Years ago I had the video box set of the trilogy and it was pride of place in my video collection. However, times change and technology improves and now the dvd has taken over and so the wheel keeps on turning.

One thing however, I am pleased to say has stood the test of time are the Coppola classics The Godfather, Godfather II and Godfather III.

This review is based on the re-mastered Godfather Trilogy dvd collection.

The Godfather

The film begins at the home of Don Vito Corleone on the day of his daughter Connie’s wedding. A grand affair with anyone who is someone in attendance.
Don Corleone ,played by Marlon Brandon, is attending to business in his study while in the background you can hear the music and laughter from the wedding guests in the garden.

It is tradition that a Don cannot refuse a favour on the day of his daughter’s wedding and the Sicilians are very big on tradition and family values.
So there are people waiting in line to see their Don on this special day. All with favours to ask...revenge, a movie part, American citizenship etc etc

As you would imagine ‘the family’ has gathered for this auspicious occasion. Michael, Vito’s youngest son (played by Al Pacino), is back home from the second world war and attends his sister’s wedding with his girlfriend Kay, (played by Diane Keaton). Vito’s two older sons are there to – Sonny, also known as Santino (played by James Caan) and Fredo (played by John Cazale), as well as their ‘adopted’ brother Tom Hagen (played by Robert Duvall).

Time stands for no man and since the end of the second world war times have changed, even for the mafia.

Don Corleone has family values and principles and will not compromise when it come to his family or indeed his business.

His refusal to get into narcotics is something that his hot headed son, Sonny does not agree with. Sonny makes the mistake of openly showing his feelings to ‘another family’ headed by Sollozzo at a business meeting to discuss narcotics. His father is not happy with his outburst which prompts him to say ‘never let anyone outside of the family know what you are thinking again’ (just one of the many quotes made famous by the film).

Don Corleone’s refusal to do business with Sollozzo strikes the first sparks of a war between the mafia families, that will last for years and cost many lives.
Each of the five major mob families in New York will be plagued by the bloodshed, and eventually during the course of the film a new order will emerge. Betrayals take place, and the Corleone family is shaken to its roots by treachery.

Each of the Corleone boys have inhertited parts of their father’s temperament: Sonny has inherited his temper and unfortunately this will be Sonny’s down fall.
Fredo inherited the more ‘loving side’ and is the weaker of the brothers and is always trying to please his elders and the family. Then there is Michael he is the hero of the family, the one his father is truly proud of . He has inherited his father’s shrudness and business savy – although he does not want to follow in his father’s footsteps!

Sadly for Michael, but luckily for us! The man who claimed to be different from the rest of his family has become more ruthless than Don Vito ever was. Having learnt from his father, Michael is more than equipped to take the family forward at a cost that he will forever pay dearly for.

Awards

Academy Awards
Best Actor: Marlon Brando
Best Picture: Albert S. Ruddy
Best Adapted Screenplay: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola

Golden Globe Awards
Best Picture
Best Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Best Actor: Marlon Brando
Best Original Score,: Nino Rota
Best Screenplay,:Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola

BAFTA Awards
Best Music, Nino Rota

My Opinion

Although in reality if I lived on the same street as the Corleone’s I would undoubtedly fear them and cross the street to avoid them! I can’t help but warm to them. They have values and pride and a way things should be done, they do not compromise for anyone.

The first of the trilogy shows us the ‘founder’ of the Corleone’s , Vito. You love him and you want him to succeed at any cost. As the film progresses you learn more about the mafia hierarchy and oddly enough, you respect it.

Francis Ford Coppola's classic paints a chilling and yet oddly enchanting picture of a Sicilian family's rise and near fall from power in America and the passage of rites from Vito to Michael, who was previously uninvolved in the business.

A wonderful film that will inspire.

==The Godfather Part II==

The second of the trilogy is now actually my favourite, because in this film we watch the rise of Michael, who is now the new Don after the death of his father. However, we also get taken back in time throughout the film to see how Vito Corleone’s life started back in Sicily and why he was forced to move to New York, and how he founded the Corleone family.

At first when this film started I was a little confused to say the least, as the film starts in 1901 in the town of Corleone, Sicily.

A young boy and his mother are attending the funeral of their husband/father, Antino Andolin who has been murdered for an insult to the local Mafia lord, Don Ciccio.

The young boy is Vito Andolin (later known as Vito Corleone).

Sadly Vito’s elder brother who is watching the precession from the hilltops (he has been forced to go into hiding because he has sworn vengeance for his father’s murder) is found by the local mafia and shot down.

Vito’s mother who is sick with worry and fears that it is only a matter of time before Don Cicco murders her youngest, and now only living boy, goes to Ciccio to beg for mercy, but he refuses, knowing that nine year old Vito will seek revenge later in life.
Vito’s mother takes Ciccio hostage at knifepoint, and shouts to Vito to ‘run’. Young Vito does run, but sadly his mother is now also murdered! Through the help of the people of his village Vito is smuggled out of Sicily to New York.

Once he has arrived at Ellis Island, one of the immigration agents mistakenly thinks that Corleone, the name of the town Vito is from is his surname and so Vito Corleone is born.

The film then jumps forward to 1950 and we see Michael Corleone dealing with various business and family problems during an party at his Lake Tahoe, Nevada compound to celebrate Anthony’s (his son) First Communion.

Later that evening when all business has been dealt with an assassination attempt is made on Michael, which he survives because his wife Kay notices the bedroom curtains have been left open.

After the assasination attempt Michael tells Tom Hagen (his 'adopted' brother) that the hit was made with the help of someone close, and that he must leave, Michael then entrusts all his power to Tom to protect his family.

The film then switches back to 1917 where we see Vito taking control of his neighbourhood, which has previously under the rule of "The Black Hand," Don Fanucci.

The film then jumps back to present day and so this goes on throughout the film almost mirror imaging Michael and his father.

In this film Michael loses his family, not through death, but through the way he runs ‘his business’. Kay keeps reminding him that he promised that the family would be legitimate within 5 years ‘that was 7 years ago Michael’ she says.

At a hotel room Kay tries to leave Michael, taking their children with her. Michael at first tries to talk her round, but loses his temper and hits her violently when she reveals to him that her recent 'miscarriage' was actually an abortion to avoid bringing another child into the criminal family. To make matters doubly worse she admits that it was going to be a boy! (something very important to Michael).

My Opinion

As I have previously said this is my favourite film from the trilogy because here we understand about the ‘roots’ of the family, how Vito had to struggle in the early days almost making it excusable to how the mafia behave.

In this film Michael Corleone has come into his own and in my opinion is far more sinister than his father ever was. He has taken his father’s wisdom and used it very wisely.

People say that this film is probably one of the greatest sequels of all time and I am inclined to agree with them.

I do however think its very sad how his control of ‘the family’ pushesaway Kay and his children. Family (not in the mafia sense) is very important to Michael and its when it looks like he will lose them, is when we really see him lose his temper. Hitting a woman is something I didn't think we would see Michael do (I know he's a mobster, but like I say you do tend to forget that!).

The way the film goes from present day (present day being the 1950s) to the past works very well and its great to see how Michael's father Vito cemented his friendships with the likes of Clemenza who appeared in The Godfather.

Having watched this film, you appreciate the first one a lot more.

The Godfather Part III

We had to wait a long time for this one- Godfather was made in 1972 and it wasn’t until 1990 that the final part of the trilogy was released! However some things are worth waiting for…..

In this final part of the story, Michael Corleone has sold his illegal businesses in an attempt to win back his family His children are still th emost important thing to him).

His young nephew Vincent (played Andy Garcia) wants a place in the family business. Vincent's father was Michael's older brother Sonny (he had a fling with a bridesmaid at his sister’s wedding many years ago – as seen in The Godfather).

Vincent shows every sign of being as hot-headed as Sonny was - could this lead to his dimise?

Michael will be hard pressed to find suitable work for Vincent, who desperately wants to get into the ‘family business’ and is encouraged by his Aunt Connie.

Michael's problems with his nephew escalate when Vincent is attracted to his daughter Mary (played by Sofia Coppola) – Michael does not approve of this match between first cousins. I must admit this did spoli the film abit for me too!

Up and coming gangster Joey Zasa (played by Joe Mantegna) has his eyes on Corleone territory(whata mistaka to maka!). Michael begins dealings with the Vatican (yes hard to believe but he is a powerful man) , intending to buy out their controlling share of a large conglomerate that will give him power in the European market.

Michael soon learns that Vatican business can be just as corrupt and dangerous as mafia business, and the deal threatens to draw Michael back into the violent world he has tried to put behind him. Something that enfuriates Michael and has disasterous consequences on his health.
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Although not as gritty as the first two films for me this film still delivers. It’s had a lot of bad press, but I tend to disagree with it to be honest.

In this film we see a far weaker Michael, age is starting to take its toll, but we also see his relationship with Kay improve (although Kay now has a new man in her life). They seem to rekindle some sort of friendship which after The Godfather Part II you would not have thought possible.

Al Pacino shines in his role of Michael (but lets face it he’s had enough practice in the role).

The only sad part for me is that I wanted the Corleone’s to carry on as in ‘the old days’ but even crime changes!

As I say the story with Vinnie (Vincent) and Mary Corleone wasn't really called for in my eye, but hey it didn't totally spoil the film.

Two Bonus DVDs

In addition to all of the above the box set also comes with 2 additional DVDs. Which contains the following:

New Special Features
Godfather World
The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't
When The Shooting Stopped
Emulsional Rescue - Revealing The Godfather
The Godfather on the Red Carpet
Four Short Films on The Godfather: GF Vs. GF Part II; Cannoli; Riffing on the Riffing; Clemenza
Hidden Easter Egg: Cosa Nostra & Coppola

Previously Available Special Features
Director’s Commentary for all 3 films
Behind the Scenes
Additional Scenes Chronology
The Family Tree
Photo Galleries
Theatrical Trailers
Acclaim and Response
Filmmaker Biographies
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If you are a big fan of the Godfather like myself you will enjoy the insight that both these DVDs bring - very entertaining. However there is over 4 hours of footage to watch on them so make sure you watch them on a day when nothing else is planned!

Overall Opinion & Boxset Info

Format: Box set, PAL, Colour, Dolby
Language English
Subtitles: English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch
Region: Region 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 5
Classification: 15
Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment
Run Time: 526 minutes

Cost
I paid £17.48 from ebay - bargain!

A must have for any Godfather fanatic. The quality on DVD is great (I must get blu-ray next!).