Godfather Remaster - Any opinions yet? (1 Viewer)

[Paul_D]

Just noticed that the single disc reissue is released on Tuesday. Anyone seen a copy yet?

I haven't thus far made a Gdfather DVD investment, so I'd be very interested to see if the massive improvements this remaster promised to deliver over the original box set disc are up to snuff.

If they are, I'll pass on the box and get the single disc, hoping that Part 2 gets released as a single release sometime soon.

 

[Seth--L]

See past posts. The disc is identical to the one in the box set. There was no remastering done.

 

[Scott Kimball]

What Seth said...

I don't have this title on my review list for HTF, because Paramount indicated this was not a new transfer.

-Scott

 

[Paul_D]

Bummer. :frowning:

 

[Carl Walker]

Well, I thought the transfer was perfectly fine for a film of its age... Yes, it is a little bit soft, but that didn't distract me from the fact that it is a fantastic film.

 

[Jeannette Walsh]

Well I'd have to disagree with that. There are plenty of films on DVD of the same vintage and older that look absolutely amazing. Given the stature that this film has, this DVD should of been as good as they could possibly get it and it is nowhere near that. It's obvious that no restoration or cleaning was done on the current version and that's a damn shame especially for a film that often tops Best film of all time lists. Just my opinion.

 

[Carl Walker]

Is it possible that the film was supposed to look soft? Was that Coppola's intent, by chance? I'm asking because I didn't see it when it originally came to theaters...

 

[Scott Strang]

I hope they keep Godfather II on 2 discs with the repackaged release.

Wasn't the reason it occupied 2 discs in the first place because it looked like shit on just one disc?

 

[Robert Anthony]

Jeannette: You REALLY gotta check out that old Godfather thread when this re-release was first announced. All sorts of people weighed in on that very claim that the transfer was crap--and it turned out, basically, that it represents the look of the film very faithfully. Coppola and his cinematographer approved the transfer, I believe.

It is a good transfer--that's apparently how the film looked when it was released. Very dark, very grainy, very soft. Like an old sepia-toned photograph left out in the sun--come to life.

here's the link:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...ight=Godfather

There's a quote from Robert Harris on the first page regarding his opinion on the transfer as well.

 

[Jeannette Walsh]

My problem with it is not necessarily the "look" of the film. I understand that filming techniques and limitations etc will always determine how good a film will look on DVD. So some problems (if you can call them that)like levels of grain and softness will be inevitable. What I have a problem with is print damage and cleanliness. Even Mr Harris points this out ...

"Other than an occasional speckling of minus density (negative dirt which prints as clear - white - on prints)"

these problems are not necessary and as recent restorations like the Indiana Jones set have proven, a little bit of TLC given to the print used can make a whole world of difference.

I would agree that through 90% of the The Godfather DVD the film looks good to great, but it's that 10% of effort that can make a great DVD a wonderful DVD.

 

[Robert Anthony]

I dunno--it's occasional white flecking. Doesn't bother me too much, as it doesn't pop up that often at all (I'm trying to remember an instance of it right now, and coming up blank). As is also pointed out in that thread--this probably WAS as good as they could get it--the original prints were absolutely hammered. The amount of print damage that thing had was pretty high. But the print looks rather clean, to me. Soft, but clean. Definitely not "obvious that no restoration or cleaning was done on the current version"

I dunno. I think it's a wonderful DVD and a wonderful set, myself, but I know the Godfather DVD's have always been a controversial topic to gab on

 

[Scott Kimball]

It's not fair to compare Indiana Jones, which had a digital restoration done to it, and The Godfather, which was cleaned up the old-fashioned way. The expense involved to get Indiana Jones to look as it did is many times the expense to otherwise clean up a print.

Now, one might argue that The Godfather deserved digital treatment as well... but that's a different story, altogether.

Digital restoration would have easily handled the minus density, but there are limits to what it could do for sharpness and grain without causing other problems... and if the softness and grain was as intended by the filmmaker, it shouldn't be toyed with, anyway.

-Scott

 

[Eric Emma]

I haven't seen the current DVDs of Godfather but Godfather is one of those movies that seem better with grain and specks.

 

[Evan Case]

Hopefully Part II comes along soon. I need it to replace Disc 1 from my Godfather collection that basically "melted", for lack of a better term.

I've no idea how or when it happenend (hopefully it wasn't a friend "replacing" his copy with mine), all I know is that I haven't seen the first half of Godfather II, one of my Top 5 films, in over a year.

The whole set is too expensive for a double dip, but I'd take a $15 hit to replace it should it come out seperately.

Evan

 

[Seth--L]

Evan,

Have you tried asking Paramount for a replacement disc?

 

[Evan Case]

I haven't.

Perhaps I should....

Evan

 

[Tim-H.]

Just watching this now with the commentary, and there are many mentions of The Rain People, one of my favorite Coppola (and Caan) films. Any idea if this will get a DVD release someday?

I didn't pick up the original box (just because I've always heard Part III stinks), so I'm also hoping for a separate Part II release soon.

 

[GuruAskew]

You should check it out before you write it off. It's certainly not up to the standard set by it's predecessors but it's a good movie in its own right. I guess being merely "good" isn't enough when following two examples of greatness but it's definitely not the catastrophe it's made out to be in any case.

 

[Tim-H.]

Maybe I should rent Part III then. Funny, when it came out I remember reading such awful things about Sofia Coppola's performance, but I'm quite a fan of her as a director. As a matter of fact, Lost in Translation made me think of Rain People when I saw it.

 

[Patrick McCart]

The Godfather DID recieve some digital restoration for the DVD... but it was manual touch-ups.