9.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
An epic tale of a 1940s New York Mafia family and their struggle to protect their empire from rival families as the leadership switches from the father to his youngest son.
Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano, Robert DuvallEpic | 100% |
Drama | 98% |
Crime | 93% |
Period | 80% |
Melodrama | 33% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (Original) (224 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0 (224 kbps)
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Italian: Dolby Digital 2.0 (224 kbps)
Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish=Latinoamerica, Portuguese=Brasil
English, English SDH, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 0.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Paramount has released Director Francis Ford Coppola's legendary masterpiece 'The Godfather' to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video and a restored mono soundtrack. At time of writing, this presentation is exclusive to one of two UHD boxed sets that also include The Godfather, Part II, The Godfather, Part III (interestingly included as one of the two bonus discs), and The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. These sets include the standard and deluxe presentations.
The included screenshots are sourced from the legacy Blu-ray discs. The film has been released on remastered Blu-ray; please click here for screenshots (available once those reviews go live
post-street).
The three Godfather films look beyond amazing and mere words can do little to express the level of work, care, and love that went into
bringing this film, and its sequels,
to the UHD format. For this release American Zoetrope and Paramount "undertook a painstaking restoration of all three films over the course of three
years." This releases uses the original 2007 Robert Harris restoration as a "blueprint" for this presentation. This new work is the result of
"thousands of hours" of careful, scrutinizing work that has today resulted in this glorious UHD which is "the most pristine presentation" of the
film that also "remain[s] true to the original look." In short: it's the best of both worlds, offering a classic film-like look that has not been "boosted"
per se but rather returned to full, original glory for home viewing in a presentation that is certainly befitting of one of cinema's most valued
treasures.
Paramount outlines the arduous work that was involved in the new restoration process, which was overseen by Coppola himself:
For this release, Paramount has included both the legacy Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack (please click here for a full review) and a newly remastered two channel mono track. This new track is presented in the Dolby Digital 2.0 configuration. It lacks the sense of fullness that the 5.1 track offers, but it is well balanced and suitably clear. Music is nicely detailed with positive front side spread. Most of the action pushes to a center imaged area. Gunfire is decently robust. Dialogue is presented with fine natural clarity and, again, within a center imaged location.
Most of the extras are found on bonus discs (please click here for a breakdown of what's included). As it ships
with the boxed set, a digital copy code is included with purchase.
In short, Paramount has released The Godfather to the UHD format with a masterwork 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD presentation. The picture is stunning, and while no new multichannel track is included, the remastered mono track, albeit in lossy Dolby Digital, is a treat. A new Coppola introduction is included, and plenty of new and returning bonuses can be found on the support discs. This release, as part of the larger boxed set, earns my highest recommendation.
1972
Paramount 100th Anniversary
1972
The Coppola Restoration
1972
50th Anniversary Edition
1972
The Coppola Restoration
1972
Sapphire Series
1972
1972
Sapphire Series
1972
1974
1990
Extended Director's Cut
1984
1995
1990
1993
2013
2007
2019
2016
2002
2013
Gold Edition
1983
1994
Remastered
2002
Theatrical Edition
1997
1990
2014
1990
1999-2007