This is a comparision between the Final Director's Cut VHS (from Paramount, black cover) and the Final Director's Cut DVD (The Coppola Restoration).

Recently we were able to provide you with a comprehensive update of the cut report between the theatrical version and the so-called Final Director's Cut, based on a broadcast of the Swiss channel Puls 8, based on the theatrical version, as well as to inform you in the course of a separate cut report about the prime-time censorship of the TV version mentioned. However, as we were able to check all kinds of German versions, including the VHS used here, we noticed that the FDC on VHS differs marginally from the FDC on DVD/Blu-ray. This concerns a shot by Michael right at the beginning of the film with alternative material on VHS, which speculatively was probably reversed in the context of the so-called Coppola restoration in the middle/end of the 2000s, made by the Paramount studio. Certainly not a very significant change, for the sake of completeness of the project but nevertheless shown here separately.

In case of a total deviation (+ black image before/after the film) the VHS is 0.04 sec. longer:

- 1x exclusive material in the theatrical version = 3.64 sec.

- a longer shot in the Final Director's Cut = 3.60 sec.

The runtime information has been taken from the German FSK 16 DVD.

00:00 min.
The DVD starts insignificantly earlier.
1.04 sec.

00:48 min.
The DVD shows the original title (left), while the VHS shows the German title (right).
no time difference

03:38 min.
Final DC VHS:
The VHS fades-in here from Michael in a more distant shot inside the house, to Michael in the church and how he thoughtfully lowers his head.
3.64 sec.

Final DC DVD:
The DVD version stays a bit longer on the distant shot of Michael in the house.
3.60 sec.

02:43:09 min.
For the sake of completeness, the black screen after the "Paramount" logo at the end of the VHS is somewhat longer.
Length VHS: 12,20 sec.
Length DVD: 1.64 sec.
Difference: +10.56 sec.