Researching Thriller Films - 'The Godfather' (1972)

'The Godfather' (1972)
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'The Godfather' (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)

A build up to the action - the calm and serenity of the wedding allows for a dramatic piece of script writing when the action begins
Creation of fear/apprehension/anticipation/unsettling feeling/confusion/doubt over a character - the 'quiet before the storm' in each piece of action - means that you know something is about to happen, but don't know what yet
Dark, shadowy atmosphere (use of light and dark images) - a lot fo the film is shot in very dark indoor locations
Establishing mood and atmosphere throughout the film - it is quite a dark, sinister film, and is based on real-life 'events', as such. It can become quite threatening at times, but quite lethargic at others.
Delay in showing the face of a significant character, or the action of an important event by first showing the hand of a character for instance or a reaction of someone watching the event - this rarely happens, but can be seen later on in the film
Creation of suspense using soundtrack music - the soundtrack, written by Nino Rota, is one of the msot famous soundtracks of all-time. Instantly recognisable, it has become synonymous with 'The Godfather', and for this reason, the Italian flavours within the music has enabled the film to live scenes through the music, without dialogue.
Morally ambiguous central character - Michael Corleone is presented as a man who needs big shoulders to carry the weight of his father's empire.
Murder encouraging a suspecting audience - due to the nature of the film, murder doesn't encourage suspicion, because we know what is happening. Therefore, the film lacks a lot of inquisity.
Realistic settings to create a sense of the 'unusual' occuring within a normal setting - the film was shot in New York and Italy, where it is based.
Flashbacks - there are quite a few flashbacks to Michael's story, which adds to the character's background.
Hero in situation of threat or struggle - the threat from other mafia gangs creates a lot of tension within the film.
Red herrings - there aren't any red herrings, but there are setbacks.
Twists and unexpected turns - most of the film is straight-forward, with some occasional twists, such as the murder of Michael's brother, Sonny.
Making and keeping the audience tense and on the edge of our seats - the drama in each scene keeps the audience watching.