Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12046 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

Amazon.co.uk Review
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

On the DVD: Contained in a tasteful slipcase, the three movies come individually packaged, with the second instalment spread across two discs. The anamorphic transfers are acceptable without being spectacular, with Part 3 looking best of all. Francis Ford Coppola--obviously a DVD fan--provides an exhaustive and enthusiastic commentary for all three movies, although awkwardly these have to be accessed from the Set Up menu. The fifth bonus disc is a real goldmine: the major feature is a 70-minute documentary covering all three productions, which includes fascinating early screen-test footage. There's also a 1971 making-of featurette about the first instalment, plus several shorter pieces with Coppola, Mario Puzo and others talking about specific aspects of the series, including a treasurable recording of composer Nino Rota performing the famous theme. Another section contains all the Oscar-acceptance speeches and Coppola's introduction to the TV edit, plus a whole raft of additional scenes that were inserted in the 1977 re-edited version. Text pieces include a chronology, a Corleone family tree and biographies of cast and crew. Overall, this is a handsome and valuable package that does justice to these wonderful movies. --Mark Walker

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

Finally the Godfather Trilogy has come out on DVD!
Possibly the greatest mafia movies of all time have finally been released on DVD. They come in a stunning 5-disc box set packed full of special features that just make it even better.
For those of you haven't heard, The Godfather Trilogy is set around three generations of the Corleone family. The first film shows us the fall of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) and the rise of his son Michael (Al Pacino) into mafia power. This continues into the second film with Michael's power growing and it shows that he has fully established himself as the respected and feared head of the family. The third film is mainly Michael trying to amend his wrongs so that his children can live safe and lawful lives.
All three films are very good and are already written in cinema history. Francis Ford Coppola went all out with these and they will always be the films that he is most remembered for. They were based on the novel by Mario Puzo, who was also joint scriptwriter with Coppola. Surprisingly the sequel was better then the first one, especially with the flash backs to Vito Corleone's early years with the part of Vito being played by De Niro. The weakest one out of the three was The Godfather 3 but it is still a good film and its perfect as a conclusion to the other two.
I can't think of any complaints about these films. They are well shot and even though they are all long they keep you so gripped that the time just flies by. The soundtrack is amazing and it fits in perfectly with the film. All in all it is one of the best box sets to ever be released on DVD. I own these on video and yet I'm still going to buy this...
For [the] price you get three movies and over three hours of special features including deleted scenes, commentary by Francis Ford Coppola and the music of The Godfather.

Conclusion: Buy it now! This is a must have for any DVD collection and you would be mad not to buy it.

Superb
Disc 1 The Godfather
Disc 2 & 3 The Godfather Part II
Disc 4 The Godfather Part III
Disc 5 Bonus Materials

For those perhaps too young, and for those who just haven't had the pleasure yet, this is the film box set above all others you should own. The first two films are two of greatest films ever made. Indeed The Godfather is ranked No.1 and The Godfather II is ranked No.3 in the IMDB.com rankings as of today. Bare in mind that these films were made over 30 years ago and that is some achievement.

Part 3 is not a bad film, and by normal film standards is pretty good. However in comparison with the first two its not in the same class, and doesn't merit repeated viewings in the same way as 1 & 2.

The bonus disc contains a lot of interesting stuff:
Behind the Scenes (on location, music, screenwriting, auditions, storyboards, cinematography etc),
Additional Scenes
Family Trees
Trailers
Academy Award speeches!
Biographies.

If that doesn't convince you that you're getting good value for money, then perhaps when I tell you the total running time of all 5 discs is 710mins will (thats almost 12hours). Unlike some boxed sets the box itself is not made of thin card, and is quite sturdy - looks good on the shelf as well.

Think I'll start from the beginning again now...

Masterpiece!
Everyone seems to have reviewed the Steelbook Amazon Exclusive version of this. I actually prefer this version and it is the one I bought. For one thing I feel that cramming all the discs into one small case means that it gets lost on the shelf amidst the rest of your DVD collection. A substatntial box means that it has more of a presence up there, and also it's not AS big as the original 2001 release so it's still slim. This is due to the extremely slim individual cases, which I prefer than having all discs in one case because each story gets its own front image filling the square and nice images and synposis of each one on the back. (this is contrary to the product image above which makes the case appear as if its the same size as the 2001 release). Altogether the packaging for this is a lot fuller. I like the pictures on the front of each case, and the combination of shiny black case with blood splattering and extremely slimline black cases give the whole thing a really sleek mafia feel to it.
My only complaint would be that the box itself is probably the least durable out of the three (ie. this one, the 2001 release and the steelbook), but not if you take good care of it.

As to the films themselves, this is currently my all-time favourite film saga. Beautifully dark and chilling and stylish. And not only that but compared to the 2001 release you are provided with the ultimate picture & sound quality and the ultimate colour giving you the ultimate film-viewing experience ever. Truly the films could not have been more restored than they are here. Also we have the joy of having Part II on only one disc, which avoids the need to get up half-way through your viewing experience to switch diss, although it's worth noting that even though it's on one disc the word 'Intermission' appears for a brief moment in between where the the two dics would have to have been swapped, which gives you an opportunity to get up and get some refreshments anyway. It would have been better if they'd have just let it carry on running (although maybe they showed it in the cinema originally with an intermission).

People always slate Part III but I think that when taking the three films as an entity it serves it purpose superbly. I love all three films - and you can't love them in the same way because they are different types of films. Part I is all about introducing the family and how Vito passes on the Don mantle to Michael. Part II serves as prequel and sequel showing the Beginnings of Don Vito and how he arrived at his position at the beginning of Part I, as well as Michael's descenet deeper into sin and showing the atrocities he commits as Don Corleone. Part III then is all about the guilt, misery, regret and pain Michael feels because of his past sins and the man he's become. Part II and III are equally tragic in that you almost believe things are going to turn out all right. You're led to believe that Michael has made up with poor sweet Fredo, making his murder all the more striking. You're led to believe that after Michael's prayer next Don Tommassino's coffin that he actually will redeem himself and it will be all happy endings. Not so - and in fact the 9-hour long epic that is "The Godfather Trilogy" culminates in the most powerful film ending ever. Personally, I cannot find fault with any of the films.

So. The ultimate film trilogy, and the ultimate restoration, with 4 hours of special features, provide the ultimate box-set. Truly an epic masterpiece!