The Films
Decades after their release, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II remain consistently among the most popular and critically lauded films ever made. Exploring universal themes of power, family and honor (of a sort), this is a tale told with both grandeur and authenticity, defying filmmaking traditions while establishing new ones that are still copied today.
The first two movies recount the history of The Corleone Family from 1901, when little Vito arrives at Ellis Island. He reluctantly descends into crime and eventually rises to prominence in the mafia. Internal and external family struggles are dramatic to be sure, but Godfather was a landmark in its non-stereotyped portrayals of Italian-Americans and its quasi-objective look at the world of organized crime. They are each also engrossing for their entire three-hour running times, with ample bite the despite the years, a rare feat indeed.
Godfather was an uncommon instance where I actually wanted to watch one of the featurettes, "Emulsional Rescue," before the movie itself. I know how they all end, so no worries about spoiled surprises, but the included vignette about the restoration helped me figure out what to look for, how to appreciate what we've been given in this significant new set. Several factors have left the physical elements for the Godfathers in horrible condition. The success of the film necessitated many duplicate prints being copied off of the original film negative. Add in the less-than-perfect quality of film stock circa 1971 and the abundance of dark, dark scenes, and we were left with a soft, murky mess for far too long on home video. Prior cleanup attempts had made some improvement, but not nearly on the scale of The Coppola Restoration.
The Picture
One of the most marked differences over all previous video editions is the natural quality to the blacks, which are deep and believable. While not present every moment, a layer of grain is frequently noticeable and is the greatest handicap of this remastered trilogy, especially in the darker scenes. There is however a life in the colors, a newness, including shades that I've never seen in these movies before. Cinematographer Gordon Willis employed a golden tint that had heretofore bordered on dingy, but is now revealed as a classic, nostalgic tone that works beautifully. It is used more so in Part II, for the young Vito flashbacks, again to exquisite effect.
Bright scenes however are a joy to watch, benefiting from the refreshed colors while not marred by the grain. I'm catching bits for the first time, like the monogram on Sonny Corleone's shirt or the amount written on the check ($50,000) that Michael hands to Senator Geary. Each movie fits onto its own single 50GB disc, and the compression yields backgrounds that are occasionally soft and artificial in appearance. A small amount of negative dirt, which shows up as white specks, is still here.
Part III, the most recent, always looked fine and is better than ever here. It is the most colorful but also suffers from the evident grain. All are presented in their original aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
[Editor's note: thanks to a reader for pointing out that the aspect ratio on the Blu-ray is actually 1.78:1 not 1.85:1 as specified by Paramount. But before you cry out to the heavens about the audacity of it all (as he did), be assured that there is no pan and scan involved. The restoration team simply opened the matte slightly wider (taller) to 1.78:1 in order to prevent thin black lines from appearing at the top and bottom of the image on a standard 16:9 HDTV screen or projector. The full 1.85:1 theatrical image is present here with slightly more image information at the top and bottom. This is a common technique for Blu-ray mastering and was done with the director's approval].
The Sound
Brand-new Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mixes have been created for these Blu-ray reissues. Often the differences are subtle in their impact, as when the chirping of cicadas gives an outdoor scene palpable ambiance, or someone coughs offscreen, or the floorboards creak. Showpiece moments like Apollonia's car trouble are big and full, the screaming of the subway train outside Louis' Restaurant is more stress-inducing than ever, and gunshots always pack a jolt. Previously indistinct little lines of dialogue are also perfectly clear now.
Music within the mix, particularly when a live band is a part of the scene, has a heightened presence. Crowds are credibly alive and expansive, the front-to-back movement of a passing train is striking, and the quick, failed assassination attempt on Michael is intense. There's also fireworks, a little bit of weather: In general, the entire soundfield is used in an organic, enjoyable way. Godfather and Part II also include their original mono soundtracks.
The Extras
Discs One, Two and Three each carry over director Francis Ford Coppola's existing audio commentaries, and if you think one man can't hold your interest with behind-the-scenes tidbits for three hours at a clip, think again. There's a good reason why he's considered one of our greatest living filmmakers.
Disc Four is where most of the bonus material resides. "The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't" begins promisingly, with tales of near-doom, but soon becomes a praisefest, albeit a celebrity-filled one. "Godfather World" touches upon the cultural influence of the movies, with lots of clips and parodies from other sources, such as those two other great American families, The Sopranos and The Simpsons. As mentioned, "Emulsional Rescue - Revealing The Godfather" provides an extensive nuts-and-bolts breakdown of the challenges that the restoration team faced and how they were overcome.
"...when the shooting stopped" is a fascinating, highly specific look at the choices made in post-production, and their effect on the finished films. "The Godfather On the Red Carpet" is an odd addition to this list, as pseudo-celebs at a random Paramount movie premiere (Cloverfield) are asked what they think of the saga. This could have been left off and no fan would have missed it. There's also "The Godfather vs. The Godfather Part II" comparison, the amusing "Riffing on the Riffing" challenge, "Cannoli," which offers insight into one of the most famous quotes, and the truth about "Clemenza." All of the above are presented in high-definition.
An interactive Family Tree and Crime Organization Chart lead us to text-based information about the players, while "Connie and Carlo's Wedding Album" is a collection of vintage photos. Paramount has also taken the time to archive the extras from the 2001 DVD boxed set, in standard definition: multiple behind-the scenes featurettes, still galleries, text bios of the filmmakers, and of course the comprehensive array of deleted scenes
Final Thoughts
The Godfather and its first sequel are essential viewing for any film enthusiast, period. Many eschew Part III but Paramount has gotten rid of the awkwardness for us by compiling this single box, a complete set. It is most assuredly new and improved, and a worthy addition to any serious collection.
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