The Conversation (1974)

The Conversation is the most original and intelligent film by Coppola, and maybe the most of all time; the best of Hackman, the best of Coppola, they obviously understood each other, what more could you possibly want? Coppola, from such simple idea, efficiently transforms the film into such a haunting study of paranoia, told through excellent cinematography and perfectly-crafted sequences with Oscar-nominated sound editing that remain powerful even to today. Beginning with a masterful telephoto shot, zooming and following Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a surveillance expert and also the main subject of the film, the movie begins to intrigue you, particularly succeeding with virtuoso, gripping shots that capture your attention. Caul believes a couple he has been spying on will be murdered and thus, begins a tense tale of mystery, loneliness and one of the most shocking conclusions of film of all time. This is a film that contains the finest efforts of the genius director and the incredible actor and on top of that, the whole film works in a moral level, proving its massive significance. This is a strong example of tense, precise and meticulous cinema, proving it can be easily compared to the legendary Godfather films.