watched the film with the commentary on, maybe I'll change my mind, when I hear how she delivers her lines. Coppola does comment that the only thing he might have changed about her performance, was her accent. She speaks in her natural Californian accent which he in hindsight thinks might not be quite right.

[will.15]

She did sound like a Valley Girl.