The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone Blu-ray Review & Comments

Casimir Harlow

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Thanks for the review - never understood the hate this film got as I always thought it was decent, just not in the same league as its 2 predecessors.

The lack of Robert Duvall is a bigger issue than Sofia Coppola for me. I'll rent this out of curiosity.
 
Thanks for the review. I’ll rent this one I think
 
I think you nailed it with your comment that it suffers mostly for comparison with the previous untouchable two. If they didn't exist (and thank god we live in a world where they do), GFIII would be a decent, considerably above average movie, undeserving of the many criticisms it's had to endure.

I watched the current GFIII release this week in anticipation of this Coda version being released next week, and I really enjoyed it. I watched GFI & GFII a couple of week ago (even I'm not dumb enough to attempt a I, II, III triple bill), and those two tower above GFIII, but GFIII is still highly enjoyable. At times Andy Garcia annoys more than Sofia Coppola tbh. Love Talia Shire in this one - "maybe they should fear you!"

I'm quite relaxed about no 4k for this at the moment, as there are a couple of years until the motherlode, so I won't be annoyed by double dip in short succession. The 50th anniversary 4k releases are not rumour - Paramount has confirmed?
 
thanks for the review Cas. i think you make a very good point Cas you touched on in your review. its more like something set in the same universe as the Godfather 1 and 2 but as so much time has passed, calling it Godfather 3 to get the punters in, makes it fall at the first hurdle. i will wait for the big boxset coming to 4k and hopefully see this streamed somewhere before then.
 
IMO the biggest problem with GF3 is that Michael isn't Michael anymore. Instead he is Al Pacino in near perpetual rant mode. He was a controlled introverted type in G1 and G2 .... as a result I just cannot consider him to be the same character in G3.
 
Thanks for the Review, Cas. Yep, viewed as a stand-alone, it's an OK Movie, & definitely stands apart from GF 1 & 2. At moments I feel it would have worked better as a Stage Play rather than a Movie.
 
@Casimir Harlow your description of Hamilton's abilities 👍😆. I think the gap between 2 and 3 hurt the film badly for continuity. Didn't help being up against Goodfellas either not course.

The helicopter business was also ridiculous. I didn't think Vincent was much kop as a character - too one dimensional.

Raf Vallone and Donal Donnelly were superb though. Connie's development across all 3 films was very interesting to see. 3 very different personas as a response to different circumstances.
 
I forgot to mention that by the time of part 3, Pacino had lapsed into just being Pacino rather than a proper actor as in the first two.
 
Thanks for the review Cas.

Haven’t watched GF3 in some time.
Hoping once the 4K set arrives, they offer similar to “Apoc Now all versions” so we can watch our preferred version.

Looking forward to watching this just to compare.
 
I'm still not at peace with the fact that I can't get into this trilogy. I must have watched the first half of The Godfather at least three times over the years & I zone out every time.

Really doesn't sit right with me! Especially as The Sopranos is my all time favourite series (not that that's really about the Mafia ultimately, but still...)

"Just when I thought I was in...they pull me back out..."
 
Thanks for the review - never understood the hate this film got as I always thought it was decent, just not in the same league as its 2 predecessors.

The lack of Robert Duvall is a bigger issue than Sofia Coppola for me. I'll rent this out of curiosity.

Definitely one to add to the list - thanks for the review. I’ve always enjoyed this and while it doesn’t scale the heights of the first two films, I can’t think of many films that do. I never really understood the huge criticism Sofia Coppola got either, which seemed to be quite mean spirited in a lot of cases. Also I don’t care what anyone says, for me Al Pacino’s acting on the steps near the end is fantastic.
 
I've still to watch the godfather trilogy, im holding out now for the 4k box set when it arrives.

I missed it when orginally out and was more into SCIFi, horror and action at the time.

Thanks for piquing my interest with this review. I look forward to watching all 3.
 
I've still to watch the godfather trilogy, im holding out now for the 4k box set when it arrives.

I missed it when orginally out and was more into SCIFi, horror and action at the time.

Thanks for piquing my interest with this review. I look forward to watching all 3.
It will be the best it will look, but still 1-2 years away, I was late to it too, watching on VHS back in early 2000’s, wanted a repeat viewing after my first watch. One drawback with streaming availability is with so much choice, sometimes the classics don’t get a lookin.

Go on, dip your toe in the Corleone pool.
 
It will be the best it will look, but still 1-2 years away, I was late to it too, watching on VHS back in early 2000’s, wanted a repeat viewing after my first watch. One drawback with streaming availability is with so much choice, sometimes the classics don’t get a lookin.

Go on, dip your toe in the Corleone pool.
Interesting point about the streaming availability. I think you could be right about that. And its a shame because the classics will be the better option more often than not.

I've said it before but Godfather III is hardly the disaster some portray it as. Its just not a classic like the first two are and was fatally released in the same year as Goodfellas which really didn't help! I've always liked the film a lot.

I am interested in Coda but to be honest I'm waiting for an all singing all dancing 4K set which you can really see happening given the likes of the Star Wars collection, Back to the Future, Dawn of the Dead etc etc. I just hope Coda is included in 4K and we are given the choice.
 
I’m not a huge fan of part 3, but it wasn’t too bad and did have great cinematography and score.
2022 is when the UHD set of all 3 movies is to be released and that’s an age away. I’ll pick this up when it goes down in price before the big release in 2022.
 
I’m not a huge fan of part 3, but it wasn’t too bad and did have great cinematography and score.
2022 is when the UHD set of all 3 movies is to be released and that’s an age away. I’ll pick this up when it goes down in price before the big release in 2022.

And I'll have a comp for this too hopefully before Monday. I'll throw a link in the thread when it's live.
 
Thanks for that Cas. Was hoping one of you would be all over this.

I've not long re-watched the trilogy so looking forward to seeing how it fits.

Some good comments above already, particularly about Michael/Pacino, no Duvall, the helicopter scene and Vincent. I also had issue with Andy Garcia in this, for me it never worked. And his relationship with Sofia Coppola was also poorly managed and portrayed on screen. In my opinion anyway.

However the film still gets too much unfair treatment, and comparisons with the first two I think - whilst inevitable - are also unhelpful.

(Also I like the term "questionable cardigans" :laugh: )
 
I had the VHS boxset of the trilogy arranged in chronological order.... watched it all in a day and loved it. I think that was done specifically for a TV broadcast, but I did like the linear way it charted the Corleone family from the father as a young child through to the son as an old man.
 
I’m not a huge fan of part 3, but it wasn’t too bad and did have great cinematography and score.
Cinematography is gorgeous and the silent scream accompanied with Cavalleria Rusticana Intermezzo works brilliantly.
 
I love my cherished Godfather Trilogy DVD Boxset that is region 1 but even moreso is my Laserdisc set.
I will give this Coda version a watch on rental and then wait for the rumoured 4K collection.
 
My copy should drop tomorrow looking forward to the new edits. Got the trilogy on all formats and won't hesitate to get it on 4k went it comes out.
 
I had the VHS boxset of the trilogy arranged in chronological order.... watched it all in a day and loved it. I think that was done specifically for a TV broadcast, but I did like the linear way it charted the Corleone family from the father as a young child through to the son as an old man.

I still have mine.
 
Preorder on iTunes was 11.99, its out today and it’s 7.99 and also advertised on a banner as 4K HDR when it’s HD!

will prob get, as Uk Amazon its not even in stock and its £14.99
 

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