Watching the DVD...

Hi!

Well, getting other people's fun spoiler as I slowly am, I'll just go on.

I've got the cherished DVD collection now, and, know what, I feel quite disappointed. That is, as an amateur padrinophil I'm thrilled to have got it, sure. But it doesn't add much to my experience. Those extra scenes, sure, are interesting. But I badly miss half of Bonasera's head still.

By the way, from the rather trivial FFC's comments I've got a hint that he wasn't pretty much present when the decision about the DVD edition was made: on one count at least he was surprized to see that some scene wasn't in the movie. So it was with the frame format, too, I guess. Showing this awesome movie cut from above and below, and putting in extra scenes as filmed - that's bad taste.

By the way, there are at least two little extra scenes in the DVD GF I that I can't remember seeing on my PAL VHS 25th anniversary set.

Hold on: now I'm looking for spare time to watch GF II on DVD.

Best regards.

Alexander

you were disapointed?! funny, i think the DVD's are great...only thing i dont like?! i wish the extra scenes were in DVD qulaity

Sorry to hear that, Alexander. Like K.O., I love it. But, to each his own. I am curious as to which 2 scenes you're referring, though.

I love the Godfather DVD Collection...yes, there are changes or additions I would make if it were within my power to do so, but generally I'm thrilled to finally have it. But..has anyone else experienced the same crazy emotion I have...namely, you go in the local video store...see a copy of the DVD Collection on the shelf, and wish you could re-experience the thrill of buying it, taking it home and watching it for the first time? I told you it was a crazy emotion!

Yes KC, I know what you mean. I always look to see if the store has some "new" version that's different than mine.

The DVD for "MEAN STREETS" has got a dual sided (i.e. no label) disc -- one has the widescreen letterbox, the other side has TV-style full frame. Yeah that's the ticket!

Expect in a year or two the marketing wizards of Zoetrope and Paramount will rererelease the 30something anniversary Gold DVD audiophile version Deluxe Collectors Edition Godfather Trilogy Boxed Set (no leatherette; this time around: 100% naugahyde) with a price tag somewhere around the price of Eagles concert tickets.

the dvd collection is great!!!
grazie peeps!

the dvd collection is great!!!
grazie peeps!

hey, how u guys doin? Im about to purchase myself this DVD collection, but i heard that in some scenes, the picture is really dark and u can't even see their faces. is this true or are they lyin to me? should i buy the VHS or DVD? thanx

take care

There are some scenes where it gets a bit dark and also theres a scene between Mike and Hagen that is very hard to hear, but other than that the DVD collection is great. Definately buy the DVD, the extra stuff is excellent.

Not to mention the excellent packaging. Ilike the 4 different cases in the box.

I just wish that GF2 was a single disc.

i havnt got the original dvd set
i bought the silvers from a dvd guy
and, godfather 2 is on one silver,
same with gf3 and gf1

but i dont have a special features disc
ill have 2 buy the ORIGINAL set
grazie peeps

Welcome, Al Pacino!
The DVD set disappointed me in a way. I expected the audio and video to be vastly superior to the videotape 25th Anniversary Edition that I bought earlier. The DVD set was--but not by a lot. Of course, the 25th Anniversary videotape set was superbly executed (compared with the standard theatrical releases on tape). And, yes, MANY of the scenes in the DVD are annoyingly dark. But, the many extras are highly worthwhile, and go far beyond the interesting commentary at the beginning of the 25th anniversary tapes. And it's far, far easier to navigate to specific scenes on DVD than on tape.
In general, I have higher expectations of DVD audio/video quality than consistent experience bears out. I believe FFC and Scorsese, my favorite directors, could have done better jobs with the DVD versions of GF films, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mean Streets (in mono), Goodfellas and Casino, respectively. The initial DVD release of Apocalypse Now was pretty mundane. However, the DVD of "Redux" is just spectacular!

thanx fellas. Well i guess ima buy the DVD set then. If i can't see then ill brighten the picture, if i can't hear, ill raise he volume. It seems the extra scenes are worth watching. How much does it cost? Like around $100 i heard. once again, thanx.

take care

It cost me about 70 bucks.

Hi!

When Vito arrives back home after the hospital, you can see a small cut-in showing Santino with a boy on his shoulder among relatives, filmed from above - a quite un-Willis frame absent from the VHS 25th Anniversary set.

Then, already in Sicily, when Michael walks into the town of Corleone, you see him and the two bodyguards crossing the square - on the VHS this little scene is skipped, and you immediately see them going down the street.

Gathering steam for a GF II review...

Best regards.

Alexander

Strange. I don't understand why they'd do that on an Anniversary edition. Friggin' editors!

Hi!

I have to concur. The quality should've been better, not to mention the frame format.

But even the frame issue aside, DVD's not wholly superior to the VHS, which I still think gives the most of the movie overall. For example, while browsing the GF II disk I definitely noticed difference between the MPEG base frames and intermediate (incremental) frames in the scene where Michael crosses the snow covered compound on his way to talk with Mamma. On the VHS this scene is very crisp and smooth (and very moving as well), on the DVD it's akin some worse MPEG rips (now sharp, now slightly blurred) and utterly fails to impress.

I also feel that Coppola's comments were dubbed a little sloppily. They are very deep and loud (OK, that's his voice) and often completely supercede the soundtrack, which means that one cannot really enjoy the movie *and* hear some remarks as if a knowledgeable and attentive fellow addict were hanging around - and this, with all respect, was what I'd expected to get. Was it too much?

Best regards.

Alexander

Hi!

Finally I've got time to watch the first disk of the GF II (with Coppola's comments on, of course, as the 25th Anniversary VHS set is so much better suited for watching the movie... grrrrr!).

Well, that's just more of the above: rather trivial and sometimes plainly yawning comments one can really live without as soon as one's read the right books.

However, there's a couple of points worth noting:

- FFC is openly regretful about the absence of Richard Castellano in GF II, and confirms that the whole Pentangeli plot was initially written for him. This rather means that Clemenza was indeed going to sing before the Commission. Oh, dear, what a story that would've been!

- The actor who played the elder of Rosato Bros. was FFC's first choice for the role of Sonny Corleone in GF I. This indirectly confirms the rumour that James Caan got his role through a kind of deal that brought Al Pacino into the movie.

Ah, and there's again a couple of little extra scenes on the DVD as compared to the aforementioned "canonic" VHS edition.

Going to load Disk 2 very soon. Stay tuned...

Best regards.

Alexander

Good points Alexander. I am glad you have viewed the DVD and heard the commentaries. Happy viewing on the 2nd disk. I assure you there are more trivial aspects of the film.

Hi!

It's getting better with the time like good wine. Perhaps, I'm just getting used to watching it more? Anyway, I watch it more often now.

The second disk of the GF II contains some FFC's comments that you won't probably hear anywhere else as of now.

For example, remember that funny scene where Signor Roberto was desperately trying to open the locked door of the Genco Olive Oil Co office?

The actor playing Signor Roberto was known to be very good at improvisation, so FFC just decided to prove his ability under fire. Hence the poor actor wasn't informed that the door had been made fast by an additional nail that gleefully smiling Genco was indeed taking out to let him in and out!

Ah, I've noticed no any extra scene on this disk compared to the canonic 25th Anniversary VHS set.

Best regards.

Alexander