Disc four contains a wealth of extra materials, some of which is ported over from previous releases, and some of it is new for this incredible Blu-ray release. The features begin with The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't (1080p, 29:46). "It is impossible to imagine a world without them," the feature states up front, regarding the Godfather films. Indeed, this piece tells the story of how the first film was almost passed on by the studios. The decade was the 1960s, and Hollywood was in upheaval, as the studios pinched pennies and people sought to exit the business rather than enter into it. This feature contains interviews with American Zoetrope co-founders Walter Murch, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, then-Senior Vice President of Paramount, Robert Evans, and others. As Zoetrope was founded in the late 1960s, Hollywood was in a period of flux, as tastes changed, ticket sales plummeted, and the future was bleak, thanks in large part to the introduction and mainstream embracing of television. This feature looks at the history of Paramount Pictures in the years leading up to the release of The Godfather, the non-acceptance of Sicilian mafia movies (due in large part to the lack of Italians working in and on such films), and Francis Ford Coppola's initial involvement in this project. Also discussed are squabbles over casting, shooting locations, the dark look of the film, the turing point in the film that also happened to be the turning point in the studio's backing of Coppola's work, the premiere of the film, and so much more. The piece then moves into reaction to the film, including that of Richard Belzer, John Turturro, Steven Spielberg (who calls this a confidence-shattering film, meaning he could never attain such directorial heights), Trey Parker, Alec Baldwin David Chase, and plenty of others. The feature, and the interviewees, also delve into the authenticity of the film, its contrast to previous gangster pictures, and more. This is a swift-moving 30 minutes and is a must-watch for anyone who purchases this set.
Godfather World (1080p, 11:19) is a pleasing look at the influence of the films in our culture and its mention and parody in film and television. Emulsional Rescue: Revealing the Godfather (1080i, 19:05) is an extended look at the restoration of these films. Included are interviews with Gordon Willis, Allen Daviau, Steven Spielberg, film preservationist Robert A. Harris, and others. This is a fascinating feature, an education all its own, and is required viewing for anyone who watches Blu-ray, reads our forums, or wants to appreciate what goes into the restoration process. ...When the Shooting Stopped (1080p, 14:18) looks more at the conflict between filmmakers and studio, this time focusing in on the music that plays over the famous "horse head" scene. Later, the piece delves into some thoughts on the themes of The Godfather sequels and how they tie the series together. The Godfather on the Red Carpet (1080p, 4:03) features a series of sound bites with various actors as they express their thoughts on the films.
Moving along, we find Four Short Films on 'The Godfather'. These include GF vs. GF Part II (1080p, 2:16), a short that features various interviewees discussing their thoughts on the two films; Riffing on the Riffing (1080p, 1:39) features a man imitating parts of the movie as he is read scenes from the film; Cannoli (1080p, 1:39) features Francis Ford Coppola discussing childhood memories of this scrumptious and genuinely Italian desert; finally, Clemenza (1080p, 1:45) features a reading from the book How to Really Watch 'The Godfather'. Moving along to the next feature, Family Tree is just that, an interactive Corleone family tree. Clicking on a name allows us to see a character biography, and a subsequent click offers a biography of the actor portraying the character. Crime Organization Chart allows us to click on members of the Corleone family, view their rap sheet, and see a list of known rivals and associates. Connie and Carlo's Wedding Album is just as described: a series of photos from the wedding seen at the beginning of The Godfather.
Finally, 2001 DVD Archive is included. Here, we find four sections, beginning with Gallery. These include a still photo gallery; Rogues' Gallery; a section entitled, Acclaim & Response where we can view several segments from the Academy Awards showcasing the winners offering their acceptance speeches, a list of all awards and nominations the film garnered, and the 1974 Network TV introduction to the film featuring Francis Ford Coppola; and 1080p trailers for each of the three films. Next is a series of Behind-the-Scenes features. A Look Inside (480p, 1:13:29) is an in-depth feature that showcases the filmmakers and actors discussing numerous aspects of the movies, scores of behind-the-scenes moments, and extended footage of the filmmakers discussing how to best create shots and how to get the best of their actors and the story. On Location (480p, 6:56) examines the real-world locales where The Godfather films were shot. Francis Coppola's Notebook (480p, 10:13) is a nice feature where Francis Ford Coppola gives us a look at the extensive notebook he created while reading The Godfather in novel form. Music of the Godfather features a tape recorded session between Coppola and Nino Rota (480p, 5:30), as well as a chat with Carmine Coppola and Francis Ford Coppola and a behind-the-scenes look at some recording sessions (480p, 3:17). Filmmakers offers text-based biographies of Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo, Gordon Willis, Dean Tavoularis, Nino Rota, and Carmine Coppola. Lastly, this section includes a chronology of events from the three films, dating from 1892 through 1997, as well as a series of additional scenes by timeline, from 1901 through 1979.
ing bead for that joke...