Francis Ford Coppola's epic film The Godfather has been celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, a frightening thought as I can recall queuing up to see it at a Bangkok cinema all those years ago. It was 1972, in the days long before multiplex cinemas emerged in Bangkok, so when a big film came out there would be massive queues at the theatre showing the blockbuster.
There was also an army of annoying ticket touts demanding outrageous prices. By the time you had sweated your way into the cinema you were just thankful to be in the air conditioning. The actual film was almost a bonus.
I've seen The Godfather on TV several times since and it has held up remarkably well. It was amazing what they achieved on a relatively small budget. But with a line-up of actors such as Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, James Caan and Robert Duval, anything was possible. Caan sadly died earlier this month aged 82.
It reportedly took three hours every day to complete Brando's facial make-up, including the uncomfortable-looking steel bar denture which gave his noggin such an unusual look. No wonder he mumbled his lines, but he still won best actor at the Oscars, an award he rejected.
There is a Brando line from the film that has achieved iconic status. When explaining how he would solve a problem caused by an uncooperative person he muttered, "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." That was not good news for the person concerned.
Pillow talk
There are many thought-provoking moments in The Godfather, but the one that dominated conversations afterwards was the scene when a film producer wakes up to find the severed head of his prize horse in his bed. It sounds like a scene more suited to a B-grade Hollywood slasher movie, but it made its point -- you didn't mess with the Corleone family.
According to Coppola the head was that of a slaughtered horse from a nearby dog food factory where sadly many elderly nags ended their days.
Perhaps it's best to hear from the actor involved, John Marley, whose screams of terror at his gruesome wake-up call were echoed amongst cinema audiences around the globe. Appearing on the Dick Cavett Show, the actor admitted in resigned fashion "it's not a memory I care to carry with me … but it seems like I'll always be remembered for that".
'Nag-gate'
Horses, or to be more specific, dead horses, will invariably spark public controversy. You may recall back in 2014 there was a huge outcry in Britain when it was revealed that horse meat had been turning up on dinner plates in the form of bolognese, burgers and mince. This prompted a variety of painful newspaper headlines including "Bolog-neighs", the inevitable "Horsegate" and even worse, "Nag-gate".
There was also a suggestion that top racehorses were among the dishes being served, leading to a bizarre Daily Mail headline, "Have you eaten a winner?"
The horse holds a certain status in British culture and is regarded fondly, almost like a pet -- not that you would want one in your living room. They are up there with dogs as regards loyalty and companionship … and you don't eat companions.
Going bananas
All this horse talk reminds me of a real-life mafiosi nickname belonging to Gaeton Scafadi, otherwise known as "Horsehead". This was not inspired by The Godfather but simply because his long face and doleful eyes made him resemble an old nag.
Mafiosi nicknames over the years are something of a treasure trove. Some have fairly obvious origins, such as Joe "Bananas" Bonono, although he hated it as he felt it implied he was crazy. You probably don't want to know how Israel "Ice-Pick Willie" Alderman got his name, but it wasn't for his mountaineering skills. It will come as no surprise that Donald "The Wizard of Odds" Angelis ran a sports betting empire. Then there was Joe "The Dapper Don" Gotti known for his stylish outfits.
Nose job
One of the most notorious mafiosi was Albert "The Mad Hatter" Anastasia, famous for his exotic headwear. He was also known as the "Lord High Executioner" and not because he liked the music of Gilbert and Sullivan.
One that is hard to beat is John "No Nose" DiFronzo, a Chicago mobster. He acquired his nickname when he escaped from police by smashing through a store's plate glass window. He made it through but unfortunately he left something behind -- his nose which was stuck in the window.
Police recovered the sliced off proboscis, followed the trail of blood, arrested him and thoughtfully returned his nose which doctors proceeded to sew back on. However his hooter never really looked right and for the rest of his life he was known as "No Nose".
'Big Al'
Perhaps the most famous nickname belonged to gangster Al Capone known as "Scarface", acquired after a knife attack messed up his mug. Capone always claimed the scars were "war wounds" and preferred the nickname "Big Al".
It is well-known that the authorities eventually nailed Capone, not for his murderous activities, but for tax evasion. This was despite Capone coming up with the splendid argument: "They can't collect legal taxes from illegal money." One wonders how many influential gentlemen have used that same defence in the Land of Smiles?
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