Goodfellas

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Goodfellas

(Goodfellas is the film adaptation of the non-fiction book ?Wiseguy?, written by Nicholas Pileggi. The film charts the rise and fall of Henry Hill?s thirty year career within the New York mafia. The film was released in 1990 and was directed by Martin Scorsese. Goodfellas stars Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill (Henry?s Wife), Robert Dc Niro as James Conway and Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito.

The film begins with one of the most horrific and sickening moments to appear in a film, the murder of Billy Batts. At this point the viewer knows nothing of the background events that run up to this scene. Additionally, the characters are not yet known, so there is no emotional baggage being carried with the characters that might detract from the degree of sickening violence contained within the scene. Even more shocking is the fact that the scene ends with the voiceover by Henry saying, ?As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster?. This statement seems absurd after witnessing such a callous murder, why would anybody want to be involved in such things? This is precisely what Scorsese wants the viewer to think, he has drawn the viewer in.

Narration is an important mechanism that Scorsese employs throughout the film. The narration is carried out by both Henry and Karen Hill. What this tells the viewer is that the events being shown have already occurred. The narrators are telling the stoly in the past tense. This could have introduced a major problem, by having only Henry narrate throughout the film the viewer would know that He survived the lifestyle. Having Karen narrate as well has allowed Scorsese to introduce an element of doubt into the film, the viewer no longer knows whether e...

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...ted when Tommy decides to kill Billy Batts for insulting him. Tommy knows that if it is discovered that he killed this ?made? man, a man that is effectively untouchable, he will be killed in return. Tommy goes ahead and kills him, if he does not his reputation will be irreparably damaged, and his reputation is his life.

Scorsese underlines how low these characters are when Henry fmally sits in court and gives evidence against James Conway, his partner, and Paul Cicero, his boss. Henry is in effect a coward, he turns in these people rather than face the consequence of his actions. Henry is doing what he has always done, he looks out for himself.

Bibliography

The Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com

EUFS: the film society http:/Iwww.eufs.orE.uk/fiIms/goodfellas.html

Review from Cinemania 1994

http:llmembers.aol.com/tonywestoklpnvate/2oodfela.htm

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