GODFATHER SAGA (Sep 27-30)

FINALLY! The Godfather Saga is going to be aired again!

The Saga is the chronological version of Parts I & II, with extra footage not shown on any released version -- so get your VCR's ready!

In four parts, on Spike TV -- Sep 27-30 @ 9PM ET

Check out all of September's programming on The Gangster TV Listings

Thanks for letting us know Geoff. I'll be sure and record it and add it to my collection.

YAY !!!





I think it's been about 4 years since I've seen the Saga (last shown on Bravo)!

Thanks for the heads-up, JGeoff!

Apple

In that case, I won't be in Jersey City on the 28th.

SB we will have to make sure the restaurant puts it on!


I don't get spike tv

Do you know if this will be an unedited version? It kills me when they cut out violent scenes.

And can anyone tell me how to properly hook up this damn vcr/dvd player I have?

I've seen the SAGA many times.......but it is 3 parts, not 4, so whats going on here?

To answer your question from the top of my mind :

- Sonny says "stick in his hand" and not "dick in his hands"

- Young Vito doesnt shoot the extra bullet through Fanucci's mouth.

- Sonny doesnt get the close range final "treatment" from one of the hitmen...just the bullets to the car.

- No close-up when Young Vito "slices" Don Ciccio.


I'll see if I can remember more...

That's what I was afraid of. I was hoping Spike might run it uncut.

Oh man, that's right!

Jeez, I gotta get TiVo or something...

I was hoping to record it direct to the computer to put on DVD - the signal I got last time (what, 2 years ago now?) totally sucked...

Good question, actually... I'll try to find out...

My guess would be that since it's the 'Saga'...which was created for television in the first place, and NOT the films in their 'original' form...that the edits will probably be there.

It would be nice if I were wrong, but just in case I'd expect to hear '...stick in his hand...' among other things and then be pleasantly surprised if that turns out not to be the case.

The important thing is that the Saga will be shown...!!!!

Apple

Spike runs it with commercials right?

Yes, Spike runs it with commercials.

Apple

I've been thinking about this for a while now, I am contemplating ripping GF1 & GF 2 from my Godfather DVDs to my computer, along with all the deleted scenes, and then compiling them into 1 big godfather saga, and burning this to a few DVDs. Anyone ever tried doing this? It wouldn't be very hard to do, it would just take a bit of time. If I get round to this, I'll let you know.

YAY!!!

This is gonna be so great!

I'm gonna TivO it so there will be no commercials, then I'll burn dvds and offer them to whomever is nice to me on these boards

Hey DonT remember all those things I said about you? WELL you are the ummm coolest @$#%^@$@#$^$%#%@#$@#$# in the world

If you do it please let me know, I'll buy a copy from you.

Well what I will do, if I get round to this, is send a couple of copies to people for them to distribute to others, on the understanding that it's only to people that already own the original DVDs, although it will be difficult to stop them hitting ebay eventually. Actually, I'm surprised they're not on there already.
The only thing I will need help with may be the chronology of some of the deleted scenes, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

[raspy Fanucci voice]Eeeeeeh, dontom, my fellow lefty. Reaaly glad to have you around here. So I heard you and your friends are burning DVD's, eeeh? [/raspy Fanucci voice]

DT - What kind of A/V outputs are on a TiVo unit?

And, it automatically skips the commercials? How well does it do that, like when a movie fades in?

I'd rather record direct to my computer like I tried last time - but that's a tough commitment to sit here for 4 nights starting/stopping between commercials - then editing it all back together.

But I like making the DVD menus and chapter stops -- the first time I tried this (with a bad signal thanks to Comcast ) I even had some little extra features

Edit: Maybe I'll try Comcast's DVR service. Hmm. I got a month to figure it all out...

J Geoff ... I havent the slightest clue how it knows when the commercials are coming, but it does some how. As for taking the TiVO and burning it to a DVD I also havent a clue, I leave it to onbe of my kids.

Ok I've just ripped the first 2 films to my computer, I've just been going through the deleted scenes and I've already come up with a problem. I forgot that all the deleted scenes are in 4:3, whereas everything else is in widescreen
Does anyone have any suggestions? Should I crop the top and bottom and make them widescreen? (That's assuming I can work out how to do that). Or I could squeeze them into widescreen, or even just leave the borders on. Mmm.

Does this mean that they will be showing the deleted scene of Fabrizzo getting blown up?

Mig - that scene was never completed, so it's never been seen.

Raymondo - Hense the problem. It'll all be fullscreen on the TV, so it'd be much easier - in fact, infinitely easier cuz you don't have to cut it together

I live in the UK though, so I can't see it at all I'm still looking into this though, I reckon I can work something out, it's just gonna take more work than I first realised.

Then what was the scene I've seen several times of Fabrizio leaving his restaurant with a boxed pizza, getting in the car, turning the key and it being blown up...then Fabrizio quickly stumbling out before dropping dead onto the street?

Did I dream that?

Apple

I think Mig meant the scene where Michael kills him...

Ahhh, that makes sense!

It's probably the scene JGeoff was referring to.

If Mig DID mean the car explosion scene, then I most certainly do expect to see it in the late Sept. airing...after all, it is part of the Saga!!

Apple

Yeah the Fabrizzio car hit is there, as well as so many other great scenes that were left out of the movies.
The SAGA has 1 hour of deleted scenes, but one MISSING scene- as far as I remember....I think this scene is never shown :

A Church. ANTHONY is walking down the aisle during his first communion.

[Priest prays while giving out eucharist. Anthony is the third child. He turns toward the camera.]

I've also seen this many times. It is part of the GFII film. It's the first introduction to the modern-era scenes of Michael as Don.

I recall Anthony turning to look (we assume) to his family after receiving First Communion.

Apple

So... there are 2 scenes of Fabrizio being killed. And they are both shown...
It's already a difficult plot for beginners, but this...

Yes it is in the GF2 movie, but what I meant is that its missing from the SAGA .
And all the screen-texts are missing too...
well nothing is perfect, but the SAGA is still the most "complete" version of 1 and 2. There are some scenes in the SAGA that never made it to the DVD.

FFC also made some changes / corrections in the order of some scenes too (besides the regular chronological timeline)

I think the "rarest" deleted scene in the SAGA is probably the one before (and while) the last credits of the last part :

Kay lighting the candles.

More than that, I think it wasnt in the first version of the SAGA when it was shown for the first time. I think FFC added that final scene a few years later, but I could be wrong about that.

The 'Kay-Candle' scene is also on the DVD, so it's not that rare.

No, just the car explosion.
As for Michael taking Fabrizzio in person - well, we got the famous pic, but I think thats about it.

Nowadays nothing is rare, since you get it all in the saga and DVD.

I meant rare at the time, since it wasnt shown in other versions of the movie.

Pic? Show me! I never saw it.

Edit: The Michael killing Fabrizio-pic.

These pictures were posted by JustMe some time ago:

Yeah. I've seen those before somewhere.
But how do we know that Fabrizio is ...euhm ... the lucky bastard to be on the other side of the gun?

We don't...but it was supposed to be. As stated by JGeoff earlier, the scene was never completed.

Apple

It was in the novel.

"But the customer raised a hand above the counter. There was a gun in it...

...Fabrizzio, Michael Corleone sends his regards."

Book VIII, Chapter 31; Page 426: Paragraph 12

I didn't know that scene wasn't finished. And yes I was talking about Fabrizo getting blown up outside his pizza place.

Thos pic's of Mike holding that Lupara is on page 180 from the GF Legacy. Also they have a pic of Fabrizo on page 184,185

Hey guys, I'm a new member to the family from the Gangsta's Paradise that is Norwich, England. I've heard of the Saga you're talking about, but have never seen it on British TV. What extra scenes are there that aren't in the movies.

'You spend time with your family? Because a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.'

YAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

ORIGINALLY UNAIRED EXTRA FOOTAGE I'M GOING CRAZYYY

Wow what a rush I just flew up and hit my ceiling, man I gotta go get some new tapes...Alright

Thank you Don Cardi thank you thank you


Joe Batters

[ Added linebreaks so thread display isn't f-ed up. --JG ]

Sucks to live in Australia, i don't even have Spike TV.
Someone needs to get the Saga uploaded for download pleaseee.

Not for nothin', but, Don Cardi didn't even post in this thread.

You're welcomed!

Actually Geoff, he knew that I was the one who made the network an offer they couldn't refuse in airing this version. I told them that either their brains or the Saga would be on the TV those four days.

I think he actually meant to say "Thank You Don Malta, thank you!"




Don Cardi

I wonder what Senator Geary will say in the edited version for "you and your whole fucking family".
flipping
flogging
fliberty jibert
fanatical
philosophical
fornicating
philandering
fanabla
???

Just a reminder...

The Saga airs this week, Tues-Fri (in four parts), on Spike TV @ 9PM ET

I think I'm gonna order DVR from Comcast so I can record it digitally. That is, if there are A/V outputs on it so I import it into the computer...

If it all works out are you still gonna burn me a copy? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

farting

Part 1 starts in 1 hour!

I got my DVR from Comcast on Monday, and programmed all 4 parts in. It better work!

Can you transfer that to DVD?


Don Cardi

Anyone watching??

It'll probably take a while, but yeah, eventually -- assuming I can capture from the DVR to my computer.

That piece of trash movie? Hell no.
I'm actually watching another piece of thrash: The Yankees seemingly trying to blow this game.

Shit!

Didn't read this post until 40 minutes after the first one started. Plus I'm preoccupied with other affairs (I've been telling my parents that the GF comes first, but they want me to finish my homework). Will they play the first one again?

Watching What?


of course.


Don Cardi

I think this is the first time it's aired in like 2-3 years.

Augustino Coppola the gunsmith and his son Carmine, a musically inclined child. Cute little inuendo put in there by FFC.


Don Cardi

The Saga first aired on November 12th 1977.


Don Cardi

JG, Not only are they trying, but they're succeeding. I'm flipping back and forth between GF and Yankee game on commercials. I mean, it's not like I don't know how it turns out.

Signora Colombo!! That means my favorite landlord is coming!!

Ok, the first edit in a translation :

" I'll kick your Sicilian TAIL all over the street."



They couldn't write the word ASS?


Don Cardi

Like a donkey.

I love when he counts the money out, and then asks to sit down. The rent-a stays like-a before!!

My predictions for editing :

Sonny : " I don't want my brother coming out with just his STICK in his hands."

Sonny : " Son of a BUCK!"

Geary : " You and your whole DAMN family."

Sonny : "Get off your BEHIND."

Luca : " Minga" will be transalted to "WOW"

Moe Green : "He was HITTING on cocktail waitresses two at a time."

Clemenza : " I hate that GUY Barzini."

Don Cardi

WHAT THE HELL??!!!?

I programmed it to record, and it was scheduled for 9-12 -- and it runs over 10 minutes? I had to hit record again at 12, and MAY HAVE missed a few seconds of it - those Spike TV jerkoffs!

Ha ha! They did the same thing last time the saga was on.

It's only been on about a half hour here. My VCR is broken and I was disappointed that I couldn't record it, but damn, I don't want the "stick in his hand" "son of a buck" version. I mean come on!! That ruins it, because they make it so laughable.


TIS

Just my luck I record the movie and my tape runs out so I had to put another one in I'll have to remember to check the record speed tomorrow.

What's the matter with you? Always set a recording time for an extra 30 minutes. Do I have to teach you everything?

That sucks!





Don Cardi

How about the way they said it in the movie "The Commitments" --- fookin' That might get by the censors.

I caught a little of it. They really butchered the Vito-kills-Fanucci scene. But I feel less violated.

They've butchered lots of it. But remember, this is the Godfather Saga, which was created especially for tv viewing. So although we get to enjoy the deleted scenes, much is going to be edited for television.

Apple

You are right Apple. And let's not forget that it was made for TV back in the 70's! So the editing had to be in compliance even that much more because of the stricter rules of that era.

But anyone who read the book would know the details anyway.


Don Cardi

For some stupid reason, when you choose to record a show from the program guide, it won't let you change the start or stop time. I think I will manually enter the date/time and add a few minutes to it just in case. Pain in the butt.

But last night's *should* be complete because the unit records everything you watch to a buffer, so hopefully it caught that since I was tuned to the channel anyway.... hopefully.

Edit: Okay, I set it up to record the shows after each airing - so hopefully that'll take care of any potential problems...

Actually it was released on VHS in a Box Set. I've got it. It's very rare and very expensive. I'm going to try to get a freind of mine to convert it to DVD if anybody's interested I'll make copys.

Actually, no, The Saga (a.k.a. "The Novel for Television") was never officially released in any format. The Epic and The Trilogy boxsets came close, but it's not the same thing...

Ughh, right after the door shuts in Kay's face, which is arguably the most poignant scene in the Trilogy, they cut to a Jean Claude Van-Damme commercial. Sickening.

A bit of a strange edit from GFI to II there, I expected the Kay-candle-lighting scene but instead we got an awkwardly long shot on the Corleone docks on Lake Tahoe and then a quick cut into Michael just standing by the water. I'd never seen either of these scenes before, and although they were interesting, they were quite vague.

Watching seperate portions of Part II in this 'saga' doesn't really do it for me. To me Part II's greatness pretty much lies in the parallel shown between Vito and Michael's life. You see the father rising and his son self-destructing. It was just perfect. But a couple of days ago when the 'flashback' scenes were the first thing to be aired, I just couldn't get that feeling I usually get while watching Part II. Same goes for Michael's story. Something is missing. Even the 'extra' scenes are weird.....u get so used to seeing the same thing over and over for years and to all of a sudden see something new.....its like they don't even belong. Seriously, the only 'deleted' scenes I've enjoyed so far is Michael giving permission for marriage to Sonny's daughter(although, even then, he seems rather out of character).

Someone is taping this for me, so I won't be watching it until I receive my tapes after it's all done. Going by the TV Guide, that's 9 hours of programming.

If the original GF I (theatrical release) was 3 hours long and GF II was 3 hours & 20 minutes (this is per Box Office Magazine @ www.boxoff.com ), then that leaves a little over 2 and a half hours for the extra scenes and commercials.

So I'm curious to know this:

1. Does the Saga include any interviews with the cast and director?
2. For those who have been watching it as it's being broadcast, how do you find the amount of commercials? Are there so many commercial breaks that it's intrusive (like every 15 minutes or so)? Or are they just the normal amount?
3. Is there any of Part III tacked on at all to fill the alotted time?

At first, I thought that 9 hours of TV time must surely include Part III. I told the person who is taping for me that when he sees any of Part III coming on, he can stop recording and eject the tape . But if there is no Part III at all, and commercials + extras really do take up 2 and a half hours, then I have to contact him today and tell him to keep recording til the end.

So you see, time is of the essence -- and time is running out . Anyone know for sure?

I've been channel jumping the past three nights - Yankees/GF. The commericials are bearable. Kind of normal I think, but when you're jumping channels it may seem OK.

A weird/bad thing is of course the censoring and dubbing. In some edits, it sounds like they have dubbed in a whole line and not just the word. The sound quality and voice tone even changes. In others they change the words so drastically I find myself wondering,'what did he say?' e.g. last night, Frankie was telling Michael that "we should get those sonofabitches while we've got the muscle." Well, it wasn't sonofabitches, but I couldn't tell you what it was. The dub was too garbled or didn't make sense. That may also be the result of knowing the line and then not hearing it causes a brain blip.

Yeah, just to mention, although I like the scene where Mike gives his blessing to Francesca, I think it destroys the later effect of Mike taking pictures with Geary. I always loved that that was the opening shot of Mike, standing there with that fake sort of smile on his face. It seems to sum up how he feels about where his life is at that point, such a good look by Pacino.

I absolutely cannot watch a film on commercial TV because of the commercials.

Yeah, it can be tough to deal with. I really cannot wait until the day when they release this on DVD, or at least until I get a VHS copy, if they even exist.

I'm lost. I have The Godfather Collection on VHS, and my girlfriend's father has it for DVD. What is the difference between the Saga and the Collection? Or are they the same thing?

Ah, I was thinking they were one and the same. So we have three differant versions:
1. The Regular Trilogy which is out on DVD

2. The Epic which was released in a box set in the 80's

3. The Saga which is basically the Elpic but was for Television and is again differant.

Right?

I just discovered that the person doing the taping for me (someone who has seen the GFs many times, by the way) became so engrossed by the Saga that he ended up sitting down and watching it while he was recording it. Since he was right there anyway, he took the extra step of zapping out all the commercials (by pausing and resuming the taping for each one). When I view it, it will be commercial free.

Now isn't that person a real sweetheart?

Did anyone ever get around to throwing the Saga on a DVD? I was recently contemplating exactly how one would go about it and I remembered a few people said that they might do it.

Any luck?