Watching a Master at Work: Scorsese in Goodfellas
"Goodfellas" is easily one of my top 10 films, if not within my top 5. The directing, the writing, the acting, the visuals, the music, the editing – basically everything is there. It’s definitely a bit violent for some (which is kind of the point…) but it should be required viewing for any film student.
Seeing Martin Scorsese at work in this "making of" is one of the best examples I’ve seen of what I think it means to be a director: having a crystal clear vision, being able to communicate it to others effectively, and also collaborating with those around you to take the scripted page to a new level. Improvising together… and nailing it when the camera is rolling. It’s amazing to see how so many great actors rose to the occasion – not to mention how seriously these veteran actors took their roles and preparation.
I couldn’t recommend you spend 30 minutes doing anything other than seeing the video below. That’s assuming you’ve seen the film of course… if not, sit back and enjoy that incredible ride first, followed by the video below.
Thanks Vincent for pointing out this insight on one of the
“greats”
I’ve had this conversation so many times and its gone into some serious depth so when I say, with confidence, that Goodfellas can be considered among one of the greatest films of all time, this is the truth.
Many people, when asking me what my favorite film is, expect me to say something more “stereotypical”. They tend to think that if you’re a filmmaker then you should be dropping names like Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Space Odyssey, etc. (all of which are good films, mind you)
But when you say Goodfellas, people tend to look down on the choice. Although they agree “it’s a good movie” they won’t go as far as saying it’s one of the most greatest films of all time.
A film about hoodlums, mafia, coke heads, violence….how can that be considered a great film?
Trust me it can….it is!
Vincent Laforet Reply:
August 14th, 2013 at 7:21 pm
Agreed!
Couldn’t agree with you more Vincent. I particularly love the section on the “Funny how?” scene. As an editor the temptation to cut is massive. That is a masterclass in letting a scene live, building tension by not cutting. Great find – thanks for posting!
Possibly my biggest hero in terms of having a natural eye for videography. Excellent, thanks.