The Godfather Trilogy on 4K Ultra HD: No Seriously, Here’s What You ACTUALLY Get (Now Confirmed by Paramount)...

Thursday, 13 January 2022 12:06

The Godfather Trilogy on 4K Ultra HD: No Seriously, Here’s What You ACTUALLY Get (Now Confirmed by Paramount)...

by Bill Hunt

Well, this has been a bit of a head-spinning and confusing series of developments so far today (as I’m sure you’ll all agree).

You see... not long after we posted Paramount’s official press release for The Godfather Trilogy in 4K Ultra HD this morning (see our earlier post here), it quickly became clear that the text didn’t answer all of our questions.

So we’ve had multiple rounds of confirmation emails with the studio, not to mention forensic photo examinations, as well as a significant bit of retailer listing sleuthing to try to sort out all the important details of this 4K release. We originally thought that this Godfather Trilogy 4K release included 3-disc and 5-disc 4K SKUs.

Then surprise... not long after all that investigation, international retailer listings made the situation even more complicated, suggesting that it’s actually 5-disc and 9-disc 4K SKUs!

No kidding.

But... I just got off the phone with Paramount, and they’re now telling me that—at least here in the US—what’s actually coming is a 5-disc set, and the same 5-disc set just with more swag in the packaging.

SO… here’s what we now THINK is included in each version that’s coming to 4K Ultra HD on 3/22... [Read on here...]

THE GODFATHER TRILOGY (5-Disc Set SRP $90.99)

Disc One: The Godfather (4K UHD)

Disc Two: The Godfather: Part II (4K UHD)

Disc Three: Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (4K UHD)

Disc Four: The Godfather, Part III Theatrical Cut and The Godfather, Part III 1991 Cut (via seamless branching) (4K UHD)

HDR: Dolby Vision & HDR10
Audio: 2007 Walter Murch-approved mix in 5.1 Dolby TrueHD and 5.1 Dolby Digital, plus newly-restored Mono (for films 1 and 2)
Legacy Extras: Screen-specific audio commentaries by Francis Ford Coppola (from the 2001 DVD release)
New Extras: Introduction to The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola, Full Circle: Preserving The Godfather, Capturing the Corleones: Through the Lens of Photographer Steve Schapiro, The Godfather: Home Movies, Restoration Comparisons, Digital Copies of at least the films I, II, and Coda

Disc Five: Legacy Special Features (BD)

Additional Legacy Blu-ray and DVD Extras: The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn’t, Godfather World, Emulsional Rescue: Revealing The Godfather, ...when the shooting stopped, The Godfather on the Red Carpet, 4 Short Films on The Godfather (The Godfather vs. The Godfather: Part II, Cannoli, Riffing on the Riffing, and Clemenza), The Family Tree, Crime Organization Chart, Connie and Carlo’s Wedding Album, 2008 Credits, 12 Behind-the-Scenes featurettes (A Look Inside, On Location, Francis Ford Coppola’s Notebook, Music of The Godfather: Nino Rota, Music of The Godfather: Carmine Coppola, Coppola & Puzo on Screenwriting, Gordon Willis on Cinematography, Storyboards – The Godfather: Part II, Storyboards – The Godfather: Part III, The Godfather Behind the Scenes 1971), Additional Scenes, Galleries, Trailers, Acclaim & Response, Additional Material, The Filmmakers

THE GODFATHER TRILOGY: LIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITION (5-Disc Set – SRP $182.99)

Disc One: The Godfather (4K UHD)

Disc Two: The Godfather: Part II (4K UHD)

Disc Three: Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (4K UHD)

Disc Four: The Godfather, Part III Theatrical Cut and The Godfather, Part III 1991 Cut (via seamless branching) (4K UHD)

HDR: Dolby Vision & HDR10
Audio: 2007 Walter Murch-approved mix in 5.1 Dolby TrueHD and 5.1 Dolby Digital, plus newly-restored Mono (for films 1 and 2)
Legacy Extras: Screen-specific audio commentaries by Francis Ford Coppola (from the 2001 DVD release)
New Extras: Introduction to The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola, Full Circle: Preserving The Godfather, Capturing the Corleones: Through the Lens of Photographer Steve Schapiro, The Godfather: Home Movies, Restoration Comparisons, Digital Copies of at least the films I, II, and Coda

Disc Five: Legacy Special Features (BD)

Additional Legacy Blu-ray and DVD Extras: The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn’t, Godfather World, Emulsional Rescue: Revealing The Godfather, ...when the shooting stopped, The Godfather on the Red Carpet, 4 Short Films on The Godfather (The Godfather vs. The Godfather: Part II, Cannoli, Riffing on the Riffing, and Clemenza), The Family Tree, Crime Organization Chart, Connie and Carlo’s Wedding Album, 2008 Credits, 12 Behind-the-Scenes featurettes (A Look Inside, On Location, Francis Ford Coppola’s Notebook, Music of The Godfather: Nino Rota, Music of The Godfather: Carmine Coppola, Coppola & Puzo on Screenwriting, Gordon Willis on Cinematography, Storyboards – The Godfather: Part II, Storyboards – The Godfather: Part III, The Godfather Behind the Scenes 1971), Additional Scenes, Galleries, Trailers, Acclaim & Response, Additional Material, The Filmmakers

Additional Limited Collector’s Edition Swag: Hardcover coffee table book, 3 portrait art prints

# # #

So there you go.

We think!

Now… after all of the above, the UK retailer Zavvi has listed the Limited Collector’s Edition as a 9-disc set (see these links at Zavvi US and Zavvi UK), which includes the same 5 discs above plus 4 more (essentially, all the films on Blu-ray as well). But I’ve just spoken to Paramount about this and they assure me that in the US at least, it’s two 5-disc SKUs only. It’s possible that the international studio operations are handling the release differently. SO, there it is.

For the record: There do not appear to be any plans to release The Godfather Saga cut of these films in any form. My guess is, this is never going to happen, so I wouldn’t hold my breath for it. The box sets above would seem to represent Coppola's preferred way for people to experience the films.

Note that you can click on the images above to pre-order both SKUs on Amazon.com now. Do keep in mind that the usual Amazon sale price should kick in soon (if you pre-order now at the currently-listed price, you’ll still get the discount when it’s applied).

That’s all for now! Stay tuned...

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