Posted By: babysinister
"Shaving" scenes - 02/21/03 01:39 AM
Having watched the Godfather I many times on the big screen since it was released, I was able to notice that the new DVD version "shaves" off the ending of several sequences. Namely, when Kay tells Michael through the car windown that his sister and Carlo want him to be godfather to their baby, this version shaves off the medium close up of Kay when she says "their baby." The dialogue itself is not cut off, but the shot of Kay's face is eliminated, perhaps because the sanctimonious expression on her face as she said "their baby" was not considered effective, and succumbed to a form of belated editing.
Another shave-off involves my favorite shot, the final one, when Neri slowly closes the door on her face. Shaving part of the shot of Neri closing the door makes the sequence, and the film, end in an almost jarring way, leaving the spectator unsure of what he/she is seeing. And the reason is that it trips up the original timing for the sequence, which is based on a subtly choreographed flow of movement (Neri begins to close the door and gives Kay an apologetic look as she turns to look back at him and at the now distant Michael, seen in the deep background). Shaving off even a fraction of a second here prevents the audience from fully absorbing the feel of the image before the credits roll. Perhaps no big deal, but they shouldn't have tampered with the original editing, even to this small degree.
Another shave-off involves my favorite shot, the final one, when Neri slowly closes the door on her face. Shaving part of the shot of Neri closing the door makes the sequence, and the film, end in an almost jarring way, leaving the spectator unsure of what he/she is seeing. And the reason is that it trips up the original timing for the sequence, which is based on a subtly choreographed flow of movement (Neri begins to close the door and gives Kay an apologetic look as she turns to look back at him and at the now distant Michael, seen in the deep background). Shaving off even a fraction of a second here prevents the audience from fully absorbing the feel of the image before the credits roll. Perhaps no big deal, but they shouldn't have tampered with the original editing, even to this small degree.
