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Ghostly image at funeral
#99
12/10/01 03:42 PM
12/10/01 03:42 PM
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 31,330 New Jersey, USA
J Geoff
OP
The Don
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OP
The Don

Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 31,330
New Jersey, USA
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We've all seen it, and thanks to someone on the mailing list who pointed out this link , we know that Roger Ebert has finally seen it, too. Ebert asked Coppola about it, and apparently he never knew about it! -- 'Godfather' still surprising, even to Coppola December 2, 2001 While watching the new "Godfather" DVD, I noticed a startling image. During Vito's funeral, Tessio comes over to tell Michael about the upcoming meeting. As Michael stands up, in the crook of his left armpit a half picture of a woman's face can be seen. Who is it? How did it get into the frame? My roommate says it's Kay, and since it's over his heart, it's symbolic of their love. That sounds like hogwash to me, but I don't have a better answer. --Tony Bates, Norman, Okla. Roger Ebert: Good gravy! I see her, too. I owe an apology to Jeffrey Horowitz of Syosset, N.Y., who wrote earlier with the same sighting. I couldn't find the woman, and told him so. Now your description sent me back for a frame-by-frame creep through the sequence, and there she is, ghostly red against black, fading in and out. Is this a real ghost image, or only an optical illusion, like those Elvises people see on screen doors? I asked director Francis Ford Coppola, who replies: "Gee, I know nothing about this. Will look, I guess. The funeral scene was shot really quickly, and I was disgruntled that they removed one day from its schedule. So nothing elaborate was done: we shot it as fast as we could."
I studied Italian for 2 semesters. Not once was a "C" pronounced as a "G", and never was a trailing "I" ignored! And I'm from Jersey!  lol Whaddaya want me to do? Whack a guy? Off a guy? Whack off a guy? --Peter Griffin My DVDs | Facebook | Godfather Filming Locations
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#101
12/10/01 03:55 PM
12/10/01 03:55 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 8,224 New Jersey
AppleOnYa
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 8,224
New Jersey
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Got to admit...in all these years I never once noticed that image & never even heard of it until joining this board. Then I DID see the face while watching last week's Uncut on TNN!!! Sonny, if it's on the DVD, look for it just as Michael is getting up to go talk to Tessio; on the left (his left, your right) side of his dark suit. Apple
A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.
- THOMAS JEFFERSON
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#102
12/10/01 05:11 PM
12/10/01 05:11 PM
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 386 Ohio
DonThomas
Capo
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Capo
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 386
Ohio
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It's kind of hard to notice. I watched the movie many times before I saw it, and had to actually look for it to see it. It's something that some people catch the first time they see it, and other people don't see it until you point it out to them.
[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: DonThomas ]
Well, I woke up this mornin', and I got myself a beer. The future's uncertain but the end is always near....
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#103
12/10/01 09:50 PM
12/10/01 09:50 PM
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,387
Sonny
Underboss
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Underboss
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,387
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Originally posted by DonThomas: ...and other people don't see it until you point it out to them.
"..what's the 'see' note for (Don Thomas)??? I take that as an insult..." LOL...I had to say it 
"..Your youngest and strongest will fall by the sword.."
"...now you gotta speak more than one language to pull a heist..." Pudge Nichols
"...Never shall innocent blood be shed; yet the blood of the wicked shall flow like a river. The THREE shall spread their blackened wings and be the vengeaful striking hammer of God..."
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#104
12/10/01 10:17 PM
12/10/01 10:17 PM
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 31,330 New Jersey, USA
J Geoff
OP
The Don
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OP
The Don

Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 31,330
New Jersey, USA
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Originally posted by Sonny: ...I had to say it And THAT I do not forgive... J/K JG
I studied Italian for 2 semesters. Not once was a "C" pronounced as a "G", and never was a trailing "I" ignored! And I'm from Jersey!  lol Whaddaya want me to do? Whack a guy? Off a guy? Whack off a guy? --Peter Griffin My DVDs | Facebook | Godfather Filming Locations
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#107
12/11/01 11:16 AM
12/11/01 11:16 AM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 115 Bada Bing
t_soprano
Made Member
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Made Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 115
Bada Bing
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I watched this part last night. The woman is DEFINETLY NOT Kay. I'm not sure who it is.
"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me BACK IN!"
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#108
12/11/01 09:51 PM
12/11/01 09:51 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 92
BadaBing
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Posts: 92
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The person it looks like to me is Mama Corleone, who is to Michael's left.
CHRISTIAN You desecrated a classic film. This is worse than "Godfather III." GIBSON Whoa, whoa, hey, whoa! Let's not say things we can't take back. CHRISTIAN All right, all right, I'm sorry.
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#109
12/13/01 10:47 PM
12/13/01 10:47 PM
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 67 Australia
Roberto
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Posts: 67
Australia
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I'm glad I'm not crazy, and other people see the face as well! The main reason I signed up on this board was to mention the ladies face during the funeral scene. I'm surprised so many people needed to be told about it, im not sure if I saw it the first time I saw the movie, it was too long ago, but I defiantly saw it myself and it scared me abit, lol, like the little boy who appears in the movie "3 men and a baby", but that's a different story...
Had anyone also noted that in GFII, during the new years eve celebrations, one shot has a silhouette of a piece of film over the bottom of the screen, its only quick so get the pause button ready if u haven't already seen it.
Don't be actin' like your shit don't stink!
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#110
12/14/01 12:05 AM
12/14/01 12:05 AM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 81 Budapest
jabroni
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Budapest
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This 'image' was the topic of a discussion a while back. May I add an expert opinion. The woman who appears on Michael's jacket is Mama Corleone, who is sat next to Michael at the funeral. The reason she appears is simply because two reels of film have been joined together at that point, and sections of frame have overlapped. This happens whenever reels are joined, and the editing team will remove it. Looks like this is one that slipped through the net. Can you blame them? It's hard to spot, even when you are looking at it! 
"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement."
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#112
01/02/03 02:11 PM
01/02/03 02:11 PM
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 198 Saddle Brook, NJ
Justin
Made Member
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Made Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 198
Saddle Brook, NJ
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As Yogi would say, it is hard to see it even when you view it. It is a shame that FFC was under such a tight schedule to complete this scene. While it is great in its own respect it could have been better if you can believe that. Maybe, Fredo was not in the scene because he was at another location and couldn't get there in time. That may explain it. Get rid of the band, too.
Justin
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#122
01/26/03 11:19 AM
01/26/03 11:19 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19 Oxford, England
Don Davo
Wiseguy
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Wiseguy
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19
Oxford, England
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Yeah, these ghostly things in movies circulate from time to time. The other famous one is 'Three Men and a Baby' and the supposed 'ghost in the curtains'. Even though I do believe it was a prank that the producers pulled. Take a look at it here: http://www.ghoststudy.com/monthly/feb01/ghostboy.html
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#125
03/19/03 05:43 PM
03/19/03 05:43 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 206 That apartment with the broken...
Fanucci's Revenge
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Made Member
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Posts: 206
That apartment with the broken...
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I know this has been posted before, but that entire scene contains some of these "screen leaks" where images appear on dark clothing... call it sun spots, reflections, whatever, it happens several times throughout that scene. But no doubt, the full face image is weird...
"Meet my nephew! How's business?"
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Re: Ghostly image at funeral
#127
04/20/03 01:16 PM
04/20/03 01:16 PM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,724
Double-J
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,724
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I'm pretty sure that it's Mama Corleone (Morgana King). Not only does her sitting directly next to Michael substatiate the overlapping reels/freak reflection idea, but the others are more of a stretch. Much like the "Paul McCartney is dead" rumours of the late 60's, anything can be probable if you can twist it right.
-it could be Kay from the closing (additional scene on the bonus DVD) sequence, but why would those 2 scenes be merged together, unless Coppola desired this effect, which he calls a "freak" reflection or something.
-It could be Talia Shire. It's probable, but imho because of her distance from Michael in that scene it is doubtful.
-It could be Mrs. Coppola, but again, FFC's comment makes that extremely unlikely.
Anyways, on my DVD, the image is retained throughout most of that sequence after it first appears on Michael. If you focus on the right side of the screen, you can see the image faintly appear at various points when looking at the family, and can most blatantly be seen on Tom Hagen (other than on Michael).
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