Paramount Pictures is set to release not just a restoration but a whole new edit of Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part III” – the final film in his epic trilogy.
Given the unwieldy title of “Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone,” the new version achieves director/screenwriter Coppola and screenwriter Puzo’s original vision for the finale which has been meticulously restored for the finest presentation to date of the Corleone saga’s last chapter.
While the first two films in the trilogy are considered cinematic classics, the third is often seen as a slightly disappointing capper to the trilogy – even though it landed seven Oscar nominations. The film feels just shy of greatness which this cut may help it achieve.
Coppola and his production company American Zoetrope worked from a 4K scan of the original negative to undertake a painstaking, frame-by-frame restoration of both the original film and the new cut.
In order to create the best presentation possible, Zoetrope and Paramount’s restoration team began by searching for over 50 original takes to replace lower resolution opticals in the original negative – a process that took over six months and sifting through 300 cartons of negative.
Work was diligently done to repair scratches, stains, and other anomalies that could not be addressed previously due to technology constraints, while enhancements were made to the original 5.1 audio mix.
Paramount Archives senior VP Andrea Kalas says: “Mr. Coppola oversaw every aspect of the restoration while working on the new edit, ensuring that the film not only looks and sounds pristine but also meets his personal standards and directorial vision.”
In a statement Coppola says the project is “an acknowledgment of Mario’s and my preferred title and our original intentions for what became ‘The Godfather: Part III’. For this version of the finale, I created a new beginning and ending, and rearranged some scenes, shots, and music cues. With these changes and the restored footage and sound, to me, it is a more appropriate conclusion to ‘The Godfather’ and ‘The Godfather: Part II’ and I’m thankful to Jim Gianopulos and Paramount for allowing me to revisit it.”
The film will have a limited theatrical release in December, followed by becoming available on Digital home entertainment platforms and on disc. It follows on from Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now: Final Cut” released last year which scored rave reviews – landing a “middle ground between commercial constraints and creative indulgence” says reviewer Vicky Roach.
Additional details about the theatrical and home entertainment releases of the final “Godfather” will be provided at a later date.
Source: Paramount Pictures
