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The Godfather Trilogy: Remastered Collection [1972]


RRP: £29.99
Our Price: £16.00 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Throughout his long, wandering, often distinguished career Francis Ford Coppola has made many films that are good and fine, many more that are flawed but undeniably interesting, and a handful of duds that are worth viewing if only because his personality is so flagrantly absent. Yet he is and always shall be known as the man who directed the Godfather films, a series that has dominated and defined their creator in a way perhaps no other director can understand. Coppola has never been able to leave them alone, whether returning after 15 years to make a trilogy of the diptych, or re-editing the first two films into chronological order for a separate video release as The Godfather Saga. The films are America's very own Shakespearean cycle: they tell a tale of a vicious mobster and his extended personal and professional families (once the stuff of righteous moral comeuppance), and they dared to present themselves with an epic sweep and an unapologetically tragic tone. Murder, it turned out, was a serious business.

The first film remains a towering achievement, brilliantly cast and conceived. The entry of Michael Corleone into the family business, the transition of power from his father, the ruthless dispatch of his enemies--all this is told with an assurance that is breathtaking to behold. And it turned out to be merely prologue; two years later The Godfather, Part II balanced Michael's ever-greater acquisition of power and influence during the fall of Cuba with the story of his father's own youthful rise from immigrant slums. The stakes were higher, the story's construction more elaborate, and the isolated despair at the end wholly earned. (Has there ever been a cinematic performance greater than Al Pacino's Michael, so smart and ambitious, marching through the years into what he knows is his own doom with eyes open and hungry?) The Godfather, Part III was mostly written off as an attempted cash-in, but it is a wholly worthy conclusion, less slow than autumnally patient and almost merciless in the way it brings Michael's past sins crashing down around him even as he tries to redeem himself. --Bruce Reid, Amazon.com

Masterpiece!
Review date: 2008-10-22 Rating: 10 out of 10

Everyone seems to have reviewed the Steelbook Amazon Exclusive version of this. I actually prefer this version and it is the one I bought. For one thing I feel that cramming all the discs into one small case means that it gets lost on the shelf amidst the rest of your DVD collection. A substatntial box means that it has more of a presence up there, and also it's not AS big as the original 2001 release so it's still slim. This is due to the extremely slim individual cases, which I prefer than having all discs in one case because each story gets its own front image filling the square and nice images and synposis of each one on the back. (this is contrary to the product image above which makes the case appear as if its the same size as the 2001 release). Altogether the packaging for this is a lot fuller. I like the pictures on the front of each case, and the combination of shiny black case with blood splattering and extremely slimline black cases give the whole thing a really sleek mafia feel to it.
My only complaint would be that the box itself is probably the least durable out of the three (ie. this one, the 2001 release and the steelbook), but not if you take good care of it.

As to the films themselves, this is currently my all-time favourite film saga. Beautifully dark and chilling and stylish. And not only that but compared to the 2001 release you are provided with the ultimate picture & sound quality and the ultimate colour giving you the ultimate film-viewing experience ever. Truly the films could not have been more restored than they are here. Also we have the joy of having Part II on only one disc, which avoids the need to get up half-way through your viewing experience to switch diss, although it's worth noting that even though it's on one disc the word 'Intermission' appears for a brief moment in between where the the two dics would have to have been swapped, which gives you an opportunity to get up and get some refreshments anyway. It would have been better if they'd have just let it carry on running (although maybe they showed it in the cinema originally with an intermission).

People always slate Part III but I think that when taking the three films as an entity it serves it purpose superbly. I love all three films - and you can't love them in the same way because they are different types of films. Part I is all about introducing the family and how Vito passes on the Don mantle to Michael. Part II serves as prequel and sequel showing the Beginnings of Don Vito and how he arrived at his position at the beginning of Part I, as well as Michael's descenet deeper into sin and showing the atrocities he commits as Don Corleone. Part III then is all about the guilt, misery, regret and pain Michael feels because of his past sins and the man he's become. Part II and III are equally tragic in that you almost believe things are going to turn out all right. You're led to believe that Michael has made up with poor sweet Fredo, making his murder all the more striking. You're led to believe that after Michael's prayer next Don Tommassino's coffin that he actually will redeem himself and it will be all happy endings. Not so - and in fact the 9-hour long epic that is "The Godfather Trilogy" culminates in the most powerful film ending ever. Personally, I cannot find fault with any of the films.

So. The ultimate film trilogy, and the ultimate restoration, with 4 hours of special features, provide the ultimate box-set. Truly an epic masterpiece!

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Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Al Pacino
Richard Conte
John Cazale
Robert De Niro
Marlon Brando

Creators:
Marlon Brando (Primary Contributor)
Richard Conte (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Paramount Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
EAN: 5014437954831
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 5
Format: Box set, PAL, Colour, Dolby,
Release date: 2008-06-02
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 549 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)

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