Paramount to re-do "Godfather" DVDs

The article implies that Paramount and American Zoetrope knowingly did a halfass job with the transfer, and now they are cleaning up their mistake.

In that case, Columbia tri star would have to offer a rebate for every title that they've re-released on superbit. It ain't going to happen.

I think that Sony would argue that they try to create the best combination of video and extra features with the first release. According to the article, Paramount gave American Zoetrope bad prints to use for the DVD transfers and while American Zoetrope recognized this, they still went ahead and used them.

I certainly don't expect there to be any rebate. I do think it would be a wonderful gesture by the studio though. They charged an above average price for a below average product, IMO. I bought it simply because I had no other way to view these films. A rebate of some kind would be a nice way to say thanks to the current owners of the set. At any rate, you are probably right that its not going to happen

I suppose that the cuurent DVDs were as good as it got at the time they were created. Technology progresses.

If these new ones are "astonishingly" better, then I'll bite. The original transfers were a bit of a disappointment, IMO.

But hey, it sure was/is great to see them at home in widescreen without commercials and cuts.

Damin wrote:

Mr. Lowry said as much (explaining that it was an early project and he'd like to redo it, given 2K and software advances) in his chat here at the HTF last year:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/files/lowry.txt

I seem to be the only one around these parts who sees grain in Kane (the reading room portion of the Thatcher Library sequence, for instance) -- as with many LDI transfers, Casablanca among them, grain is least evident/most absent in brightly lit and completely dark sequences, and most evident in sequences where shades of gray predominate. It's clear that different given portions of LDI transfers have differing grain structures (from none in evidence to moderately evident), but how accurate this variance is to surviving elements I can't say (Lowry also explains in that chat that his company reduces grain with the goal of reproducing the levels of an original element, rather than eliminating it -- when no such element survives, such things are of course open to interpritation and mistake, and it doesn't surprise me at all that LDI concedes advances in this area, along with others; the input of the studio that hires them, whom they must first please, will likely be the foremost guide to such efforts, I'd expect).

At any rate -- that's another thread, but I thought I'd point out the chat to those further interested in the topic. I don't yet own the Godfathers, so I'm happy to hear they'll be revisited.

From the article: I'm not sure that this statement is as true for Casablanca as it is for the other two films. I was under the impression that they had decent quality elements available for Casablanca.

Keep in mind that the Paramount that mishandled the Godfather elements bears only nominal resemblance to the Paramount of today. In any case, if they want me to double dip on the first two Godfathers, they could include the original mono sound mix as well as the 5.1 remix.

Regards,

Maybe he meant to say "went too far with rain removal on Citizen Kane."

According to DVD Angle the Godfather disc is being released is the exact same disc as in the box set. Is the above article talking about a different release?

I got my Godfather set before release date and I think I've only watched it through twice!
I wanted to keep the films special and fresh in my mind but now it just seems like I haven't got my monies worth, cause I KNOW I'll get this new set
Recently I've upgraded Carlito's Way, Casablanca and soon to upgrade Alien and Aliens long after I said I was gonna stop double-dipping.
All they need to do is put these films on disc at as high a bit-rate as possible, include the old commentaries and the mono tracks and they'll be great. If they leave off all extras I don't mind keeping my old set for the bonus disc. May be cool if a new set is released with the saga edit but I've never seen it so can't say I'll prefer it.
On the transers, I love them cause they remind me I'm watching a film! I always thought the transfers were great, can't believe so many people don't like. You sure are spoiled

I have the Godfather Collection, and I see nothing wrong with the transfers. I have watched the films at least three times each since I purchased them and love the extras as well. I can't see buying these again unless they are really special. They would have to have more extras than the boxed set, because the transfers would not be enough to warrant a double dip.

In 2001 my passion for and thus buying of dvds had waned due to various distractions in my life. I still purchased them, but at a frequency and volume that was much lower and lesser respectively than my first two years. Thus the GodFather box set came and went, though I always knew that it would be only a matter of time before I got it one day.

When my life stabilized in 2002 I embarked on an effort to catch up on discs that I had missed in 2001, the GodFather boxset was on the top of my "gotta get" list, but between catching up and trying to keep current I never quite had the funds to afford it.

So here we are in 2003 - and it seems my procrastination of the GodFather box set will inadvertently be rewarded with re-releases that are at least in video quality superior to their predecessors. Being released individually will also mean keepcase packagaing which I prefer to the card board layout (which by the way is very nice, but for durability purposes I like keepcases).

First the remastered video Bond flicks (and dolby digital 5.1 tracks for the films without one, also it's rumored that all the films will get a DTS track..we'll see) coming in 2006, and now the remasterd GodFather films coming in 2004.

It seems I've "accidently" dodged two bullets. I understand that most peoples wallets won't even flinch from rebuying the Bond and GodFather films, but unfortunately I'm not one of those people. And yes - had I bought the progenitors of these films I would'nt "have" to rebuy the enhanced versions, but as I've mentioned before, my number one priority with any film on dvd is the AV quality. Ergo, if a film on dvd I own is re-released with even the slightest bit of improvement in either the picture or sound I simply can not rest in peace until I've replaced it with the superior version.

I know - it's a sickness. Though I'd say we all have our own form of psychosis when it comes to dvd.

As for supplemental material - it's on a per case basis, but for the most part I could care less - and in the case of the GodFather films - I could care less.

And oh by the way Paramount, though I didn't buy the first release of GodFather films - shame on you.

While the Godfather set looks fine on my 30 inch TVs, they are nearly unwatchable on my 92 inch screen. The image does not hold up IMHO - has nothing to do with film grain, etc.

And yes, I also found it odd that #3, the newest film, looks as bad as it does.

Cheers,

I'm content with the present set. I'd only upgrade if the films were presented in chronological order, as is done with one LD set.

They're very much "watchable" on my 110" screen.
Not reference quality to be sure, not even close,
but fine and acceptable.

Of course, should they improve the A/V quality I'll just have to double dip..

On my 47" 16x9 HDTV I find the transfers acceptable but not (obviously) reference. And by reference I don't mean in comparison to The Matrix Reloaded - I mean reference compared to other stellar transfers of films about the same age as the Godfather I and II.

I only paid around $50-$60 for the set, as I had coupons and searched for the best deal. So I'm not bitter if the new transfers are indeed heads-n-shoulders above the old ones. Since 3 isn't my fave, if they're available separately I'll only buy I and II again.

Not sure whether my previous post got buried. Let me try again...

Are we really sure that this is a NEW transfer???

According to the DVD Angle, the Godfather is the only disc being released and IT IS THE SAME TRANSFER as the disc in the box set.

Can anyone confirm or deny that this? Are there two Godfather releases in our future?

Todd

Yes, apparently they have hired John Lowry to do new transfers

Todd B,

DVD Angle is talking about a release in May. The Times says the new transfers will be out at the end of 2004.

Ive only watched the set twice and I got it right away when it came out. It would have to take a rebate and/or new extras to warrant rebuying.

Im not unhappy with the current transfers.

I would rather see Apocalypse Now reissued as well. Although the current discs have good audio and video quality, they are in desperate need of extras.

After relistening to The Godfather commentaries and just starting The Conversation commentary, I think Coppola should be recording commentaries for *all* of his films. He's an engaging, intellegent, articulate speaker, giving a good mix of technical details, historical anecdotes and personal stories. Unlike some directors, he doesn't try to take credit for everything and enjoys pointing out the contributions that everyone made to the film. Also, he's not afraid to say "oops, I could have done that better" instead of acting as though every frame is perfect. And, with the case of The Godfather, he was honest about the production battles rather than acting as though everything was perfect between himself and the studio. All in all, amazingly entertaining and informative listening.

Even for his lesser films, I'd love to hear a commentary. I now enjoy Godfather III much more having heard his thoughts, and understanding what he wanted the movie to be. Because of my own expectations of what it could or should have been, I was probably a bit too harsh on it - after hearing Coppola put it in perspective, as an epilogue, and saying that even he felt labeling it as GF3 was inappropriate, it becomes easier to just watch it for what it is instead of what I might have wanted something called GF3 to be.

Michael,
Have YOU SEEN these DVD's???
Too bad!
Now your unable too say you have NEVER watched a movie, that was not OAR.
Sorry, these DVD's ruined your perfect record!

Let me temper my statement a bit, as I know a lot of work went into this set...

Let's just say, I haven't watched them more than once on my larger screen (and I'd like to).

Cheers,

Huh? Did I miss something? Can you explain what you mean by this?

I'm guessing Ed means that the DVDs are not OAR because they are 1.78:1 rather than 1.85:1. This is a rather common occurrence with 1.85:1 films, though.

DJ

The Godfather DVD shows more picture info on all sides in comparison to the vhs widescreen copies.

Oh I see. Well I'm not one of those who participates in the 1.78 vs. 1.85 or the 2.35 vs. 2.40 arguments, so I am not counting this as "not OAR."

YMMV.

I've only watched Godfather 1 on my 46-inch widescreen and the transfer is TERRIBLE. Bad edge enhancement, video noise everywhere in the darker scenes, and the overall lack of effort to remaster stuck out like a sore thumb upon my viewing. One of my rules is if poor picture quality detracts from viewing a film I've always loved (Bonnie And Clyde, Where The Buffalo Roam, Goodfellas, etc.), then the studio should be ashamed to have put out this product. With Godfather, it's not so much a problem with what Coppola intended the film to look like, it's just that the darker scenes would look WAY better without the annoying pixels and such all around the picture...

isn't this a bit egocentric?