» See all analysis and opinionGodfather 4? Can’t see it, says Coppola.

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Jeffrey Hodgson

Director Francis Ford Coppola presents his film “Twixt” at the Toronto film festival

 

Francis Ford Coppola, at the Toronto International Film Festival to present his horror film “Twixt”, is finding it hard to avoid talk of past glories.
    In a 90-minute onstage interview on Sunday that was opened up to fans, the legendary director ended up speaking extensively about his early career, “Apocalypse Now” and working with Marlon Brando.
    One fan was eager to know if there was any truth to speculation about a fourth Godfather picture, with Andy Garcia as the protagonist. Coppola was blunt:
    “I don’t know anything about any more Godfathers. I myself don’t see it, don’t know why you would ever want to do it,” he said.
    Coppola, who won Oscars for directing both “The Godfather” and “The Godfather: Part 2″, admitted he wasn’t keen to be involved with the first sequel, originally pushing for Martin Scorsese to direct. With the next one it was a different situation.
    “‘Godfather 3′ was many years later and I was on the brink financial extermination. So I desperately needed the money,” he said.
    Coppola said he made “Twixt” — a ghost story inspired by a raki-infused dream he had in Turkey — in a spirit of fun. But many at a press screening on Sunday were unimpressed. And the Hollywood Reporter said it was “an embarrassingly juvenile film from a once major auteur.”
    Coppola himself pointed out on Sunday he is no stranger to negative press. “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” initially got bad reviews, he said. And producers disliked his script for “Patton” at first. It went on to win an Oscar.
    “The moral I want to teach all the young people here is that the same thing you get fired for is what they give you lifetime achievement awards for 30 years later.”

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