The Godfather Trilogy has just debuted on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever, and to help celebrate its release, we have an exclusive clip for you to check out. Along with all three installments of the movie trilogy, released in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola's first film of the series, the box set includes a plethora of bonus features delving into the creation of the films. In our exclusive clip, which you can watch below, viewers are able to take a look at the original, handwritten line script used for the original movie.
“I am very proud of The Godfather, which certainly defined the first third of my creative life,” says Coppola, who initially figured the film would be a failure, in a statement. “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.”
Andrea Kalas, senior vice president of Paramount Archives, added: “We felt privileged to restore these films and a little in awe every day we worked on them. 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.”
The Godfather Trilogy on 4K Ultra HD Includes the Films and Tons of Bonus Features
The set includes 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. All three films have been newly restored and remastered in Dolby Vision and this will be the first time ever the trilogy has been released on 4K Ultra HD. Coppola oversaw the process of restoring the films, which includes pouring through over 300 cartons of film and spending 4,000 hours on repairing its various anomalies in the negatives. Another 1,000 hours was spent on color correction to "ensure the high dynamic range tools were respectful of the original vision of Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis." The set also includes restored original mono tracks for the first two films along with the 5.1 audio approved by Walter Murch in 2007.
Plenty of new bonus features will be included alongside all of the bonuses made available on The Godfather Trilogy releases in years past. You can check out the full list of extras below.
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
- 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
The Godfather Trilogy is now available on 4K Ultra HD.