Its even better in DVD! (The Godfather I (DVD))

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Product:	The Godfather I (DVD)
Date:	21/03/02 (7 review reads)
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Advantages: Great film, DVD improved it, Actors

Disadvantages: A few quirks

We never remember the good moments until they are over. Maybe that?s why they are good as we don?t stop to think about them. One such moment has to be watching a great movie like this one that had me mesmerized once again as I got the chance of a lend of DVD box set.
I couldn?t get this to play first time round so I watched number two first, which didn?t help the continuity at all.
But all has been ordered an archived after another three hours of brilliant digitally enhanced Mafia family loyalty and the conflicts that flare as the Cosa Nostra wage turf war.

The DVD kicks of with an in-depth interview with the director and how he casted for the movie. Pacino was an unknown actor at the time and even though he won them over at the screen test with is Italian Sicilian boyish looks, the director and producers were ready to drop him as the first takes in the movie just didn?t work.
But when they filmed the famous scene when he whacks the rival boss in the restaurant, it all seemed to fall into place.

Brando of course runs the first hour of this classic with his cotton wool cheeks and commanding screen presence as the don. As soon as he gets the bullet though, the raw Pacino who plays his son Michael, takes over the movie as he goes from the families proud decorated war hero into the guts of the Corllione clan.
James Caan crackles as the adopted second son of the Don who nurtures the reluctant Michael into the new head of the crime family.

The film is not so much about the life of the Mafia, but the loyalties demanded to keep these crime units together over every other concern, including wives and children. One of the films most powerful scenes is where Michael threatens his retarded son that the family comes over everything else so don?t cross me.
Although Pacino is young and baby faced in this first time big pic for him, he?s pure class as he battles with his morals over the family business and lifestyle he never
wanted.

The casting for his dim brother?s wife in Talia Shire was not the hardest decision as she?s the daughter of the director in Francis Ford Coppolla. And later of course to be Mrs Balboa in the equally lucrative and endearing Rocky quinology (that?s not a word by the way!).

It was method actor Brando?s input to make Don Corelleonis voice gravelly and rough as the book the film is based on depicts the Godfather was shot in the throat. Bet you didn?t know that the big actor lists ?shepheard?as his profession on the passport.
To me his performance is almost a parody of what one perceives a boss should sound like, but of course those perceptions come from this film that has set the standard and cliché since 1974.
Watching it in its DVD form it seems to give it a more contemporary feel as the Technicolor has long since gone.
The soundtrack remastered through wonderful modern technologies also helps to bring classics like these back to life, as well as the big studios as punters update their movie back catalogue in the latest format.

DVD remastering makes these films look ten years younger and allows the director to add in scenes on the longer disc format. At three and a bit hours you will need a few cups of tea to get through but its definitely well worth revisiting this amazing piece of movie history.

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