Tuesday, April 7, 2020

April 7 - Francis Ford Coppola


Happy 81st Birthday, Francis Ford Coppola! Born today in 1939, this American vintner, film composer, screenwriter, film producer and film director was a central figure in the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. 

Coppola is widely considered to be one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The movement also included Steven SpielbergMartin ScorseseBrian De PalmaTerrence MalickRobert AltmanWoody AllenWilliam FriedkinPhilip Kaufman and George Lucas. 
  
In 1970, Coppola received his first Oscar for co-writing American film, television, and stage director Franklin J. Schaffner's ('Planet of the Apes', 'Papillon') American epic biographical war/drama film 'Patton'. This occurred at the 43rd Academy Awards in April 1971. 
  
Among his credits, Coppola is best known for directing the 1972 American crime film 'The Godfather', the 1974 American mystery/thriller film 'The Conversation, the 1974 American epic crime/drama film 'The Godfather Part II' and the 1979 American epic war/drama film 'Apocalypse Now'. 
  
In 1973, 'The Godfather' won three Oscars. Theses included Best Actor (Marlon Brando), Best Director and Best Picture at the 45th Academy Awards in late March of that same year. 
  
However, Brando rejected his Oscar by sending Apache actress and activist for Native American rights Sacheen Littlefeather to decline his award. 
  
The following year, 'The Conversation' was nominated for three Oscars. However, Coppola lost to himself as the Best Picture was 'The Godfather Part II'. This occurred at the 46th Academy Awards in early April 1974. 
  
The film had also won critical acclaim and multiple accolades, including the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film, the highest honor at the 27th Cannes Film Festival in May 1974. 
  
In the 1990s, Coppola directed the third and final installment in The Godfather trilogy. This was the American crime film ‘The Godfather Part III’. 

This was was the only film in the trilogy not to win for Best Picture or any other Academy Award for that matter, as well as the only film in the trilogy not selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.

Two years later, Coppola directed his other best known film of the 1990s. This was the 1992 American Gothic horror/romance film 'Bram Stoker's Dracula'. 

In 1993, 'The Godfather' was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". 

Also in 1993, 'The Godfather Part II' was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1993, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". 
  
In 1995, 'The Converstaion' was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". 
  
In 2000, 'Apocalypse Now' was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".

For his achievements in film, Coppola was given the Irving Thalberg award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2010. This occurred at the 82nd Academy Awards in early March of that year. 
  
In 2013, Coppola received the Japan Art Association’s Praemium Imperiale prize for theatre/film.

A number of Coppola's relatives and children have become famous actors and filmmakers in their own right. 

These include his daughter, American screenwriter, director, producer, and former actress Sofia Coppola ('Lost in Translation') and his granddaughter, American film director, screenwriter and actress Gian-Carla "Gia" Coppola 
  
His sister is the American actress Talia Shire and his nephews include American actor and filmmaker Nicolas Cage and American actor, screenwriter, executive producer, and musician Jason Schwartzman. 
    
Coppola currently resides in Napa, California. 
  
Coppola has been active from 1962–present. 
  
#borntodirect
@Criterion 
@tcm 
@AFI 
@mubi 
@SensesofCinema 
@librarycongress 
@Biography 
@coppolawine 
@guardian 
@Britannica 

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