The Godfather: 50 Years, the re-released and remastered version that was intended as an anniversary tribute to the cult film is still a big-ticket draw at the box office. In the US, it came close to breaking into the top 10 on the opening weekend grossing $965,000, three times what the original film made in its very first weekend in March 1972. However, there were just six theatres back then compared to today. Critics, however, say that the original film’s eventual box office of around $135 million is closer to $742 million when adjusted for inflation. No re-release of The Godfather has done that well, even in their entire runs, but this is the widest re-release of the movie yet, they add.
Is this the first time that The Godfather has been re-released?
Advertisem*nt
No, it has been re-released many times, the first in 1997 for its 25th anniversary, then many times for the US audience and the last edition in 2017. The highly digitised restoration, spanning 4,000 hours of working on each image, was overseen by director Francis Ford Coppola himself from 300 film cartons. Many argued if such a scale was necessary considering the film had been watched many times over and was available on modern platforms. But Coppola said the value lay in recreating the big theatre experience of 1972. “The whole thing is trying to get it to look like it did at the original screening of The Godfather, when it was only two weeks old, not 20 years old or 50 years old.” After it became a huge hit in 1972, Paramount Studios was under pressure to release many prints and wore the original negative out. So, the frames are now exactly how Coppola wanted them to be.
Besides, he should know about money’s worth. The Godfather originally cost $6 million to make and in today’s time would be equivalent to $40 million. Coppola spent wisely considering the location shoots were spread over New York, Las Vegas, Hollywood and even Sicily. The film has such a hold on public consciousness across generations that any effort to revisit it is worth it.
Best of Explained
- INS Imphal to be commissioned today: Its capabilities, strategic significance
- Indian politics in 2024: Issues, ideas to look out for in an election year
- How a cake without plums became ‘plum cake’ and India’s ultimate Christmas treat
Click here for more
For a film that is ostensibly alpha male-oriented and larger than life, about mafia culture, is violent and time-sensitive, what’s its appeal in current times?
Coppola’s timelessness lies in the fact that each generation can relate to the narrative, reinterpret it from their perspective and discover a new facet. On the face of it, it is about the mob but it satisfies all elements of a classical drama, a tragedy to be precise — love, desire, dreams, ambition, greed, brutality, dilemma, hubris, overreach and the eventual descent into nothingness. And there’s human frailty that every flesh and blood character must succumb to. Each character is well-rounded yet flawed.
Advertisem*nt
The heart of the story rests in the family and every member’s protectionist zeal to secure it. That’s why even Don Corleone’s noble war veteran son, Michael, gets co-opted and becomes a criminal in the end, ostensibly to save his folks. While many thought Coppola was lionising the mafia boss lifestyle, he actually intended Godfather to show the great cost that culture exacted of people and how it destroyed lives.
Why do we look forward to the iconic scenes?
When the Corleones murder their rivals or become victims themselves, it is insidious, cold-blooded, pre-meditated, stark and bone-chilling. The horror is in your face without the embellishment or noise. The episodes are physically stifling and numbing. When a movie producer wakes up to find his prized horse’s severed and bloodied head in bed for refusing to give one of the don’s loyalists a break, it is not just a threat but a gasp for dear life.
Or when Connie murders her godfather Don Altobello at the opera with a poisoned cannoli box and watches with satisfaction from a distance, it shows the deepest plunge into inhumanity. The darkness in the frames is a pointer to the underbelly that fuels the quintessential American dream. Chasing it meant killing the soul. This is best demonstrated in the last scene of Part I with a morally corrupt Michael shutting the door on his wife Kay, a look of disbelief in her eyes about the man she loved and what he had become.
Advertisem*nt
Check Out Express Premium
- Express Investigation — Part 3: Textbook revision slashes portion in history on Islamic rulers of India
- Big shortfall in hiring of ex-servicemen across govt depts, posts: Data
- What West Seti power project can mean for India-Nepal ties
Click here for more
Why do women watch the Godfather considering they have few lines and exist in frames as bystanders, always bowing to the toxic diktats of men?
Coppola believed in presenting striking contrasts to make a statement. In this case, the women become a moral counterpoint. They may seem acquiescent but Kay does manage to walk out of the Corleone’s no-divorce diktat. She hopes to be an alternative support system for her children despite Michael shutting her out once too often. She is like the conscience buzzing in his head. Connie, who hates her brother for killing her husband and Fredo, and hurts herself with one mistaken affair after another, kneels before him. But in that supplication, she controls Michael, plans his moves, even anointing his successor Vincent. Apollonia, Michael’s first wife, embodies Michael’s transformation from innocence to experience. Meanwhile, the wilful Mary, Michael’s daughter, matches him with her stubbornness and fiery spirit. But she has to die so that Michael can lose in the end. She is his ultimate moral compass and in death unmakes him as he shrieks in pain in his self-destructive world.
Newsletter | Click to get the day’s best explainers in your inbox
According to the search results, "The Godfather" has been re-released multiple times since its original release in 1972. The first re-release occurred in 1997 for the film's 25th anniversary, followed by subsequent re-releases for the US audience. The most recent edition was released in 2017. The latest re-release of the film is a remastered version intended as an anniversary tribute to the cult film. The restoration process involved digitizing and working on each image for approximately 4,000 hours, overseen by director Francis Ford Coppola himself. Coppola aimed to recreate the big theater experience of the film's original screening in 1972. The frames of the film were restored to match Coppola's vision, as the original negative had worn out due to the high demand for prints after the film's initial success. The restoration process aimed to capture the film's original look and feel, as it was when it was only two weeks old. The film's enduring appeal across generations and its hold on public consciousness make any effort to revisit it worthwhile [[1]].
As for the appeal of "The Godfather" in current times, the film's timelessness lies in its ability to resonate with each generation. While it may be seen as an alpha male-oriented and larger-than-life film about mafia culture, it encompasses elements of a classical drama, particularly a tragedy. The narrative explores themes such as love, desire, dreams, ambition, greed, brutality, dilemma, hubris, overreach, and the eventual descent into nothingness. The characters in the film are well-rounded yet flawed, and the heart of the story revolves around the family and their protective instincts. The film showcases the great cost that mafia culture exacts on people and how it destroys lives. This exploration of human frailty and the consequences of one's choices contributes to the film's enduring appeal [[1]].
"The Godfather" is known for its iconic scenes that have left a lasting impact on audiences. The film's portrayal of violence is insidious, cold-blooded, and bone-chilling. The horror is presented without embellishment or noise, making the episodes physically stifling and numbing. The film's darkest moments, such as the infamous horse head scene and Connie's murder of Don Altobello at the opera, highlight the underbelly of the quintessential American dream and the moral corruption that comes with pursuing it. These scenes serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of entering the world of organized crime [[1]].
Despite the limited dialogue and often marginalized roles of women in "The Godfather," they play significant roles in the film. Director Francis Ford Coppola intentionally presents striking contrasts to make a statement. The women in the film serve as moral counterpoints to the male-dominated world of the mafia. For example, Kay, Michael Corleone's wife, manages to defy the Corleone family's no-divorce policy and strives to be a support system for her children. She becomes a conscience buzzing in Michael's head. Connie, Michael's sister, may bow to the toxic diktats of men, but she also exerts control over Michael, plans his moves, and even anoints his successor. Apollonia, Michael's first wife, represents his transformation from innocence to experience. Lastly, Mary, Michael's daughter, matches him in stubbornness and fiery spirit, serving as his moral compass. However, her tragic death ultimately leads to Michael's downfall [[1]].
Overall, "The Godfather" continues to captivate audiences due to its timeless themes, memorable scenes, and complex characters. The film's exploration of power, family, and the consequences of one's choices resonates with viewers across generations [[1]].
