Alternate versions

In 1972, Paramount was owned by Gulf & Western, so that company's name appears on the opening Paramount logo. When the film was re-released in 1997, Paramount was owned by Viacom, which placed its named on the re-release Paramount logo, and all subsequent video releases.

The original UK cinema version suffered minor BBFC cuts to the killing of Santino 'Sonny' Corleone with edits to gunshot closeups and his body being kicked in the head. All later releases were uncut.

The new Coppola restoration features the new Paramount logo, tinted in the iconic Godfather golden hue.

The Godfather Saga (1977), besides the added scenes, toning down the violence and language and deleting the nude scene, other changes were made to the original version:

• The scene of the photographers waiting outside the hospital for Don Vito's release and following his ambulance is deleted.
• Tom's phone call to Bonasera is deleted.

In 1977, a special version for television titled The Godfather Saga (1977) was prepared by director Francis Ford Coppola and editor Barry Malkin by re-editing The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974) in chronological order and adding deleted scenes. Most of these deleted scenes are also included separately as special features on the DVD releases and in The Godfather 1902-1959: The Complete Epic and The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 VHS releases. Among the deleted scenes:

• Following Amerigo Bonasera's exit in the first scene, Don Vito Corleone whistles at Sonny for not paying attention to business.
• During the wedding reception, Tom Hagen informs Don Vito that consigliere Genco Abbandando won't last the night in the hospital.
• After the wedding, the Don and his sons are leaving the compound with Johnny Fontane to visit Genco. Vito asks Michael if Kay Adams was able to get home all right.
• In the hospital, the Don looks at Michael's military decorations with disdain, then tells Michael that he has plans for him after graduation.
• A dying Genco Abbandando (Franco Corsaro) begs Vito to stay with him believing that Vito will somehow stop his death.
• An extended version of Jack Woltz's party for his child star, Janie.
• After being thrown out by Woltz, Tom looks up and sees Janie crying and her mother push her back into Woltz's bedroom.
• Constanzia 'Connie' Corleone and Carlo Rizzi argue and she runs to Carmela 'Mama' Corleone, crying in Mama's arms. Santino 'Sonny' Corleone wants to confront Carlo, but Don Vito tells him not to interfere.
• After Tom Hagen returns from Hollywood, he discusses with Don Vito what he has discovered about Jack Woltz.
• Michael and Kay are in their hotel bed in New York City and don't want to go to the family compound. Michael has Kay call Tom pretending to be an operator, then Michael tells Tom that they are in New Hampshire and will be at the compound the next day.
• On the way to meet Sollozzo, Luca sees the nightclub's neon sign burn out.
• Sonny gets a call from a detective telling him about his father's shooting. He then tries to call Tom.
• Sonny tells Mama about the shooting. He then goes into Vito's study, calls Tessio and tells him to prepare his men. He then tries to call Luca.
• A quick shot of Michael driving, returning home after his father's shooting and Rocco offering to escort Michael into the house.
• Michael brings Tom's wife Theresa into the study where Sonny and Tessio are. Sonny comforts her and tells them both to wait outside but Michael stays. They discuss with Michael whether Clemenza or Paulie was the traitor. Michael tries to talk Sonny out of going to war stating Vito would not want it. Then Tom returns home and hugs Theresa.
• Immediately following is a quick shot of the Corleone compound that dissolves to the scene where they discuss their next course of action.
• Rocco admires Clemenza's car but Clemenza complains that the bumpers are wooden due to the war effort. He then tells Rocco that he is to kill Paulie.
• Clemenza has Paulie check the hideout spot. He then has Paulie make a stop so he can buy some cannoli and have a meal at a restaurant.
• In Sicily, Michael and the bodyguards watch a Communist demonstration march.
• While relaxing in the afternoon sun, Fabrizio begs Michael to bring him along to America when he returns.
• Michael and his bodyguards visit his father's childhood home and find it abandoned.
• After Connie hangs up the phone on Carlo's "girlfriend", she then confronts him in the shower. Then, Carlo orders her to make him dinner.
• Bonasera is shown getting ready to return his favor to Don Vito. Bonasera tells his wife who is helping him get dressed that maybe he will be asked to be an accomplice to murder.
• After the car bomb, Michael wakes up in bed surrounded by nurses and Don Tommasino. Michael tells Tommasino to find Fabrizio and he passes out.
• Michael and Vito talk in the new garden after his return from Sicily. Michael takes responsibility for avenging the deaths of Sonny and Apollonia so Vito will not have to break his promise to the other Dons.
• Additional dialogue when Michael removes Tom from his position as consigliere.
• The final scene is Kay in a Catholic church lighting candles and praying.

The theatrical prints contain about five seconds of black silent footage between the Paramount logo and when the music starts and the title fades in. On the home video versions this black silent footage is shortened. However, the Blu-ray release restores this.

5.1 Blu-ray remix replaces a bunch of foley sound effects like gunshots, car sounds, and ambiance. However, if you select the English Mono track on the same Blu-ray disk you'll get the original theatrical mono mix.

A The Godfather 1902-1959: The Complete Epic and a The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 were released on VHS. These were releases that had the movies put into chronological order and had extra scenes added to each of them. (Scenes not in the theatrical cut). These were basically the home video releases of The Godfather Saga (1977). (The epic only being the first two movies and the trilogy being all three).