Product Details

• Actors: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Diane Keaton, Richard S. Castellano
• Directors: Francis Ford Coppola
• Writers: Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo
• Producers: Albert S. Ruddy, Gray Frederickson, Robert Evans
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, THX, NTSC
• Language: English, Italian, Latin
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: October 12, 1999
• Run Time: 175 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (357 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305587795
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #332,080 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Generally acknowledged as a bona fide classic, this Francis Ford Coppola film is one of those rare experiences that feels perfectly right from beginning to end--almost as if everyone involved had been born to participate in it. Based on Mario Puzo's bestselling novel about a Mafia dynasty, Coppola's Godfather extracted and enhanced the most universal themes of immigrant experience in America: the plotting-out of hopes and dreams for one's successors, the raising of children to carry on the good work, etc. In the midst of generational strife during the Vietnam years, the film somehow struck a chord with a nation fascinated by the metamorphosis of a rebellious son (Al Pacino) into the keeper of his father's dream. Marlon Brando played against Puzo's own conception of patriarch Vito Corleone, and time has certainly proven the actor correct. The rest of the cast, particularly James Caan, John Cazale, and Robert Duvall as the rest of Vito's male brood--all coping with how to take the mantle of responsibility from their father--is seamless and wonderful. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Looks so good, I want to watch it in slow motion, February 6, 2010

By 

Art - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Godfather (Coppola Restoration) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

This review is based on the "Part 1" disc from the box set. I literally can't believe that people are saying that there's no difference between this and the DVD version. I had to do a side-by-side comparison to make sure, but there's no question that this new blu-ray is noticeably more detailed on a 40" LCD set.

It's also got a noticeably different color balance, in accordance with cinematographer Gordon Willis's original instructions, which makes it that much more baffling that people can't see any difference. In addition to the color difference, there is noticeably more detail, especially in darker scenes.

Yes, it's dark; yes it's grainy. That's the way it was shot. But if you are any kind of a fan of this movie, you owe it to yourself to see this beautiful new restoration.

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one of my two favorite movies of all time., August 24, 2001

By 

David Zampino "21st Century Hobbit" (Delavan, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Godfather [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Rarely does a film manage to express the power of a novel from which it was based -- but "The Godfather" does manage to do quite well. Realizing that the entire second section of the novel could not be fit into the movie (but was cleverly woven into "The Godfather, part 2") Puzo and Coppola produced a film which was remarkably consistent with the remainder of the book (although there are a few 'jumps' in the plot which make more sense to someone also familiar with the book). The cast for this picture could not possibly be better -- both in the first-rate Hollywood actors AND in the on-location Sicilian actors selected for those portions of the movie filmed on that island. Brando is perfect as the aging Don, Pacino portrays the inherently moral but tormented Michael extremely well, Caan is ideal as the hotheaded Sonny, and Robert Duvall, in the best role of his career, is splendid as Tom Hagen. (And I loved Simonetta Stefanelli as Apollonia)! In addition to the writing and the casting, the filming and cinematography was also excellent. Who could ever forget Sonny's murder at the toll booth? And the baptism scene? Classic filmmaking at its best. I can't recommend this picture highly enough -- although I would strongly encourage the reading and re-reading of the novel as well.

31 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Better Get the Collection, July 5, 2004

By 

James N. Smith (Memphis, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Godfather (Widescreen Edition) (DVD)

So many reviews rate the film itself which we already know is a classic, but few give any comments on the quality of the DVD. The Paramount Widescreen Collection of this film is indeed a very bad transfer which becomes quite evident in the first scene which is almost incomprehensible because it is so dark as to render the subtle performance of Brando unviewable. On my DVD I couldn't even access the bonus track with the commentary. Fortunately I only spent $15 for it, but it really fueled my desire to see the collection which everyone raves about, eventhough I could care less for GF III.