The Godfather is a movie that almost never happened, until The Godfather by Mario Puzo sold about twelve million copies. The dramatic increase of interest in The Godfather provided Francis Ford Coppola the opportunity to film the movie in real locations, and not solely on a set in Hollywood. In fact, production notes state that only ten percent of the film was shot on sound stages. Francis Ford Coppola wanted to film in the streets of New York and in Sicily, Vito Corleones native country, to ensure that those who decided to watch the film would feel as if they were in the film with the characters. Luckily, Coppolas wish came true. He was able to shut down East Sixth Street in New York to give the viewers a genuine feel of what Little Italy actually looked like in young Vitos time. Many of the scenes were filmed in actual places where people were living. The crew spent months creating new lampposts to emulate the antique lamps, removed traffic lights, and created store front signs to create a genuine view of the old Little Italy. The Godfather is one of the best films ever made, thanks to Francis Ford Coppolas attention to detail, the talented film staff supporting him, and The Godfathers compelling storyline.
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