In Celebration Of The Film’s 50th Anniversary, The Godfather Will Return To Theaters, Plus A New 4K Ultra HD Restoration
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, based on the crime novel by Mario Puzo, will be returning to theaters to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
This 50th Anniversary celebration will see The Godfather return to theaters beginning on February 25, 2022 exclusively in Dolby Cinema at AMC Theaters in the United States. There will also be screenings in select international territories around the world.
On top of this theatrical release, Paramount Pictures announced they have restored the entire Godfather trilogy under the director of Coppola and it will be made available on 4K Ultra HD for the first time on March 22, 2022.
“I am very proud of The Godfather, which certainly defined the first third of my creative life,” Coppola stated.
He also revealed this new remastered version includes The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone saying, “With this 50th anniversary tribute, I’m especially proud Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone is included, as it captures Mario and my original vision in definitively concluding our epic trilogy.”
“It’s also gratifying to celebrate this milestone with Paramount alongside the wonderful fans who’ve loved it for decades, younger generations who still find it relevant today, and those who will discover it for the first time,” Coppola concluded.
In a press release, Paramount Pictures detailed that Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope “undertook a painstaking restoration of all three films over the course of three years.”
They detailed that “Every effort was made to create the finest possible presentation for today’s audiences who can watch the films using technology that has advanced dramatically since 2007 when the last restoration was completed by eminent film historian and preservationist Robert Harris.”
“Using that work as a blueprint, the team spent thousands of hours to ensure that every frame was evaluated to create the most pristine presentation while remaining true to the original look and feel of the films,” the press release added.
Senior vice president of Paramount Archives Andrea Kala stated, “We felt privileged to restore these films and a little in awe every day we worked on them.”
“We were able to witness first-hand how the brilliant cinematography, score, production design, costume design, editing, performances, and, of course, screenwriting and direction became famously more than the sum of their parts. It was our commitment to honor all of the filmmakers’ exceptional work,” she asserted.
As for the specifics of the restoration, the press release from Paramount Pictures states:
- Over 300 cartons of film were scrutinized to find the best possible resolution for every frame of all three films.
- Over 4,000 hours were spent repairing film stains, tears, and other anomalies in the negatives.
- Over 1,000 hours were spent on rigorous color correction to ensure the high dynamic range tools were respectful of the original vision of Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis.
- In addition to the 5.1 audio approved by Walter Murch in 2007, the original mono tracks on he Godfather and The Godfather: Part II have been restored.
- All work was overseen by Coppola.
Do you plan on checking out The Godfather when it returns to theaters? Will you be in line to get this new 4K Ultra HD restoration?
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