I don’t think you have been checking around enough :-)
All three Godfather films underwent massive restorations and have been available for a while now on both DVD and Blu-Ray in excellent box sets
For some reason I can’t get the link insert to work, so just go to Amazon, search for “Godfather triology” and up they pop.
Claus.
They’re not going to release the TV-version of the Godfather films because it’s the TV-version lol. I’ve never seen this reedited version of the first two films but I can’t imagine why anyone would want to watch this. And I can’t imagine Paramount thinking it would make any money releasing it on DVD/BD.
The version Eamonn’s talking about is really quite interesting. I can vaguely recall watching it when it was shown on tv here a long time ago. I’ve always wanted to see it again to check if it’s as good as I remember but as Eamonn points out it’s never been released on dvd.
The reason it’s intriguing is that the the running time was, as I recall, about 10 hours.That’s a lot of extra footage. (The first two Godfather films that appear in the box sets that are doing the rounds just now are nowhere near this length). Also the two films were re-edited to be in chronological order. I believe some of the violence was cut too. I’d really like to see this again, without the cuts, but as I no longer have vhs technology I guess I’ll have to hope for a change of heart from messrs Coppola and co.
I’m not holding my breath. And of course I could be misremembering stuff. It was a very long time ago.
why wouldn’t you want to see it? one of the greatest trilogys ever made reedited to include more footage!!
i heard amc showed a 40th aniversary version on american tv a few months back but no word if they would show it over here :(
Google "The Godfather Saga Wikipedia*. Explains all three versions (1977,1981, 1992).
Just how does one make a link to Wikipedia?
The Godfather Saga version is not bad at all. You’d think being chronological might ruin it but it was still very good. But I’m wondering since it was done decades ago specifically for television, edited and pan and scanned 1.33:1 for tv if there is an original widescreen aspect ratio print of that cut.
Elvis, type it like this – put text in quotes, then a colon, then the url. no spaces.
I used to have a version of The Godfather Saga (parts I-II only), released in the UK in late ’90 or early ’91 to coincide with the theatrical release of The Godfather Part III and, if memory serves, it was Pan-and-Scan. I doubt an original aspect ratio version exists.
Then it’s not worth watching. Nowadays we’re lucky enough to have almost everything OAR, and pan and scan in unwatchable.
one of the greatest trilogys ever made
Steady on now. The third film is an abomination.
As a lapsed Catholic I liked that Coppola was bold enough to put the Vatican conspiracy stuff in G3, but it really is a pretty awful film.
Honestly I haven’t seen Godfather 3 in about 14 years so I’m no judge on it, but I remember not hating it.
I’ve always been a little curious about the Saga version, but didn’t know there was additional footage shot for this.
ok the third isn’t the best especially when you sit it next to the first two films but i can’t hate it.
Well, you could…and you should. The story of the Corleone family comes to its rightful conclusion when (spoiler alert) brother kills brother at the end of of Part II.
Yes, the ending of G2 is so powerful – it’s like Greek or Shakespearean tragedy.
Totally!
Eamonn Murphy
the first time i saw the godfather films i watched the 1901-1980 boxset on vhs and have never enjoyed watching it any other way! why oh why won’t coppola re-release it on dvd?!?!?!