Goodfellas Film Analysis

Considered one of the Top 25 films of all time, GoodFellas, a biographical crime film directed and co-written by Martin Scorsese follows the life of mob associate and FBI informant Henry Hill who is played by actor, Ray Liotta. GoodFellas is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book called Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. The film was subsequently release in 1990 after a few years in the making. Scorsese was never interested in making another mob film until he read Pileggi’s book and was drawn to the realism of the gangster lifestyle that was portrayed. The realism of Henry Hill’s life that is shown in the film is considered an essential element that makes it feel authentic. Scorsese’s film captures many fantastic cinematic elements that creates an enriching story from a character’s point of view to using film editing techniques such as high angle shots, low angle shots and long tracking shots that craft memorable scenes. The film follows Hill’s journey through a montage that entails the rise and fall of his life from an up and coming mob associate to being a FBI informant and a convicted felon. Martin Scorsese uses specific
Scorsese is renowned for his usage of many film editing techniques such as slow motion and freeze framing which can be seen throughout GoodFellas. “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster” is an iconic line said by Hill in the opening scene of the movie. Scorsese used a freeze frame right after Henry said that to show a critical point in his life. Martin Scorsese is also known as “The King of the Tracking Shot” and GoodFellas has possibly the most infamous tracking shot of all time, the Copacabana nightclub scene with Henry and Karen going through the back of the restaurant and ending up in the front table at the show. Slow motion is also utilized in certain scenes such as young Henry torching cars to provide emphasis to the