|
Official Synopsis:
The Godfather Trilogy is the benchmark for all cinematic storytelling. Francis Ford Coppola's masterful adaptation of Mario Puzo's novel chronicles the rise and fall of the Corleone family in this celebrated epic. Collectively nominated for a staggering twenty-eight Academy Awards, the films are the winner of nine, including two for Best Picture for The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II.
Our Take:
This should be a long review. After all, how do you talk about movies as seminal as The Godfather films and keep it brief? You can’t. You also can’t, however, talk about The Godfather films and say anything at all that hasn’t already been said. These movies have been discussed, dissected, and deconstructed more times than anyone can count, and I simply don’t see what I can say to add to the general discourse. So this will, instead of being a long-winded tribute to greatness, be a pretty short review.
I can tell you that, for some reason, I didn’t see any of The Godfather films until well into my adulthood, long after I’d become a “student of film.” It’s really hard for most movies to live up to the the buzz that they garner over a few weeks of release in theaters; trying to live up to three decades worth of hype as “the greatest films ever” is a nearly impossible task. The Godfather trilogy pulls it off with ease. Of course, we all know the third film is the least popular, but it’s also not as bad as everyone says it is. Simply put, The Godfather and The Godfather II are among the best and most important American films ever made. Enough said.
For those of you who don’t know, the original negatives for these films were in pretty bad shape, to the point where they were almost lost forever. Under the supervision of Francis Ford Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis, each frame of both films was completely restored to their liking. Suffice it to say that the films have never looked better on home video. The Godfather, Part III obviously looks the best of the three films, but it’s also the newest.
The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration includes every single extra feature from the previous Godfather Trilogy DVD release, as well as a host of new features. The new extra features aren’t overwhelmingly great, but there are two featurettes that I really liked, The MasterpieceTthat Almost Wasn’t and Emulsional Rescue.
* The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn’t (30 minutes – HD) – A look at how the film came to be and almost didn’t come to be.
* Emulsional Rescue - Revealing The Godfather (19 minutes - HD) – Learn all about the restoration process.
* When the Shooting Stopped (14 minutes - HD) – Focuses on the post-production of the film.
* Godfather World (11 minutes - HD) – Actors and filmmakers discuss the impact of the trilogy.
* The Godfather on the Red Carpet (4 minutes - HD) – Kind of a waste. Some actors at a movie premiere talk about the films.
* Four Short Films on The Godfather (HD) – Should be called “Four interview segments we couldn’t fit anywhere else.”
* Crime Organization Chart – See the various gangsters’ police files.
* Connie and Carlo’s Wedding Album – A photo gallery.
2001 DVD Archive:
* Commentary by director Francis Ford Coppola – On all three films.
* Behind the Scenes
- The Godfather Family: A Look Inside
- On Location
- Francis Coppola’s Notebook
- The Music of The Godfather
- Coppola & Puzo on Screenwriting
- Gordon Willis on Cinematography
- Storyboards from The Godfather: Part II
- Storyboards from The Godfather: Part III
- The Godfather Behind the Scenes 1971
* The Filmmakers
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Mario Puzo
- Gordon Willis
- Dean Tavoularis
- Nino Rota
- Carmine Coppola
* Additional Scenes
* Acclaim & Response
* Trailers (HD)
* Photo Gallery
* Rogues’ Gallery
* The Family Tree
What else is left to say? It’s The Godfather, it’s DVD, it’s an amazing set of films and extra features. Go out and buy it already.
HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!
Overall Picture:
Movies (Parts I and II): A+
Movie (Part III): B-
DVD: A+
- Mike Spring
Editor
|
