'The Godfather: 50th Anniversary' - Catching up with stars Robert Duvall and Johnny Martino

Here’s an offer you can’t refuse! Time to settle in and re-live the classic that is The Godfather.

Believe it or not, it’s been 50 years since The Godfather came out in theatres. It launched the careers of Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert DeNiro (to name a few)! The film was a sensation when it debuted in March 24, 1972. It set box office records, garnered ten Academy Award® nominations, and won three including Best Picture.

Francis Ford Coppola’s epic masterpiece features Marlon Brando in his Oscar©-winning role as the patriarch of the Corleone family. Director Francis Ford Coppola paints a chilling portrait of the Sicilian clan’s rise and near fall from power in America. It masterfully balances the story of the Corleone family life and the ugly crime business that.

Recently, Paramount Pictures released a new trailer for the 50th anniversary of The Godfather. They also made an announcement about a new 4K Blu-ray box set that became available this week. The box set will include The Godfather. It will also include The Godfather Part II alongside The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. It is a recently released director’s cut of The Godfather Part III. The set will also include the theatrical and 1991 cuts of Part III. This really is a collector’s dream set!

The studio remastered and restored all three films in 4K UHD with HDR-10 and Dolby Vision. Coppola himself oversaw this treatment. The Collector’s Edition version of set will include a bonus Blu-ray with new special features and three commissioned illustrated portraits. It also includes a hardcover book. That book features “extensive photography and an introduction from Francis Ford Coppola, housed in a beautiful foil-embossed box”. Today, this set got its first discount.

Here are some of the highlights!

Archivists scrutinized over 300 cartons of film to find the best possible resolution for every frame of all three films.
They spent over 4,000 hours repairing film stains, tears, and other anomalies in the negatives.
The production also spent over 1,000 hours on rigorous color correction. They ensured that the high dynamic range tools respected the original vision of Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis.
The studio restored the original mono tracks on The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II. In addition, they included the 5.1 audio that Walter Murch approved in 2007.
Coppola oversaw all the work.

New Bonus Content:

The Godfather: Part III. Newly remastered and restored versions of the original theatrical cut and Coppola’s 1991 cut. (Note: these are exclusive to the 4K Blu-ray Collections.)
Introduction to The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola
Full Circle: Preserving The Godfather. Paramount Pictures archivists detail the incredible restoration process with archival footage. They show the evolution of the film through various home entertainment incarnations. They speak in detail of the picture and audio technologies make quantum leaps over the decades.
Capturing the Corleones: Through the Lens of Photographer Steve Schapiro. In this reflective and frank discussion, special photographer Steve Schapiro shares his unique perspective. He also shares cherished memories as a witness to the making of this seminal film. Commentary on curated archival images makes for a fascinating, never-before-seen addition to the production’s history.
The Godfather: Home Movies. An assortment of 8mm home movie footage shot in 1971 offers a candid glimpse into the production of The Godfather. They shot the footage on location at the Norton family estate on Staten Island’s Emerson Hill. This is the first time this footage is available to the public.
Restoration Comparisons— Before and after highlights showcase extensive picture quality improvements to The Godfather.

Francis Ford Coppola, director of the iconic films sums it up like this. “I am very proud of The Godfather, which certainly defined the first third of my creative life. With this 50th anniversary tribute, I’m especially proud [of] Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone is included, as it captures Mario and my original vision in definitively concluding our epic trilogy. It’s also gratifying to celebrate this milestone with Paramount alongside the wonderful fans who’ve loved it for decades, younger generations who still find it relevant today, and those who will discover it for the first time.”

Our Bonnie Laufer had the opportunity to speak with the legendary Robert Duvall (Tom Hagen). She also spoke with actor Johnny Martino who played the footsoldier Paulie Gatto in The Godfather. Viewers will always associate him with one of the film’s most iconic lines, “leave the gun, take the cannoli”. Of course – we discussed that and more.

Both interviews are below: