The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are two of the greatest movies ever made. The films have won Oscars, Golden Globes, Grammys, and BAFTAs, and are featured on pretty much every single one of AFI’s countless lists of the best films ever made. And while the films feature incredible performances by stars like Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, Francis Ford Coppola’s extraordinary direction, and some of the best, most quotable lines in film history (“Leave the gun, take the cannoli,” “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse”), the incredible score by Nino Rota elevates the pair of films to modern-day opera. As Awesӧme Orchestra prepares to perform The Godfather Suite on Sunday, October 8, allow Canon Fodder to be your guide through this epic story about family, power, vengeance, loyalty, and a whole lot of food. (For the purposes of this post, we’re just going to go ahead and skip Godfather Part III, which we wish Coppola had done, too.) In case it’s not already clear, I love these movies like I love a good Bolognese, so let’s dig in!

Well, it's September. A chill is in the air, kids are going back to school, and spooky stories are starting to come up in conversation. In that spirit, we're jumping into one of my all-time favorite film scores because nothing says "fall" quite like Vertigo…

PIECE: Vertigo Suite

COMPOSER: Bernard Herrmann

DATE: 1958

ERA: 20th century, film music

GOOD FOR: Creeping yourself out, creating dramatic irony, obsessing about bad relationships

I try not to pick favorites, I really do. But the first time I heard this piece of music I just kept yelling "What IS this? "WHO is this?" which tells you a lot about how much fun it is to hang out with me. This piece is so exhilarating and exciting and incidentally, my number 1 pick for classical music pieces to run to. Are you ready for Bacchus?

PIECE: Cortège de Bacchus (Procession of Bacchus) from Sylvia

COMPOSER: Léo Delibes

DATE: 1876

ERA: Romantic

GOOD FOR: Pump-up jams, power hours and running.

Howdy y’all! We’re jumping right into Copland’s Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo today so put on your cowboy boots, saddle up and let’s wrangle this great piece of American music!

PIECE: Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo
COMPOSER: Aaron Copland
DATE: 1942–43ERA: 20th C
GOOD FOR: Long road trips across the American West/Dancing in cowboy boots alone in your apartment.