The Godfather 50th Anniversary Set is here in full 4k glory as the trilogy is available to own on physical and digital for the first time ever!
Francis Ford Coppola’s Academy Award-winning* masterwork The Godfather is brought to us by Paramount Pictures.
Francis Ford Coppola said the following about the set:
I am very proud of The Godfather, which certainly defined the first third of my creative life.
With this 50th anniversary tribute, I’m especially proud Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone is included, as it captures Mario and my original vision in definitively concluding our epic trilogy.
It’s also gratifying to celebrate this milestone with Paramount alongside the wonderful fans who’ve loved it for decades, younger generations who still find it relevant today, and those who will discover it for the first time.
This beautiful film adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel chronicles the rise and fall of the Corleone family and the film trilogy is rightfully viewed as one of the greatest in cinematic history.
In preparation for the 50th anniversary of the first film’s original release on March 24, 1972, Paramount and Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope undertook a painstaking restoration of all three films over the course of three years.
Every effort was made to create the finest possible presentation for today’s audiences who can watch the films using technology that has advanced dramatically since 2007 when the last restoration was completed by eminent film historian and preservationist Robert Harris.
Using that work as a blueprint, the team spent thousands of hours to ensure that every frame was evaluated to create the most pristine presentation while remaining true to the original look and feel of the films.
Creating this set involved a monumental effort including going through over 300 cartons of film to find the best resolution for every frame of all 3 films.
Over 4000 hours were spent repairing film stains, tears, and other anomalies in the negatives and over 1000 hours were spent on rigorous color correction to ensure the high dynamic range tools were respectful of the original vision of Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis.
“We felt privileged to restore these films and a little in awe every day we worked on them,” said Andrea Kalas, senior vice president, Paramount Archives. “We were able to witness first-hand how the brilliant cinematography, score, production design, costume design, editing, performances, and, of course, screenwriting and direction became famously more than the sum of their parts. It was our commitment to honor all of the filmmakers’ exceptional work.”
Newly restored and remastered in Dolby Vision, all three films in the landmark trilogy will be released together with HDR-10 on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever.
The 4K Ultra HD set will include The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, and Coppola’s recently re-edited version of the final film, Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.
In addition to the widely available 4K Ultra HD set, a 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Limited Collector’s Edition will also be released in deluxe packaging and includes a hardcover coffee table book featuring stunning photographs, as well as portrait art prints on archival paper.
Both 4K Ultra HD sets include the theatrical and 1991 cuts of The Godfather Part III, along with new bonus content including an introduction to The Godfather by Coppola, a featurette about the preservation process, photos by acclaimed photographer Steve Schapiro, home movie footage, and comparisons of the new restoration to earlier versions of the films. A full list of new and legacy bonus content follows:
NEW BONUS CONTENT:
Introduction to The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola
Full Circle: Preserving The Godfather—Paramount Pictures archivists detail the incredible restoration process with archival footage showing the evolution of the film through various home entertainment incarnations as picture and audio technologies make quantum leaps over the decades.
Capturing the Corleones: Through the Lens of Photographer Steve Schapiro— In this reflective and frank discussion, special photographer Steve Schapiro shares his unique perspective and cherished memories as a witness to the making of this seminal film. Commentary on curated archival images makes for a fascinating, never-before-seen addition to the production’s history.
The Godfather: Home Movies— An assortment of 8mm home movie footage shot in 1971 offers a candid glimpse into the production of The Godfather. Shot on location at the Norton family estate on Staten Island’s Emerson Hill, this is the first time it’s been made available to the public.
Restoration Comparisons— Before and after highlights showcase extensive picture quality improvements to The Godfather.
LEGACY BONUS CONTENT:
The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn’t
Godfather World
Emulsional Rescue—Revealing The Godfather
…when the shooting stopped
The Godfather on the Red Carpet
Four Short Films on The Godfather
The Godfather vs. The Godfather: Part II
Cannoli
Riffing on the Riffing
Clemenza
The Family Tree
Crime Organization Chart
Connie and Carlo’s Wedding Album
2008 Credits
Behind the Scenes
A Look Inside
On Location
Francis Ford Coppola’s Notebook
Music of The Godfather
Nino Rota
Carmine Coppola
Coppola & Puzo on Screenwriting
Gordon Willis on Cinematography
Storyboards – The Godfather: Part II
Storyboards – The Godfather: Part III
The Godfather Behind the Scenes 1971
LEGACY BONUS CONTENT (cont’d):
Additional Scenes
Galleries
Trailers
Acclaim & Response
Additional Material
The Filmmakers
The Godfather: Part III—newly remastered and restored versions of the original theatrical cut and Coppola’s 1991 cut (note: these are exclusive to the 4K Ultra HD Collections)
Newly restored and remastered versions of The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, and Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone will also be available together on Blu-ray with access to the new and legacy bonus content detailed above.
The Godfather 50th Anniversary set was a painstaking labour of love and is set to be released March 21st in all major retailers priced at £74.99.
