DVD : The Godfather Trilogy : Remastered Collection - Limited Edition Steelbook Metal Packaging (Exclusive To Amazon.co.uk) [1971]

Rating: - It Simply Does Not Get Better Than This.
I won't bore anyone by rehashing any of the scenes in the films. I'll simply state these things: the quality of the picture is superlative. I'm old enough to have seen these all as first-release films, and they not only look 100%, they SOUND 110% better than the originals. For collectors, this set is outrageously under-priced. The quality of the restoration is simply so good, it renders me speechless - as it seems Coppola is as well on viewing the final work.

I have the 5 disc Blade Runner restoration set. This film, however, is so deeply ingrained in the Western World's movie-going psyche, that the restoration is something which will inure itself to modern-day mythology, and the psyche concerning Italian Americans/Gangsters. It a few words, it's fiercely beautiful.

Note that Godfather 1 is in Digital Surround sound now - for the first time. It looks and sounds perfect. This is definitely a work of love for those who did it, and a supreme pleasure for me, who bought it. The technology involved promises for a revolution in the restoration of damaged classics.

Any fan of these films MUST have this set.

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Rating: - Excellent Buy, Well Worth It!
I've owned the previous 5-Disc Set of the Godfather (2001 Release), and I can safely say that the Coppola Restoration is well worth getting, especially at this price, and even better in this limited steelbook package.

I've compared the pictures of the two sets on a Plasma, and there is a huge difference between the two, the print on this new dvd set is far better than the other, a huge differnce in the brightness of the picture, enables the viewer to see clearly and slightly more of the picture.

In addition, Part 2 is in one Disc as opposed to two, which is great, as now we don't need to change the DVD mid-way through. Instead, they've devoted the extra 5th Disc on New Bonus Features which talk about the restoration, along with the original special features, from the previous set, being on Disc 4.

This is surely a great buy at this price at the minute; even if you have the previous set - this one is still worth getting!

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Rating: - 1 & 2 Still Classics. 3 Is A Stinker.
The multiple assassination scenes at the end of The Godfather, intercut with Michael Corleone at his niece's christening, are still as powerful now as they were twenty five years ago. It's scenes like this that make the first movie one of the best American films ever produced. Great dialogue, rich cinematography, assured direction and excellent performances all contribute to a very satisfying experience. Brando, Pacino, Caan, Duvall and a host of other character actors seem to have a complete understanding of their roles. It's certainly not a perfect film- there are times when the time span of the movie can irritate the viewer. For instance, when Michael returns to America and meets Kay. She asks him how long he's been back and he replies "a year". I can imagine an audience thinking "a YEAR?! I didn't know he was back at all!" I realise that it's difficult to structure a film that spans many years, but it still treats the audience with some contempt. This happens more and more in the last hour, but is this clumsy pacing/editing or just unavoidable? I'm not sure. Furthermore, some scenes don't quite work- Michael visiting his father at the hospital for example. There's something flat and stilted about it. But overall it's a piece of cinema that can be watched many times and there are so many outstanding moments, it would be petty to criticise too much.
Part 2 also has some moments of brilliance and is a hugely ambitious tale. The parts of the film which detail Vito Corleone's early life are breathtaking in terms of cinematography and direction. I don't personally think the rest of the movie ever matches those scenes, partly because some of the storylines aren't very interestingly written. A business venture in Cuba between Michael and weasily businessman Hyman Roth is potentially fascinating, but somehow just doesn't seem to work as well as it should. Maybe Pacino underplays his part too much this time and there's some poor acting from Diane Keaton, particularly in the scene where she tells him she's leaving. She really is so bloody annoying in that scene! Don't get me wrong though, I do like Part 2.
As for Part 3, there's no point in any niceties: it's horses**t from beginning to end. An absolutely pathetic attempt to duplicate the magic of the first two and failing on every level. The story is coma-inducingly dull, Coppola's direction is terrible and Pacino's performance borders on ridiculous. Some people have blamed the film's failure on the misguided casting of Sofia Coppola in the role of Michael's daughter, but that's clearly a cop out. The film is crap anyway.
Overall- one great film, one pretty good film and one stinking turkey.

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Rating: - s`Two Great movies and a bummer
The first two movies in this trilogy are the finest work Hollywood produced in the 70's but no matter how many times we get the Godfather remastered, redigitalised, re-edited - no one can make the third movie a good movie - its thrash in comparison to the first two and it is the work of two very lazy people - Coppola and Mario Puzo and they should have been ashamed of themselves for the slack screenplay.

The story line is just a rehash of scenes from the first two movies but without the tension that comes from seeing something original for the first time. Right that's enough of my gripe about Don III. Having said that Pacino's performance in III is still first rate but too much of the movie is placed on his shoulders because of the terrible miscasting of Sophia Coppola as his daughter. Buy the boxed set for the first two movies and save yourself a couple of hours by not watching the third installment.

American Cinema in general - like Coppola himself - has been on an ever downward path since Godfather II - the pinnacle of grand Hollywood movie making. Nowadays it's special effects not acting and a good storyline that sell movies, what a shame.

The first two movies are straight five stars no question, the third installment - no more than 3 (and that's generous).

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Rating: - Buy it while you can!
The movies speak for themselves; Part I & II are classics, and the much maligned part III is still good in it's own right but obviously not in the same league as the first two. However get this limited "steelbook" edition while you can as it's very cool. I wondered how they were going to get all 5 discs into a slimline case but they managed it! Discs 1-3 are the movies. It's worth noting that Part II is now all on 1 disc (and it's all on one side, it isn't a "flipper"), whereas previously the film was spread across 2 discs. Disc 4 is all of the extras from the last boxset, and disc 5 is the all-new supplementary material. I already owned the previous boxset so wasn't sure if it was worth "double-dipping" for this release. However if you factor in the restored prints, new extras, Part 2 on being on 1 disc, the cool steelbook design, and a very reasonable price I'd say it's worth getting.