Godfather: Michael's Opus, The

Wraith is an artist, offering a perfect two-part Godfather Epic. The editing is flawless in terms of video and audio, and the choice to chronologically depict the Corleone family provided me with a narrative that I didn't know I needed. While I was never initially fond of Godfather Part II, reorganizing the plot into a direct sequence allowed me to appreciate the plot and find in more captivating. Vito's origin now serves as a bookend to Part III, where we see the Corleone family rise and fall in power. The original theatrical cuts are masterpieces in their own rights, and Wraith has optimized that experience.

(This review is also posted under Vito's Opus..)

I created this account to watch this Opus and it did not disappoint. Like most American fans of cinema, I grew up with the Godfather ever present, a classic from the day it was released. Seeing this cut was like seeing it with new eyes.

The story of the Corleone family through the years is perceived differently as one ages. Watching an extended chronological cut (with deleted scenes improved and inserted masterfully) allowed for an even slower pace, a somber, tragic tempo --like the funeral band in the very first scene. I saw secondary characters and their story more clearly: Rocco Lampone joining Clemenza's crew, Willie Cicci the button-man ending up in a federal court, Johnny Lips becoming Hyman Roth. Sonny is fleshed out beyond being a hothead; his mistress Lucy Mancini and her bastard son Vincent carry more weight now. I could continue, but it's best to watch it yourself. This is the most enjoyment I've ever gotten out of part III, and a wonderful accomplishment by Wraith.

With the exception of a few brief moments where a transition was slightly less than perfect, I forgot completely what I was watching was not an official studio release. I'd long heard of but never seen the chronological cut of The Godfather, and I can't imagine there being a better version.

10/10 edit. Best way to watch the godfather.

My reviews of the Opus 1 and 2 will be posted in both IFDB pages.

I loved both Godfather 1 and 2 (and even Godfather 3) a lot more in these edits compared to other versions of the movies. I was wrapped up in the world of the Corleone family once again and it was a sight to behold. I have never seen a chronological edit before and many may still prefer the nonchronological structure of the original versions (or the separate movies GF1 - GF2) but I loved the chronological structure more. By concentrating first on the ascendance of Vito Corleone and his inevitable end without being pulled into it all of a sudden from Michael's story in part 2, it made the story flow (at least for me) better and it felt more engaging as a result of that. Godfather 3 was more enjoyable thanks to the restoration efforts of Wraith and it felt more of an expansion of Godfather 2 while at the same time feeling like a unique story all of its own.

(As a sidenote, Godfather 2 felt even more heartbreaking with the addition of GF3 feeling like a beautiful, somber conclusion to Michael's story and the Godfather Saga. So I thank Wraith for that simple edit.)

Thank you so much Wraith for making this version of the Godfather movies. In my opinion you have made Coppola proud and enhanced his and Puzo's creation!

Wraith's fanedit of The Godfather Trilogy has been lovingly rebuilt to showcase the linear narrative. As with his other creation - The Godfather: Don Vito's Opus - the misery and suffering of the protagonist, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), is shown in its full clarity. Like his father before him, Michael's attempts at living a peaceful and honest life were thwarted by the corruption of every other powerful man around him. In the end, despite his best efforts at living an honest life, the scheming, craven and abhorent behaviour of other families eventually robbed Michael of his own daughter.

Wraith's inclusion of the numerous deleted scenes add to the character development of this gut-wrenching and heartbreaking story, but by far the most moving of all the added scenes was the final one - the coda - showing Michael as an old man. As a 77-year-old, he sits in his wheelchair outside in the garden, triumphantly living in the residence of his last adversary/victim. He possesses all the wealth and power that he could possibly desire, but is nevertheless an empty and broken man, with nothing to live for... haunted by the murder of his older brother (that he arranged), the disintegration of his marriage, and the loss of his ownly daughter. Only his son, who left the crime 'business', survives... he alone survives because he rejected the legacy of his father...

That coda, with a duration of only one-minute, effectively summarises the entire epic movie masterpiece. (If the coda had been included in the original cinema cut back in 1990, The Godfather: Part III might have won the academy award for best picture... but now, we will never know.)

Lastly, despite her lack of acting skill, I still found Sofia Coppola's performance as least passable. Certainly, the acting heavyweights all around her and their sterling performances overshadowed her own efforts. Regardless, she conveyed the necessary innocence and fragility that was necessary for the role - you could believe that she actually was Michael Corleone's daughter... a naive young woman lacking the strength and experience of her father (just as Sofia Coppola lacked the acting experience and charisma of Al Pacino).

This is a brilliant fanedit of a wretched family's tormented existence in the criminal underworld.

Well done Wraith!