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The Godfather (Widescreen Edition) [VHS]

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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.

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.

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.

This is a great movie and the restoration is fantastic. The picture is clear with no noticeable scratches or dust, and the color that was added to make it resemble with looked like in at it's theatrical release gives it a sunny glow that in my opinion, gives it more life. My only problem is that upon buying this dvd, I found that the "2" disks amazon has in it's description, is really just 1. There are no bonus features except for the commentary that was included in previous releases. If you must have special features, buy The Godfather Trilogy - The Coppola Restoration it has a boat load of special features, and you can get it on blu-ray or dvd for around $65 online. Besides there not being special features or a 2nd disk, this is a great restoration that should not be passed up by fans or anyone looking to see it for the first time.

This is one of the greatest films ever made. Any doubt about that can be dispelled by watching the movie. I missed this when it first came out, and then a curious thing happened. For some reason I thought I had seen the film. One decade and then two went by and I kept hearing what a great film The Godfather was. But I was unimpressed because I thought I had seen it.

I don't know what film I had seen, but it wasn't The Godfather. Seeing this film for the first time over thirty years after the fact of its production is a startling experience. The Godfather is a work of art from first scene to last. There is the most amazing adherence to that fiction which is truer than fact.


I would like to say that I played cards with Mario Puzo who wrote the novel from which the film was adapted and who famously worked with Coppola on the screenplay, but in fact I only played cards with some people who had played cards with Puzo. Ah, such is the effect of celebrity. Puzo became like Coppola something of a legend after this film was produced, and everybody suddenly knew him or played cards with him. Everybody, from the most unsophisticated celluloid fan to the most erudite and jaded critic had walked out of that theater after 171 minutes mesmerized and delighted and emotionally moved by an uncompromising look at not just a Mafia family, but the psychology of families since time immemorial. The truth that we have all lived and experienced was made large on the screen in the form of the Corleones. I can guarantee you that audiences from every culture on the planet would understand the underlying psychology of this movie and take it to some serious extent as their own.


Marlon Brando plays the godfather (the patriarch, of course, or even the warlord if you like) of the past and the present, and then, as must always be the case, comes a new godfather. What is fascinating is who this new godfather is and how he comes to power. The ending of the film is--after so many brilliant scenes and so many psychologically true surprises and so many excursions to Queens and the Bronx and Sicily and Las Vegas (each vignette absolutely integrated into the story of the film)--even more ponderously true and a surprise that sneaks up on us so stealthily that it is not a surprise. And when the credits begin to run after Diana Keaton's tears of realization, we too realize the "message" of the film. It is a message that I think would be understood in the Middle East today (and two thousand years ago as well) as I write this, a message of tribal ways and the rise and fall of warlords and the Machiavellian machinations of the prince who would be king.


But it is Al Pacino's performance as the son of the godfather that in the final analysis steals the show as he goes from the intellectual boy who would be a legitimate American success at the finest colleges, etc. to a man wearing the hat of Al Capone. And Pacino makes us believe every step of the way.


Well, I should not say that it Al Pacino who steals the show. In truth this is Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece. He would not have the film he has without Al Pacino or Marlon Brandon and certainly not without the novel and script from Mario Puzo, of course; but make no mistake about it. Coppola manicured every scene. He attended to every detail, from the color of the wine to the tires on the cars to the dances and the music to the villas abroad to the sleaze of Las Vegas to the perfect casting of the main characters right down to the extras including both cute and not so cute kids, as indeed life would give us. In some very real sense Coppola lived this movie and it was a part of him, and yet I am stuck by the fact that Puzo invented it.


This is an American classic, an uncompromising work of art that engages, informs and moves the audience--just about any audience--to ask the great questions regarding who we are and what we should do and how we should live. From the wedding to the funeral to the christening to the priest in Latin voice-over as the final vengeance is planned to that final vengeance (that we know will NOT be the final vengeance), we are glued to our seats as the life of human beings (who could very well be us) passes before our transfixed eyes.


Oscars went to Brando as best actor, and to Puzo and Coppola for best screen adaptation. In a rare show of almost universal agreement among movie goers, critics, and the Academy, The Godfather won the Oscar as Best Picture in 1972.


Don't miss this as I had for so long, and see it for Coppola who can take his place among the greats of all cinema for this film alone.

After I purchased Mario Puzo's novel, I stayed up most of that night reading it. Two years later, this film adaptation appeared and I have since seen it (as well as Godfather Part II) more than a dozen times. Francis Ford Coppola deserves all of the praise and awards these films have received over the years. He should also be admired for insisting that Pacino and Brando be cast in two of the major roles despite strong opposition from Paramount. Coppola assembled a superb cast but also an equally talented crew. Those who share my high regard for it no doubt have their own favorite scenes. Mine include Michael's enlistment of a bewildered young man's assistance at the hospital until members of the Corleone family arrive to protect their don, the sequence in the restaurant which results in the killing of Sollozzo and McCluskey, Tom Hagen's discussion with Jack Woltz during dinner, Michael's reunion conversation with Kay as they stroll in a New England village, and the montage of executions during the baptism. None of the extensive violence in the film seems gratuitous. Each major character is fully developed. The cinematography and score are outstanding, although neither was even nominated for an Academy Award. Dark as this film often is, it also has its lighter moments, as during the wedding celebration when Luca Brasi rehearses his remarks before presenting a gift and later when Clemenza teases Michael good-naturedly about Kay Adams. For me, the single most interesting element in the film is Michael's gradual development from his family's baby brother (albeit a war hero) to its ruthlessly efficient don. Once he volunteers to kill Sollozzo and McCluskey, his destiny is assured. In some respects, this film reminds me of an opera but one with a multi-dimensional plot as well as grandeur in its style, scope, and emotional impact. In 1998, the American Film Institute selected The Godfather as one of the three greatest American films. Only Citizen Kane and Casablanca were ranked higher.

I stumbled across this classic on cable TV a few evenings ago and that was it: I abandoned all other plans for the evening and watched the movie. Then I retrieved Mario Puzo's novel from my book collection and plowed through it, savoring and relishing this extraordinary piece of literature that had such an impact on our cultural landscape thirty-plus years ago.

Francis Ford Coppola's THE GODFATHER is a triumphant, magnificent screen portrayal of Puzo's epic book. The story of an Italian-American mob "family" entrenched in inherent and often desperate violence, Coppola weaves this film with compelling, moving, and haunting visuals that are as beautiful as they are disturbing. The scenes are at once simplistic and complex, yet such a dichotomy is not lost on the viewer, but embraced--appreciated for its overwhelming genius.

I've seen more than my fair share of Marlon Brando films, and in my opinion the character of Don Vito Corleone is this actor's signature role. Brando effectively portrays the Godfather's compassion, love and devotion to his family, and calm acumen to make "business" decisions that literally mean life or death to countless men. Don Vito is both a family man and a killer: two seemingly inconsistent characteristics that make Brando's portrayal even more remarkable. The rest of the cast, including James Caan and Robert Duvall, is exceptional, but it is Al Pacino as young Michael Corleone--Don Vito's "baby boy" who was not meant to enter the family business--who provides the most telling role in this film. Before our very eyes, we see Michael change from a man eager to remain at arms-length to the Corleone family ventures to a ruthless, cold-blooded Godfather himself--a transformation both astounding and eery.

THE GODFATHER is a feast of unforgettable cinematic moments: from an ambush at a toll booth to a bloody horse head wrapped in satin sheets. Puzo's story is told--told through filmmaking as good as it gets.
--D. Mikels

Francis Ford Coppola directed an absolute masterpiece on film when he made the immortal classic "The Godfather", which was adapted from Mario Puzo's best selling book about the inner working and ordeals of the Corleone Family who was head of the powerful Mafia organization. An excellent screenplay, excellent actors and excellent cinematography makes this one of the best films ever produced and its not hard to see why.

The film stars Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone aka "The Godfather", Al Pacino as The Godfather's son Michael, James Caan as Sonny who is The Godfather's eldest son and heir apparent, John Cazale as Fredo, the "innocent" son of Vito Corleone, Talia Shire as Connie the daughter and last but not least Robert Duvall as "Tom Hagen" as the adviser to the Don. The rest of the supporting cast is outstanding as well.

The screenplay is faithful to the storyline of the book, which excludes some chapters from the novel, however this doesn't diminish the movie in anyway. It is a story, ultimately a tragic one, about the powerful Corleone Family and the internal strife, struggle, loyalty and love mixed in with a need for power ultimately makes victims of all members of the family. I am sure all who have seen the movie know the plot well, and for those who havent seen the movie, I wont spoil any of it, since it is a movie "you cant refuse" to see. The ultimate lesson of the movie in my opinion is "Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely".

The characters in the movie are supposedly based on real life Mafioso's such as real Gambino crime boss Sam "Boom Boom" Giancana is the inspiration for Vito Corleone and Johnny Fontaine is based on Frank Sinatra as it will be easy to see when the viewer watches the movie.

This is a true classic in every sense of the word and I can't recommend it highly enough for those who enjoy classic movies and movies that last throughout time. This is only the opening chapter however and there are two more movies (Godfather II and III) in this incredible saga that are just as brilliant as this one and I highly recommend that they be viewed as well to see the ultimate tragedy of the Corleone Family.

When one looks over the movies that are usually mentioned as the all-time greats, there is usually some innovation, technical achievement, artistic statement, or heart-warming impression that explains the choice. I'm not sure that "The Godfather" fits any of those categories but it certainly has to be considered as one of the greatest movies of all-time. Francis Ford Coppola took an excellent engrossing, suspenseful book and turned it into a movie with the same qualities. From the opening to the closing scene, everything about this movie was carefully planned, designed, and orchestrated. It is a masterpiece of cinematic craftmanship.

The acting is superb with Brando taking the prize in his portrayal of Don Corleone, the Godfather. His raspy voice that suggested reason while disguising intrigue was one of the many keys to the effective tone of the movie. There were scenes of violence, to be sure. However, it was the quiet, calculated moves that created a greater sense of evil. It was the implication of quiet yet ruthless planning that made the horse's head all the scarier. Sonny (played very well by James Cann) did not understand the subtleties of evil whereas Michael (played even better by Al Pacino) did.

The music was haunting, the costume were well-done, the cinematography was excellent, the writing outstanding but it was the directing that carries the movie. I'm not sure whatever happened to Francis Ford Coppola. I realize that he had other achievements, not the least of which was the sequel of "Godfather II". However, this man displayed a talent seldom seen. Maybe it was just the right mind and vision for the right project but it sure seemed that we would be seeing a lot more from this man.

Everybody has at least one scene from "The Godfather" that has stayed with them more than others. For many it is the horse's head, for others it's "the offer he can't refuse", while for others it may be something as subtle as the slowly closing door at the end of the movie. Each of those images appeals to us on a different level. "The Godfather" has worked its' way into our culture and why not? It is a movie that appeals to most every movie goer from age 14 on up. It is one of those movies that you can enjoy over and over again. Each time you can appreciate even more examples of the artist at work.

This is the greatest American film of all time. It may not have been the slickest piece of film-making or broke any new ground but it's themes, the importance of family, both biological and professional, resonate to this day. In this case the families happen to be both Italian-American and Mafia, but that's just incidental. I've never read the novel that this is based on but it's my understanding that Mario Puzo's book is pulpier than than the film that Francis Ford Coppola made of it. That is one of the reasons that this film is elevated above all others in that it could have been soapier and glitzier than it was but it did not succumb to that and credit has to be given to Coppola as both screenwriter and director for that. Coppola emphasized in his script it's most important theme, family, and concentrated on developing characters instead of stereotypes. Yes, some people remember the more violent and sensational aspects of this film. We also know the people in this film. The Corleone's are as familiar to us as either are own family or neighbors. Marlon Brando gives an appropriately subdued performance here as Don Vito Corleone. His character seems melancholic and rueful, seeming to be mourning his situation in life or the changing ways of his chosen way of life, yet accepts the reality and the responsibilities that come for a man in his position. Al Pacino in his second film, his first being the little seen "Panic in Needle Park", is dynamic as Michael, the son that the Don wanted better things for but because of changing circumstance is drawn into the family business. Michael is to prove that he is more than up to the challenge of settling scores. James Caan as Sonny, the heir apparent to the Don who may be a little to emotional and hot-headed for the job, does tremendous work here. Robert Duvall is also good in the role of Tom Hagen, adopted son of the Corleones, who acts as lawyer for the family's business. It also should be noted that John Cazale appears here as Fredo, the ineffectual Corleone son. Fredo's character isn't really developed until the second installment of this saga but I would like to note that Cazale, who died young in 1978 but made the most of his short life. Besides appearing in the first two "Godfather" films he also appeared and was quite effective in "The Conversation", "Dog Day Afternoon", and "The Deer Hunter", released after his death. There are may other great actors (Talia Shire, Richard Castellano, etc.) so numerous who do good work here. Some would feel that "The Godfather" is a romanticized depiction of the Mafia but I don't see that as the case. "The Godfather" is a good story whose milieu is incidentally in the world of organized crime. On a final note, Coppola contributes an excellent and very informative commentary to the film on the DVD that enhances the viewing of the film particularly for those who've seen it numerous times.