The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (Blu-ray)

Arrived Saturday 5th December. It's a mediocre Directors Cut and not worth the hype, or the £14.99! The original Godfather III was better.If you haven't watched the original trilogy, do so please.....this is a waste of time!Looking to sell it on to anyone who may be curious.

Firstly, I want to state that I believe ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘The Godfather Trilogy’ are absolutely Great Movies by Francis Coppola. I believe the latest 4K version of Apocalypse Now-Final Cut is definitely the best version as stated by Coppola. Lots of cuts, add-ins plus Dolby Atmos and HDR makes this ‘Apocalypse Now’ version the very best Audio-Visual experience to date.On the back of this Great Movie experience, I decided to upgrade The Godfather Trilogy from my old DVD Boxset to a Blu-Ray Boxset, as well as buying the Coda Blu-Ray version of The Godfather Part III. I do know all three films pretty well.I watched The Godfather Part 1 & Part II just to get back into the swing of things.Then I watched The Godfather Coda: Death of Michael Corleone with lots of excitement and anticipation to see the latest masterpiece produced by Coppola / Puzo.Having watched the Movie from Start to Finish, two words came to mind, “HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT”.I didn’t like the New Start which goes straight into the Medal Celebration totally cutting out the Medal Ceremony which I thought set the scene nicely for the Celebration. For me, the Original Part III ending, was beautifully done, showing Michael Corleone die alone (albeit with a small dog) after falling out of his chair. The Coda version replaces this poignant scene, with pseudo words of Sicilian wisdom which for me, ruined a formally excellent and visually moving ending. As for the meticulously restored Sound & Picture, Coda has the same Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Format as each Blu-Ray movie in The Godfather Trilogy. Although I do have a reasonable 4K / Dolby Atmos system, I found the dialogue sound quality, isn’t that special on any of the Blu-Ray versions, including Coda. Picture Quality seems OK but not sure the Coda version Looks any better than the Original Part III Blu-Ray version.I try to be as positive as I possibly can when submitting reviews on products purchased via Amazon. But I really feel Ripped Off / Let Down with this Coda movie. Despite my respect for Coppola’s amazing movie making ability, I have to agree with other reviewers who say this movie does not deserve the level of Hype it has received. For £14.99, I would have expected some interesting extras to be included, not just a Movie introduction from Francis Coppola.Would I recommend ‘The Godfather Coda’ Movie, Definitely Not. IMHO, the Original Part III is by far the Superior Movie and represents much better value for money than Coda.

Shorter movie than the original. Some re- editing and shuffling of scenes has occurred. Different beginning and ending. With this cut, there is an overall effect which allows less emphasis on the controversial casting/performance of his daughter. Coppola has delivered more emotional, moving cut of the story. You will weep. Is it a better version of the story. I think that it is.

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**On the positive side, it is punchier than the first edit.The final scene at the opera fits the plot, and pays significant and correct homage to the first two films.On the negative side, a lot.Pacino just does not convince me in the film, he lacks the intensity and gravitas of the first two.He has lost his ruthlessness, until he rediscovers it late in the film. But he seems distant.It is as if he has undergone a massive personality change in the years since the second film.In public that might fit his new straight image, but in private it does not fit.He doesn't even look right...his styling and haircut make him look like an insurance salesman.Is the film supposed to be set in the early 1980's, as the age of the characters and the cars suggest, or the mid to early 1990's, as the clothes and haircuts suggest?Aside from the Sicilian scenes, which are the most consistent and worthy in the film, there is a sterile void, largely disconnected the film from it's New York setting.(One exception is the festival scene, which I think is the film's strongest. It's clever.)Sophia Coppola still comes across as an amateur actress.The script is mainly poor, lacks sharpness, lacks wit and is not compelling. Far too basic.There is a lack of the great scenes set in the Godfathers' studies, of intense fraught conversations with Tom Hagen, or intelligent men trying to understand the treachery of others they consider friends.The plot has a huge flaw, of Michael Corleone investing a massive amount of money with the Vatican, but seemingly without carrying out any diligence.My conclusion is that the first two are masterpieces of cinema, the second one of the greatest films I have ever seen, but the third film should either have been made in the late 1970's, or left alone entirely.

It claimed to have an alternative ending compared to the original "The Godfather III" film and - in a way it did - as this version was EXACTLY the same as the original but was MISSING the last 8 minutes, which they had simply CUT, thus "creating an alternative ending" to the trilogy - basically, they removed the closing original scenes where Michael Corleone goes into the front garden, shuffles over to a chair & then dies while sitting on that chair outside his Sicilian home!!! Trouble is I watched it too late & missed the return by date for a refund - TOTAL RIP-OFF!!!!

This is a very underrated film that is now even better due to subtle edits. Previous reviewer has mentioned it’s not as good as the original version, I don’t get that as it is the same film but with subtle changes that make it better overall. Great film.