Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7099 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-11-13
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 5

DVD Description
Despite making many other distinguished films in his long, wandering career, Francis Ford Coppola will always be known as the man who directed The Godfather trilogy, a series that has dominated and defined their creator in a way perhaps no other director can understand. Coppola has never been able to leave them alone, whether returning after 15 years to make a trilogy of the diptych, or re-editing the first two films into chronological order for a separate video release as The Godfather Saga. The films are an Italian-American Shakespearian cycle: they tell a tale of a vicious mobster and his extended personal and professional families (once the stuff of righteous moral comeuppance), and they dared to present themselves with an epic sweep and an unapologetically tragic tone. Murder, it turned out, was a serious business. The first film remains a towering achievement, brilliantly cast and conceived. The entry of Michael Corleone into the family business, the transition of power from his father, the ruthless dispatch of his enemies--all this is told with an assurance that is breathtaking to behold. And it turned out to be merely prologue; two years later The Godfather, Part II balanced Michael's ever-greater acquisition of power and influence during the fall of Cuba with the story of his father's own youthful rise from immigrant slums. The stakes were higher, the story's construction more elaborate and the isolated despair at the end wholly earned. (Has there ever been a cinematic performance greater than Al Pacino's Michael, so smart and ambitious, marching through the years into what he knows is his own doom with eyes open and hungry?) The Godfather, Part III was mostly written off as an attempted cash-in but it is a wholly worthy conclusion, less slow than autumnally patient and almost merciless in the way it brings Michael's past sins crashing down around him even as he tries to redeem himself. --Bruce Reid, Amazon.com

Special Features
Main Language: English Available Audio Tracks: Dolby Digital 5.1 An Inside Look At The Creative Process Taking The Godfather From Book To Screen On Location Production Designer Dean Tavoularis Looks At Some Of The Original Locations For The Godfather Trilogy A 73 Minute Documentary On The Origins Of The Film Including Original Screen Tests And Rehearsals The Godfather Behind The Scenes 1971 Featurette Additional Scenes The Cinematography Of The Godfather The Music Of The Godfather Coppola And Puzo On Screenwriting Storyboards Animatic Storyboards The Corleone Family Tree Character And Cast Biographies Academy Award Acceptance Speeches Photo Galleries With Captions Theatrical Trailers Filmmaker Biographies

Customer Reviews

A gangster classic
The classic of all gangster movies, it defined the genre and still leads the way for other classics like goodfellas to follow in its footsteps.

Godfather Trilogy 5 Disc Box Set
I have always been a fan of the Godfather trilogy and, despite other's reviews, I really like the third part as it really pulls the story together. I feel the first two parts glorify the mafia, however the third puts into perspective of every person: If you are so driven to succeed in one area of your life, the other areas will suffer. In Micheal's case, his family life, in Vito's case, his children.
I highly recommend this box-set, which is well assembled and the extra disc gives some useful background if you have not seen the movies or become confused over the timeline and characters. 5 stars well deserved.

The Godfather I & II - No 6 - All Time List 2008
There is not a lot to be said about this film that hasn't been already said.
The Godfather has the word classic written all over, it is many a peoples lists of top five movies of all time; IMBD has it at no 1 of all time - that in itself is some accolade. When you watch it, and it stands up to repeated viewings, you can understand why it is rated so highly.
The actual story is first rate, Coppola and Puzo have done a fine job in adapting the book, the acting and cast is superb, the score adds to the atmospheric mood of the film and without being a film student of any type -the direction is fantastic.

There are many a famous scene in this movie - the infamous horse scene being just one - and without giving a synopsis of the movie and ruining plot before viewing all I'd say as an initial statement is - find three hours to sit down and watch this movie. You will not regret it and you will not get bored - instead you'll want to move directly onto Godfather Part II.
Al Pacino gives an amazing performance as Michael Corleone as the Military brother who initially wants nothing to do with his family and what they stand for, and of course the much heralded performance by Marlon Brando as Don Corleone.
It might be at a slower pace than a more modern mafia film, but its better for that, you can to know the characters, and have a bigger sense of what is to come instead of spending your whole time trying to work out what's going on and who the hell the guy who's just come in the screen actual is and the violence is more than graphic enough and touches the heights that it is meant to.

Ignore cretins who publically state they only watched the film for 20 minutes and then rate it one star, by 20 minutes of the film you aren't even properly introduced to the family - it's called an introduction - for which the next 150 minutes are better with the added insight to the family.
The Godfather has justified its reputation, it's truly magnificent.

Part II can be seen as both a continuation and a prequel - De Niro (who won an Oscar for the part) plays Don Corleone some 40 years previous - he shares no screen time with the continuation story and the parts are cut throughout the film. Without ruining plot lines / stories both are interesting enough - De Niro's concerning the arrival of Corleone in American and the struggles he goes through initially etc. Pacino's screen time magnifies the changes in Michael from the start of Part I, as he, now Don of the family, seeks to expand the Corleone Empire into areas he would not have dreamt about during the first movie.
It would be incomprehensible to watch Part II without seeing The Godfather first so please do these films in order.
Everything you got in the first film you get again, Part II is certainly on par with the first film and again is essential viewing, epic, violent and wonderful.

Part III is written off as the bad part by many, and yes it is nowhere near the standard of the first two films - but if you ask me it's still a good film and well worth seeing. Don't expect a classic but it's a good mafia movie.

The films do look a little dated now, but do not let that deter you - this is compelling, scintillating viewing and a must see for any film lover.
Apparently there are new versions coming out in the summer of 2008 - I imagine just digitally remastered and without too many extra features but this trilogy is in itself magnificent.