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The Godfather (1972)


Commentaries on this disc:

Commentary 1: Director Francis Ford Coppola Rating:8.5/10 (62 votes) [graph]Login to vote or review
Reviewed by Blunt on June 7th, 2004:Find all reviews by Blunt
Coppola is one of that handful of directors who always have interesting things to say about their movies. This track provides a wealth of detail on all aspects of the film and is consistently interesting for the film's entire duration.

What makes Coppola's commentaries doubly remarkable is their honesty. He's not afraid to point out flaws, or to rail against the studio system, or to speak of his personal situations. Listening to this track is almost like reading a chapter of his autobiography.

Another track containing recollections from cast and crew would've been welcome ; but no true GODFATHER fan will be disappointed by this commentary - and the tracks on the two sequels are just as good.
Reviewed by stuartbannerman on December 20th, 2004:Find all reviews by stuartbannerman
I decided to listen to this commentary after reading Bllunts review on it and i wasnt disapointed. Apart from a few seconds of silence here and there (and who can say anything against Francis for that, its a near 3hrs flick after all) I learned so much from this commentary. It has my idea of a perfect mixture of 'behind the scenes, cut footage, studio interfering and general annicdotes' that make for a great commentary. Its made me head for Godfather II to hear the continuing story.
Reviewed by The Cubist on October 7th, 2008:Find all reviews by The Cubist
Coppola, appropriately enough, starts off by talking about the film’s famous opening scene and how it was supposed to start with the wedding but a friend suggested he do something else. Coppola talks about how he organized the elaborate wedding sequence and shot it only 2-3 days! He talks about the pressure he was under by the studio and in real danger of being fired because they didn’t like what he was doing. Coppola points out where certain scenes were shot and points out things like the horse’s head being real. This is pretty solid track that we’ve come to expect from the veteran filmmaker.
Reviewed by TommyT on March 29th, 2010:Find all reviews by TommyT
One of the best commentaries I've heard on disc. Coppola keeps perfect pace with the film & gives great insight into making it. When you consider that he's done countless interviews & answered countless questions regarding this & all the films he's done, hearing him sound this fresh is quite a surprise. And be sure to listen to the tracks he did for the other two Godfather films, they're also great.
Reviewed by bjs501 on November 17th, 2010:Find all reviews by bjs501
Francis keeps the listener entertained pretty much from the get-go. I would have never guessed that the cat on Marlon Brando's lap in the opening scene was an accident. Great stuff.
Reviewed by tim0122 on September 1st, 2012:Find all reviews by tim0122
I have only listened to some of the commentary for Godfather Part II but I have to admit I do not like the way Coppola goes about talking about his movies. By the end of the movie I feel like he has not said much even though he has been talking for three hours. It is not a terrible commentary but it could have been a lot better. So it is worth a listen but there are better commentaries out there. I rate it at about 7.5.
Reviewed by grimjack on January 6th, 2015:Find all reviews by grimjack
The Godfather one and two have a combined commentary in the Godfather Saga, by Coppola, and is the perfect example of a perfect commentary. He has many interesting things to say throughout the film, pointing out lots of details, explaining various backstories, etc.. Few parts of it are boring, and most add to the pleasure of an already great film.

If you love the movie, you need to hear the commentary.
Reviewed by Station51 on September 13th, 2015:Find all reviews by Station51
Hands down one of the best commentaries I've heard. Coppola gives so much insight into this movie from beginning to end. When you're going to be fired any day, don't just sit on your hands, keep working. You might prove everyone wrong and actually create a masterpiece. Trusting your own instincts is something you'll learn listening to this. I don't know how somebody could actually produce great work much less any work under that kiind of stress. Bravo Coppola.