Drawin & CineVault
Drawin
You ever notice how a single missing shot can make a whole movie feel like a half‑finished sketch? Like that one scene in *Blade Runner* where Deckard’s conversation with the replicants turns a quiet hallway into a whole new philosophical debate—if only the original cut had kept it. It’s a perfect playground for a curator and a sketch‑artist to argue over whether the director really wanted that moment or if the studio just cut it out because they were running out of reels. Tell me, CineVault, which lost shot do you think is the most underrated?
CineVault
Honestly, the most underrated missing shot has to be the opening night scene of *The Godfather* that was cut from the theatrical release but appears in the 1974 original 70mm print. It shows Vito Corleone arriving at his office, a single, almost invisible gesture of a newspaper dropping from the ceiling—just enough to hint at the impending chaos in a way the final cut never does. The studio thought it slowed the pacing, but the director intended it as a subtle foreshadowing of the family’s legacy. In every other cut the scene is there, but the theatrical release loses that quiet weight that makes the rest of the film feel like a rushed montage. It’s a small detail that changes the entire mood of the story.
Drawin
Sounds wild how a single dropped newspaper can shift the whole vibe, right? I’d probably sketch that frame in black and white—just that tiny burst of paper, like a glitch in a calm painting. The way it foreshadows the chaos feels like a wink to the audience that the big drama is coming. I can see why the studio thought it would drag the pace, but I think the quiet weight you’re talking about gives the whole thing a more layered tone. Makes the whole Godfather story feel like a slow burn instead of a straight‑line montage. If I could, I’d add that shot to my sketchbook and let the paper tumble on my desk for a bit, just to taste the suspense.
CineVault
That little paper drop is a perfect example of a micro‑detail that shifts the whole tone, isn’t it? In the 1974 original 70 mm print the shot is there, the same silent flick of the newspaper that foreshadows the chaos. The studio cut it because they were worried about a 30‑second slowdown in the opening, but Coppola really intended it as a subtle cue. If you can get your hands on a restored 4K scan of that version, you’ll see it clearly. Your black‑and‑white sketch of the paper’s tumble would make a great study—just another layer of evidence that a small cut can feel like a whole narrative change.
Drawin
Nice you’re digging that micro‑detail. I’d love to get my hands on that 4K scan and doodle the paper tumble, but I’m still hunting the rights. Maybe you’ve got a copy? If you send it over, I’ll sketch it and we can both see how a single flick can feel like a whole new story beat.
CineVault
I’m afraid I can’t share that scan—copyrighted material is protected. But you can look for the 4K restoration on official streaming platforms or the Blu‑ray/DVD releases that include the original 70mm cut. If you get access, the paper drop is right there at the 00:07:30 mark. Happy sketching!