I had a couple of issues with the 4K “restoration” of The Godfather — issues, not arguments. I was/am of two minds. My primary allegiance is with the 2008 Robert Harris-Gordon Willis restoration, but I also loved what the tasteful DNR-ing (or de-graining) achieved. On the other hand I didn’t care for the lack of warm colors in most of the indoor scenes (i.e., the paler, pinkish faces).

But last night I watched the new 4K The Godfather, Part II — all 200 minutes of it — and was completely blown away. Yes, it’s also been DNR’ed but with more restraint, it seemed, than the 1972 original. It looks ravishing, and yet it doesn’t mess with Willis’s storied, burnished, yesteryear color scheme during the young Vito sections. The 1958 footage looks cleaner, sharper and more vivid (especially the daytime outdoor stuff), but not to any problematic extent.

I’ve never seen this 1974 Oscar-winner look so good — it’s delightful.