In the early 70's, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II exploded on the silver screen. The films dominated the box office as well as the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture in 1972 and 1974 respectively. The films brought Marlon Brando out of an acting slump. Al Pacino, James Caan, Talia Shire, Robert Duvall, and Diane Keaton were now at the top of the "A" list of Stars. Robert De Niro won his first Oscar for his performance in the second film. Francis Ford Coppola went from living off of nothing to being one of the greatest directors of all time. Over the last 30 years, both films have stood the test of time, but the negatives have not been so lucky. The images have become so faded that we do not know what the original film looked like in its full glory. Until now...
Francis Ford Coppola returned to his two greatest cinematic achievements to begin a restoration that would last years. He turned to Robert A. Harris to lead the restoration project. Harris' previous projects include Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus, My Fair Lady, Vertigo, and Rear Window. Harris and his team begin a process that lasted many years. The end result is far more than fans could have ever hoped for.
The Coppola Restoration includes the '72 and '74 films, as well as the third film which was released in 1990. The Godfather Part III is a very well made film but doesn't quite reach the heights the first two did. I bought my Coppola Restoration a few weeks after it was released and was excited to see the finished product. I was completely blown away!
The picture is one of the greatest restorations that I have ever seen. The original negative was extremely faded and the colors were not vivid. Now you see every color for all it's worth. The picture is full of rich reds and yellows. The dark scenes are more clear and the outside shots look as if they are actually outside. The entire picture has been restored to a digital look. The sound has also been remastered to a 5.1 surround sound format. This film has never looked or sounded better.
This link include some more great information about the release. You can also scroll down and see pictures comparing the original negative with the restored negative.
This wonderful set includes: All three films in addition to two extra discs full of special features! This set is sure to be a hit with any Godfather fan...buy your copy today!
The Godfather Restoration
4 out of 4 stars
Picture courtesy of Google images
Sounds like they did a fantastic job restoring the films. Bet it makes a huge difference when watching them!
ReplyDeletelooking forward to seeing it restored. if only i could find someone to borrow it from....
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