Semiotics and "The Godfather" Film Review by Nicky

The paper explains classical semiotic theory and goes on to show how ordinary events and things are given added significance within the symbolic context of the film "The Godfather, Part I". The paper discusses three categories of signs that are used in the language of the film; iconic signs, more conventionally symbolic signs which do not resemble the signified object but within a cultural framework stand in for something, and indexical signs which are inherently connected in some way to a larger context. The paper provides examples of all these signs and demonstrates how signs can have dual meanings. The paper also explains how in addition to the spectator's own interpretive bias, interpretations of the figures of the characters will shift from frame to frame.