The Godfather 4K UHD is reviewed HERE

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Firstly, we intended to review this entire Blu-ray 'Coppola Restoration' package fully (as well as the supplemental 4th disc) but as interest is so high on these titles - we have also decided to compare them to the original SD releases first - as well s the SD-DVD 'Restoration' when it arrives. Stay tuned.

As for the initial entry in the series, the dual-layered first Blu-ray, taking up 46.8 GB for the 3 hour feature film, doesn't appear to overly impress in the visual department. I've done some toggling back and forth between the new and the old. The superiority is definitely evident but I am unclear as to the occasional softness and high level of brightness that that I am seeing. But I do see what appears to be abundant film grain and/or background noise. Colors are also different in many instances with the Blu-ray usually (but not always) being brighter and it leans to a warmer palette. The yellow/magenta/orange skin tones have been replaced with redder ones. Contrast seems improved (look at the shirt in the 5th set of large captures.)  Leonard Norwitz has covered the entire collection with more screen captures HERE..

Herr Schreck from the Criterion Forum states: "I saw-- coincidentally-- the restored Godfather in the cinema yesterday. I give them kudos.. a very restrained restoration, essentially cleaning the film up without rewriting history. As opposed to G2, or later 70mm extravaganza of Apocalypse Now which benefited from the IB restoration process, Godfather seems to have been shot on very unspectacular stock that is heavy on the grain, especially in the zones where Gordon "Prince of Darkness" Willis really pushes the envelope in low key lighting. The grain factor reminds my of Tokyo Olympiad where faster stocks were needed for the lack of heavy lighting.

It looks exactly like what Godfather One was... a tight-budgeted, by Paramount, crime drama that was penned in initially to be run-of-the mill gangster pic... that turned only in an ex post facto way, due entirely to Coppolas vision (not due to any big budgets or lavish sets) to a "big" film. (G2 is another story of course).

I have no doubt that what I saw yesterday resembled very closely the film upon it's original release... no attempt was made to soup it up. And the Blu caps look just like what I saw."

Duane says in email: "Looking at the captures, the "unrestored" dvd seems to have greenish/sepia tint not present in the blu-ray edition; at least in my mind's eye, I seem to recall this visual patina being part of the Godfather's period look (and seem to recall similar controversy in your 'Deliverance' dvd comparison -- except with the blu-ray adding back the greenish hues that were missing from the original release).
Could it be that the restoration and/or blu-ray is overly "scrubbed" to make the film look brighter thus more modern?"

White Sheik says in email: "Just reading and looking at The Godfather Blu-Ray caps (which I assume will match the new SD DVD restoration). The gentleman who seems to remember in his mind's eye that the film had a greenish/sepia tint in its original release prints, is, of course, completely incorrect and probably never saw the film when it was released. I saw it many times, and I owned a 35mm IB Tech print of it, and the Blu-Ray screencaps look exactly right and I can't wait to get the SD DVD upon its release. Kudos to all involved, especially the "supervisors" - Coppola and Willis, who certainly know what their film should look like."