'The Godfather' turns 50: Iconic mob movie influenced crime dramas

March 24 (UPI) -- Classic Mafia movie The Godfather marks its 50th anniversary Thursday. The film, from director Francis Ford Coppola, has influenced a generation of crime dramas.

The Godfather premiered March 24, 1972 and helped to revitalize the career of screen legend Marlon Brando. The film also launched the career of Al Pacino and won the Oscar for Best Picture at the 45th Academy Awards.

The success led to 1974's The Godfather: Part II and 1990's The Godfather: Part III. A newly edited version of The Godfather: Part III, titled The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, was released in December.

Here are 5 shows about crime families and the corruption of power that were influenced by The Godfather.

'The Sopranos' -- HBO Max

The late James Gandolfini plays New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano, who has to balance his family life with his work life as the head of a criminal organization. The Sopranos' entire six-season run is available to stream on HBO Max. Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Lorraine Bracco also star. The cast of The Sopranos, in Season 2, even attempts to watch a bootleg version of The Godfather: Part II on DVD.

'Breaking Bad' -- Netflix

Bryan Cranston's Walter White is a high school chemistry teacher who starts to create and sell methamphetamine after he is diagnosed with lung cancer in Breaking Bad, which has all five seasons available to stream on Netflix. Walter, in similar fashion to Pacino's Michael Corleone, is corrupted by the power he gains, and turns into a vicious crime lord who has a strained relationship with his family. Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito star.

'Peaky Blinders' -- Netflix

Cillian Murphy is Thomas Shelby, the boss of the Peaky Blinders gang of England, which forms in the aftermath of World War I in this crime drama, which has five seasons available to stream on Netflix. The sixth and final season is coming to the service June 10. The Shelby crime family is at the center of the series and also stars Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Helen McCrory, Ned Bennehy, Finn Cole, Natasha O'Keeffe, Ian Peck, Tom Hardy, Harry Kirton, Packy Lee, Joe Cole, Annabelle Wallis, Kate Phillips and Aimee-Ffion Edwards.

'Power' -- Starz

Omari Hardwick is successful New York night club owner James "Ghost" St. Patrick, who leads a double life as a drug kingpin in Power, which has all six seasons available to view on Starz. Joseph Sikora, Naturi Naughton, Lela Loren, Shane Johnson, Rotimi, Michael Rainey Jr., La La Anthony and 50 Cent also star. The crime epic has spawned multiple spinoffs, including Power Book II: Ghost, which follows James' son Tariq St. Patrick (Rainey Jr.) as he slowly starts to follow in his father's footsteps.

'Animal Kingdom' -- TNT, Amazon Prime Video

Finn Cole stars as Joshua "J" Cody, who moves in with his estranged relatives, who are running a criminal enterprise in Animal Kingdom, which has five seasons on TNT. The show has been renewed for a sixth and final season, and the first five seasons are available on Amazon Prime Video. The Cody family's excessive lifestyle is made possible by their criminal activities. Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Leila George, Rigo Sanchez and Jon Beavers star.