Film of the Week #37 - Goodfellas

Karl Hungus

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/

Well, it was going to happen sooner or later. Finally, to the relief of many voters, Goodfellas is film of the week.

I don't really know what to say about the film. It's one of those films that's pretty much ingrained in popular culture by now, and I don't know how many times people have done the whole "I'm funny to you?" routine in pubs.

Anyway, discuss!

Xios

I ain't much of a discusser, but it's my favourite movie, and i think it's scorsese's best, better than raging bull imo.

The first gangsta film I ever saw and the one that started my love affair with the genre. Without this it might have taken me longer to watch the Godfather series etc.



Hell half the cast of this film was in the Sopranos! The ultimate gangster film!!

Gillie

"Go get your fúckin shine box!"

Classic

menoscemo

I watched this about 100 times with my housemates in University and they whole 'Go home and get your f***in shinebox scene was worn to a thread. It is actually amazing the detail Scorsese goes into as you see in the facial expressions on some of the extras in the movie.
It is an ever quoteable film, highly enjoyable and one that gets better the more you watch it. That in my opinion is what makes a great movie.

PWEI

I dont which is worse,Scorsese winning an Oscar for an inferior remake or
Dances With Wolves winning best picture ahead of Goodfellas?
The biggest injustice in Academy Award history,up there with Julia Roberts winning ahead of Ellen Burstyn and Cuba Gooding JR ahead of Edward Norton.

BaZmO*

For as far back as I can remember I’ve always… loved Goodfellas, in fact I’d go as far as to say it’s my favourite movie of all time. I’ve lost count the amount of times I’ve seen it. I don’t know anybody that has watched this movie and not enjoyed it.

In my opinion, probably Scorsese’s finest hour and unfortunately he was beaten to the Best Director Oscar by Kevin Costner for Dancing with Wolves. Although, luckily enough Pesci wasn’t overlooked for Best Suporting Actor for his portrayal of the psychotic yet strangely lovable Tommy DeVito, but in fairness it would have been a crime if he hadn’t of won it.

The Grade A cast all provide top class performances throughout with Pesci and Liotta putting in probably their finest hours as actors. There is also a charming cameo from Sorsese’s mother (Catherine) as Tommy’s loving yet naïve mother. The whole cast reads like a “who’s who” of future gangster movie actors from DeNiro to Michael Imperioli (Spider) to Tony Sirico to Frank Vincent.

I love the way this film is shot, from the speeded up shots of violent scenes to the fantastic scene at the end of the movie where Liotta meets DeNiro in the diner and the camera zooms in on the two men in profile while retreating on a dolly which makes the background increase in size and creates an added sense of tension. I actually never noticed this until it was pointed out to me. The soundtrack is also superb and the use of Layla fits perfectly when used.

The movie also has one of the most quoted scenes from a movie as KH mentioned already.

I love this movie so much and is a great example of how good film making/story telling can be.

Theboinkmaster

PWEI wrote:

I dont which is worse,Scorsese winning an Oscar for an inferior remake or
Dances With Wolves winning best picture ahead of Goodfellas?
The biggest injustice in Academy Award history,up there with Julia Roberts winning ahead of Ellen Burstyn and Cuba Gooding JR ahead of Edward Norton.

Academy Awards are nonsense - sure shawshank redemption was nominated for like 10 or something and forest gump won most of them :mad:

gucci

i could make lists of top 10 favorite films and every year they might just change order a little or a new one might move in there, but number 1 will always be goodfellas. such a great film, as mentioned above i dont know how it missed out of best movie at the oscars, but i think that has just added to its charm in some way.
Superb acting and characters all the way through and the way they all progress, the sound track and the wardrobe even makes it such a slick, cool and superbly watchable film over and over.


if u want a laugh, sitck on the dvd in french and hear them talk with the italian american accents hahaha;)

That_Guy

I love this movie. Easily one of Scorcese's best in my opinion.
Unbelievable cast and a great story. It was a whole different approach to the mob movie. It's easy to see where The Sopranos writers got their influence from. To those who haven't seen it, then go watch.

stevejazzx

yeah magical film...great scene of the lads in cooking up some quality italian fare..and sitting down to it with a nice glass of chainti...IN PRISON!:D

the dialogue is absolutely fantastic...quite a bit of it improvised or so i believe...pesci is astounding...

galactus

A well deserved place on the FotW list, Ray Liotta's and Joe Pesci's performances are only mighty.

shane86

Probably my favourite film ever. Saw it first when i was about 16, must have saw it a dozen times since, and im not normally one to keep replaying a film. Pescis performance is probably my single favourite of any film ever made, just the whole attitude, mannerisms, accent and language. There arent many people who can say they outshone De Niro (who was also brilliant, but Pesci, christ man). As said re the quotables theres a million of em. Shinebox obviously being king. Its disgraceful it never got an Oscar, The Departed was good, but Goodfellas? Come on, its 12 out of 10 stuff.

Its funny to think another future great actor (Samuel L J) had such a small part in the film despite his talent. Likewise, he only has maybe a 4 minute part, and yet Frank Vincent delivers the best line in film history (just the tone in the way he says the shinebox line the second time, the way its delivered just puts Tommy down so viciously)

Oh yeah, and his "irish hoodlums" line Someone repeated it in The Departed, great thing about that film was the reacion of the cinema crowd to the whole big up the fighting Irish quotes/theme throughout

That_Guy wrote:

It's easy to see where The Sopranos writers got their influence from. To those who haven't seen it, then go watch.

While I love the Sopranos Paulie and Ralphie, while two of my favourite characters, are blatant rips of Tommy. All 3 psychos, all 3 with a particularly hilarious way of delivering foul mouthed lines, and all 3 with a real comedy side to them.

PullMyFinger!

Only 12 replies to one of the top ten, if not five films made of all time?

This film is so watchable, so quotable, so well photographed, scripted, acted. It has the lot.

It also has probably the best one take shot committed to film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWYe-Ef3u5M

A 10/10 classic.

FearDark

I have the DVD beside me here, i bought it about 6 months ago due to pier pressure from the lads in the pub, ive never watched it but i fully intend to this weekend

chopperbyrne

I love Goodfellas and make sure to watch it at least once a year and every time I see it on television.

There is not one thing wrong with this film.

How anyone can think The Godfather is better is beyond me???

rednik

The one scene which stands out for me is when Tommy is being taken to become a made man. When the door opens and he has sussed albeit too late whats coming. I dont think anybody could see this coming. He had to pay for killing a made man but this was done very cleverly. Great film and should have been Scorsese's oscar.

irish_bob

much as i like goodfellas , i perfer the underated once upon a time in america

97i9y3941

seen that movie countless times,just have to ask,do you think its true?,i mean it was only based on henrys hearsay and an odd fbi tap,how would he spend 20 years in the mob without been asked to do an actual murder?

JP Liz

brillant movie

Neo#

Incedible film. First time I saw this was when it was shown late on tv one night. After five mins i was hooked and couldnt tear myself away from it.

My favourite part is when Henry finds out how a guy has hit his girlfriend. The way he cooly takes a gun and smacks that guy repeatedly in the face is brilliant yet vicious. That scene posted above is incredible for a one take shot. i wonder how many times they tried that!

lostexpectation

-1 for the annoying wife

Holsten

Don't know how many times I've watched this.

How many times with the commentry with Henry Hill too... really seems from hearing him talk that the movie was pretty much spot on.

10/10.

97i9y3941

martin scorsese always had a talent for picking classic songs that you woundnt hear much on the radio or just long forgotten gems,i specially liked that part when the piano exit of layla is used when henry is talking about all the murders that jimmy the gent was doing,has anyone read the book "wiseguy"?

Ann22

I too love this film, lost count of the number of times I've watched. My favourite bits are when Henry beats the fella up for trying it on with Karen, Tommy's assasination and when Jimmy tells Karen he knows a place where she can get free designer clothes then directs her down an alley. She realises that she's probably heading to her death and does a runner. Don't much like like Lorraine Braco(Karen), her slow way of talking irritates me. I talk fast myself and don't have patience to listen to her. She speaks in the same way in 'The Sopranos'.