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Goodfellas

Posted By: Legend

Goodfellas - 10/02/09 08:48 AM

in late scene Di Niro directs RAy Liotas wie to go somewher down an alley..... WHAT Is he trying to pull off here?? cant figure it out
Posted By: Turnbull

Re: Goodfellas - 10/02/09 07:22 PM

I think you mean the scene where Jimmy has a warehouse in Brooklyn where he's accumulating swag. Karen stops by to tell Jimmy about Henry's criminal case. Jimmy invites Karen to take some swag for herself, and directs her to an alley where she can get it. But Karen panics--she thinks Jimmy is going to have his guys kill her because of what she knows about his and Henry's rackets.

I think the point of that scene is to show that, under the severe pressure Karen was feeling because of Henry's arrest, she was getting paranoid.
Posted By: pizzaboy

Re: Goodfellas - 10/02/09 07:36 PM

Originally Posted By: Turnbull

I think the point of that scene is to show that, under the severe pressure Karen was feeling because of Henry's arrest, she was getting paranoid.


I agree. I'd add that the entire final 45 minutes of the film is dedicated to the paranoia involved in living the drug culture. Helicopters, lucky hats, bimbos, etc.
Posted By: goombah

Re: Goodfellas - 10/02/09 08:24 PM

Jimmy would probably have been killed by Paulie or another Cosa Nostra member had he been involved in killing Karen. While it certainly was not out of the realm for a wife/girlfriend to be whacked, it was not common for it to happen.
Posted By: ledblimp

Re: Goodfellas - 10/12/09 09:33 PM

I always felt that Karen was gonna get whacked if she had gone in. When she walks up to the door you can hear one of the guys inside whisper to another something like " shhh..there she is" and then when Karen takes off Jimmy tries talking her into going in and then gets a disgusted look on his face when she does'nt.

I can't remember if there was something to that affect that actually happened or not.

I don't think anyone that was made would've taken revenge on Jimmy if he had whacked Karen. Henry was'nt made and was'nt full Italian and neither was Karen. Baically by the rules no rule would've been broken by whacking out either or both.
Posted By: DiMaggio68

Re: Goodfellas - 10/13/09 03:18 PM

I remember the same thing happened in the book as well. Henry was half Italian and half Irish. Karen was full blooded Jewish. Jimmy was a tough Irish gangster who grew up with the Italians in Brooklyn. The Lucchese family loved him 'cause he knew how to make a lot of money.

I think Karen would've got wacked if she went inside the place.
Posted By: Turnbull

Re: Goodfellas - 10/13/09 05:19 PM

What would Jimmy have gained by killing Karen, except to make Henry angry enough to rat him out? As it was, Jimmy already suspected that Henry would rat him out, which was why he tried to arrange that trip to Florida for Henry and Anthony that Henry knew he'd never return from.
Posted By: pizzaboy

Re: Goodfellas - 10/13/09 05:27 PM

Originally Posted By: Turnbull
What would Jimmy have gained by killing Karen?


Nothing. And if you believe Hill's last book (GANGSTERS AND GOODFELLAS), Karen had an affair with Paul Vario, which probably would have made her getting clipped even more unlikely.

I'm hardly a Mob apologist or romantic (as everyone here knows), and wives, siblings, children and innocents do get hurt in that life once in awhile (Pete Chiodo's sister, anyone?) But in that particular case, I doubt Karen was ever in any danger.

On film, the scene was shot to demonstrate the drug fueled paranoia of both Henry and Karen.
Posted By: ledblimp

Re: Goodfellas - 10/13/09 09:37 PM

I think Jimmy just wasn't taking any chances. He whacked out Johnny Roast Beef and his new wife who knew little to nothing (if I remember correctly that was true to life). Karen had years of knowledge on things like Lufthansa and participation with the drugs.Karen had enough knowledge to do some real damage.It's not like someone like Jimmy was gonna be sentimental when faced with that situation. I think he was gonna whack her.

If karen had just disappeared Henry may or may not have figured out what happened and since Jimmy already planned on whacking out Henry he probably would've tried to get Henry gone quickly after Karen before Henry could really do anything.
Posted By: DiMaggio68

Re: Goodfellas - 10/13/09 09:47 PM

Originally Posted By: ledblimp
I think Jimmy just wasn't taking any chances. He whacked out Johnny Roast Beef and his new wife who knew little to nothing (if I remember correctly that was true to life). Karen had years of knowledge on things like Lufthansa and participation with the drugs.Karen had enough knowledge to do some real damage.It's not like someone like Jimmy was gonna be sentimental when faced with that situation. I think he was gonna whack her.

If karen had just disappeared Henry may or may not have figured out what happened and since Jimmy already planned on whacking out Henry he probably would've tried to get Henry gone quickly after Karen before Henry could really do anything.


I agree 100% with you about this. Turnball's point made a lot of sense too, though. But I think Jimmy Burke was a crazy nut who was mad at the fact he could never be made. Maybe that was what his problem was. The guy was a cold blooded murderer. The sad thing is mobsters who have killed more people then Manson aren't as big a deal. These mafiosos make the grim reaper look like a bi$$$.
Posted By: ledblimp

Re: Goodfellas - 10/13/09 11:54 PM

Thinking about it....I beleive the scene preceding the one we've been talking about Henry tells Karen "We have to get out of town or we're dead...got it...dead!" He knows Karen knows too much and is in danger also.

Also, the scene when Jimmy asks Henry "You think Murray talks to his wife?" I got the impression from that that Jimmy has decided to take out Murray but is undecided about his wife. If Henry had answered something like " Sure he does...." there mighta been two icepicks in the back of the head.
Posted By: ledblimp

Re: Goodfellas - 10/13/09 11:59 PM

The sad thing is mobsters who have killed more people then Manson aren't as big a deal. These mafiosos make the grim reaper look like a bi$$$. [/quote]

Truth! Probably even the lowest of made guys have done more bad shit than Manson ever did.

Same with Hoover and the early days of the FBI. Made such a big deal about the midwest bank robbers in the 30's stealing a few thousand while OC was raking in millions.
Posted By: DiMaggio68

Re: Goodfellas - 10/14/09 10:54 PM

Originally Posted By: ledblimp


Truth! Probably even the lowest of made guys have done more bad shit than Manson ever did.

Same with Hoover and the early days of the FBI. Made such a big deal about the midwest bank robbers in the 30's stealing a few thousand while OC was raking in millions.


Yeah!! Especially the former Chicago mobsters Sam DeStefano and Tony Spilotro. Then there was Tony "Gas Pipe" Casso and Chistopher "Christy Ticks" Funari of the Lucchese family who were murder machines.
Posted By: pizzaboy

Re: Goodfellas - 04/21/10 05:52 PM

I just caught a VERY funny line that I honestly never really thought about before. At Henry's wedding, right at the very start of the reception, Paulie is introducing Karen to the whole family. Well, this is EXACTLY how he made one introduction:

"And this is Peter, this is my brudda's second cousin."

Now wouldn't his brother's second cousin be his second cousin as well? lol

Posted By: DE NIRO

Re: Goodfellas - 04/21/10 10:33 PM

I'm guessing it would..:)
Posted By: getthesenets

Re: Goodfellas - 07/30/10 01:30 AM

I didn't get that Karen was being paranoid from that scene.

I saw it as an ambiguous threat from Jimmy, otherwise he would have just gotten the stuff for her or with her.....
Even when he sees that she's clearly frightened....he continues to tell her "go ahead, right in there"

That's not her being paranoid, that's Jimmy sending a threat.



She had just told Jimmy the truth, that Henry was falling apart and not thinking clearly.
Posted By: Mark

Re: Goodfellas - 08/26/10 05:03 PM

I always thought it odd that in the Billy Batts bar scene, Billy is drinking with a couple of other guys who clearly have facial hair. One has a mustache, like Billy and the other has a full beard. The "rule" in LCN is no facial hair at all. What is the explanation of this? Those other guys were not "made"? Billy, fresh from the can, would shave off his mustache soon before getting back into the daily life of LCN? Am I too detail obsessed or is this just a Scorsese over sight? Thoughts?
Posted By: Turnbull

Re: Goodfellas - 08/27/10 01:17 AM

Originally Posted By: Mark
I always thought it odd that in the Billy Batts bar scene, Billy is drinking with a couple of other guys who clearly have facial hair. One has a mustache, like Billy and the other has a full beard. The "rule" in LCN is no facial hair at all. What is the explanation of this? Those other guys were not "made"? Billy, fresh from the can, would shave off his mustache soon before getting back into the daily life of LCN? Am I too detail obsessed or is this just a Scorsese over sight? Thoughts?

You probably picked up the "no facial hair" "rule" from "Donnie Brasco." That may have been the rule in the Bonanno Family at the time Pistone was infiltrating it, but Batts was with the Gambinos, who may not have had that "rule." I've seen photos of other Mafia guys with facial hair.
Posted By: Mark

Re: Goodfellas - 09/30/10 11:59 PM

A "Goodfellas" television series on the way???
http://www.popcrunch.com/goodfellas-tv-show/
Posted By: getthesenets

Re: Goodfellas - 10/01/10 12:46 AM

Originally Posted By: Turnbull
Originally Posted By: Mark
I always thought it odd that in the Billy Batts bar scene, Billy is drinking with a couple of other guys who clearly have facial hair. One has a mustache, like Billy and the other has a full beard. The "rule" in LCN is no facial hair at all. What is the explanation of this? Those other guys were not "made"? Billy, fresh from the can, would shave off his mustache soon before getting back into the daily life of LCN? Am I too detail obsessed or is this just a Scorsese over sight? Thoughts?

You probably picked up the "no facial hair" "rule" from "Donnie Brasco." That may have been the rule in the Bonanno Family at the time Pistone was infiltrating it, but Batts was with the Gambinos, who may not have had that "rule." I've seen photos of other Mafia guys with facial hair.


You know, until recently, I thought that the term "mustache pete" was literally referring to facial hair.


In reading the GF, I took it to mean a derogatory term for the old guard, the older gangsters and that it was perhaps based on people from the old country preferring to wear facial hair. I took it as the children of immigrants assimilating culturally into American culture where a fresh face and no facial hair was more par for the course.

Posted By: Turnbull

Re: Goodfellas - 10/01/10 01:37 AM

You're right! "Moustache Pete" in the Thirties and Forties connoted an old-time Sicilian, dressed and wearing a drooping moustache typical of 19th Century Sicily. Americanized gangsters like Charlie Luciano, Frank Costello and Joe Adonis held them in contempt, and applied that monicker in a derogatory way.

Ironically, the last two "Moustache Petes" in NYC, Joe Massaria and Salvatore Maranzano, who fought each other in famous Castellemmarese War of 1930-31, were clean-shaven.
Posted By: SouthEastJ

Re: Goodfellas - 12/03/10 08:26 PM

I also think it confirms jimmy's suspicions about Karren and Henry and how insecure they may be knowing their situation
Posted By: Lorenzo

Re: Goodfellas - 12/14/10 02:42 AM

I think he was trying to honestly scare the hell out of her to send a little message.
Posted By: Lorenzo

Re: Goodfellas - 12/14/10 02:44 AM

I think Paulie thought very highly of Karen and that would not have been good for Jimmy to whack her.
Posted By: Lorenzo

Re: Goodfellas - 12/14/10 02:47 AM

I think all the drugs might have put her on edge a little to much and she was just paranoid.
Posted By: Lorenzo

Re: Goodfellas - 12/14/10 02:48 AM

That would be awesome.
Posted By: olivant

Re: Goodfellas - 02/19/11 05:02 AM

There's the scene where the guys beat up the postman. How realistic would it have been for wiseguys to mess with a federal employee? Did that actually happen?
Posted By: pizzaboy

Re: Goodfellas - 02/19/11 02:55 PM

Originally Posted By: olivant
Did that actually happen?

Back then . . . maybe. Today, fuggetaboutit.

You know the law better most, Oli. Today, assaulting a mailman would practically viewed as a terrorist act, no?
Posted By: olivant

Re: Goodfellas - 02/19/11 03:25 PM

Originally Posted By: pizzaboy
Originally Posted By: olivant
Did that actually happen?

Back then . . . maybe. Today, fuggetaboutit.

You know the law better most, Oli. Today, assaulting a mailman would practically viewed as a terrorist act, no?


Well, yeah. But even back then Mafiosi were doing all they could to avoid the feds. It just doesn't seem realistic that they would risk attacking the postman for no real profit.
Posted By: pizzaboy

Re: Goodfellas - 02/19/11 03:39 PM

Originally Posted By: olivant
It just doesn't seem realistic that they would risk attacking the postman for no real profit.

Yeah, I agree. But you have to consider the source. Henry Hill has been discredited on so many things over the years, it's hard to keep track. The man is a pathological liar and a hopeless junkie.
Posted By: VitoC

Re: Goodfellas - 02/19/11 04:14 PM

Originally Posted By: pizzaboy
Originally Posted By: olivant
It just doesn't seem realistic that they would risk attacking the postman for no real profit.

Yeah, I agree. But you have to consider the source. Henry Hill has been discredited on so many things over the years, it's hard to keep track. The man is a pathological liar and a hopeless junkie.


I think that the real value of Goodfellas isn't so much that it's an account of Henry Hill's career (as you say, he's far from totally reliable), it's that in addition to being an extremely compelling and entertaining movie, it provides a very authentic and realistic portrayal of the larger Mafia world (at the level of many soldiers and associates, at least) during the time period it's set in. While this or that incident involving Hill may or may not have happened as depicted, everything that's shown does greatly resemble things that happened in the real world.
Posted By: VinnyGorgeous

Re: Goodfellas - 02/19/11 05:40 PM

There's a risk in attacking the postman? I used to work at the post office and 90% of these guys were absolute pussies. You could've scared any one of them into submission.
Posted By: pizzaboy

Re: Goodfellas - 08/09/11 04:49 PM

Interesting interview clip on the scene with Marty's mother. He says that the entire scene was improvised. There was nothing in the script except "Did you see my painting?"

Just goes to show how brilliant these actors were.

Posted By: olivant

Re: Goodfellas - 09/06/11 04:08 AM

Frank DeLeo was a schoolmate of mine. My sister knew him though quite well and better than I did. He just died last week. He got in to the music business after high school with Epic Records. He ended up managing careers of REO, Michael Jackson, Ozzie, Meatloaf, Vandross, and many others. You may know him as Tuddy from Goodfellas or Mr. Big in Wayne's World.

He was short and stout in highschool and never lost the weight. I guess it's no surprise that his death was heart related. He was a good guy and I'm glad he had the success he had.
Posted By: Jimmy_Two_Times

Re: Goodfellas - 11/28/11 02:59 PM

Well said Pizzaboy...Hill has turned into a paraody of himself.
Posted By: Mark

Re: Goodfellas - 12/30/11 06:20 PM

On Christmas Day I felt like Henry Hill at the end of "Goodfellas"... I had to pick up my parents at 5:00, I still had to roll and fry the meatballs, stir the gravy, finish simmering the braciole, make the salad, boil off and prepare the penne, scoop out and simmer the sausage, make sure everyone got along... panic Wow what a day but everything turned out delicious! grin
Posted By: Turnbull

Re: Goodfellas - 12/30/11 07:09 PM

"I'm stirrin' it, I'm stirrin' it..."
Posted By: gemini_killer

Re: Goodfellas - 12/30/11 07:17 PM

I'm a bit late with this but I think Jimmy was gonna kill or maybe kidnap Karen (likely kill), if he just wanted her to get a few dresses he wouldn't have tryed so hard to get her to go into that joint, I personally would have never went into that place - Dark, boxes piled up everywhere and 2 unknown guys in there, especially with Henry getting arrested for the dope, fuck that - something was gonna happen for sure, and I agree 100% hill is a lying piece of shit who comes up with another story every time his dumb ass gets drunk, Would love a book or Doc on Jimmy Burke, Tommy Desimone - cant believe nobody's made a documentary based on Jimmy
Posted By: Mark

Re: Goodfellas - 12/31/11 02:42 PM

Originally Posted By: Turnbull
"I'm stirrin' it, I'm stirrin' it..."


"Remember - from the bottom!"
Posted By: DE NIRO

Re: Goodfellas - 01/21/12 12:47 AM

Just finished watching Goodfellas, i've lost count the amount of times i've watched this film. It's one of those films i could watched two/three times a year and still love.. This film is the one i've watch the most..
Posted By: DickNose_Moltasanti

Re: Goodfellas - 01/21/12 07:41 AM

They kill dicknose in that movie (Michael Impereoli or however u spell it
Posted By: phatmatress

Re: Goodfellas - 01/21/12 05:19 PM

Originally Posted By: DE NIRO
Just finished watching Goodfellas, i've lost count the amount of times i've watched this film. It's one of those films i could watched two/three times a year and still love.. This film is the one i've watch the most..
same here man! i love how u can always pick lil shit out in the background out! like i don't how many times i watched it until i heard "fucked em right in the ass, kids like that in the can" always great stuff goin on in that movie!
Posted By: DE NIRO

Re: Goodfellas - 01/22/12 10:26 PM

After many viewings, i still am unsure as to why Tommy D is shooting the gun just before the credits role, does anybody know the meaning to that.

Posted By: ukwiseguy

Re: Goodfellas - 01/22/12 10:49 PM

The way i took it was that now everything was over, Henry was out of the life in witness protection, Tommy was dead, Jimmy was in Jail, it was over for the lot of them.

Posted By: phatmatress

Re: Goodfellas - 01/22/12 11:34 PM

i researched it and some say its a reference to the great train robbery i guess that short early american film had an identical scene at the end
Posted By: phatmatress

Re: Goodfellas - 01/23/12 01:37 AM

some lil things i found out about goodfellas
⇑⇓
Factual error: In one scene we are introduced to Idlewild Airport in 1963. We're shown a couple of aircraft in flight and one of the aircraft is a Boeing 747 in the livery of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The Boeing 747 didn't enter commercial service until 1969.
Edit
⇑⇓
Revealing: In the scene where Karen is too afraid to accept free clothes from Jimmy and speeds off, the yellow NY state license plate falls from the parked car to reveal the modern white one underneath.
Edit Picture Time
⇑⇓
Continuity: When Henry Hill is in jail and talking with his wife, the child is playing with a stack of coloured toy blocks. The order the blocks are stacked in change in different shots.
Edit Picture Time
⇑⇓
Continuity: The scene in the restaurant where Joe Pesci messes with Ray Liotta saying, "What, am I funny, am I a funny guy to you?" watch the drinking glasses on the table. The drink levels are going up and down with and then without ice.
When Henry is being followed by the helicopter, he almost slams into another car. Henry's car has a brake light in the back window, but they didn't start that until the mid 80's at the earliest.

When Maury jumps into the pool in his wig commercial, his head presumably goes underwater, but when the next shot shows him standing in the pool, his wig is dry. [Of course it is. It's a commercial - he is showing how water resistant his ridiculous wigs are by putting a dry one on for his close up shots. It's called advertising.]
Edit Time
In the scene where Tommy shoots Spider in the foot we hear 7 gunshots from what appears to be a 6 shot .38 revolver. [Tommy is shooting a 1911 colt 45 pause the scene its a semi-auto 45 not a revolver.]
Edit
In the scene where the guys go to Florida to "feed the guy to the lions," the lion first shown is a male with a huge mane. When seen upside down the 1st time it's the male, but the second time it's a female, no mane, slightly smaller, lion. They never show more than 1 lion in the pen, either. [Like they say, they are feeding him to the lions (plural). Just because we never see more than one lion at the time, it does not mean there are not two (or more) of them. We never get to see the entire lion's pen, so the others could have been just off screen.]
1st scene when Ray Liotta has grown up and he is front of the impala in the year 1963 at Ldylwind airport. A large plane goes over his head and if you look at the plane its a boeing 747. The problem is that the first boeing 747 to fly was in February 9 1969.
During the early scene where DeNerio & Pesci hijack the truck. you can see modern day graffiti\tag
In the scene where Jimmy and Henry are trying to get the money owed to them from Maury (The Wig Guy). Jimmy is beating Maury with the phone, and while the phone is off the hook, it rings.
Spider, with his foot in a cast, is being taunted by Tommy. At this point he is standing behind a bar. Yet when Tommy shoots him dead, he has suddenly swithched to the middle of the floor, several feet in front of the bar.
In the scene where Karen pulls the gun on the sleeping Henry Hill the gun changes model numbers multiple times.
As the camera pans and changes from front to rear view the gun changes from a blue steel Model 36 to a stainless steel model 60.
The tip off was on the close up of the hammer. A model 36 is case hardened (a blue merle in color) where as the Model 60 has a stainless (silver color) hammer.
Joe Pesci shoots Spider in the foot. Ray Liotta gets up to help Spider. A couple other guys join Liotta as they carry Spider off to the emergency room. Liotta is helping the limping Spider, and in the next cut, Liotta is magically back at the poker table!
When they re-show Joe Pesci shooting Sam Jackson the blood is already on the wall in the background
When Henry picks up Karen for their second date, Henry was dressed up casualy and was Karen (she had some kind of pink dress with flowers or something). In the next scene when they got out of the car, Henry had a dark suit and a tie and Karen was dressed in a black dress
Posted By: Turnbull

Re: Goodfellas - 01/25/12 02:57 PM

Oli, I read that DeLeo had managed Michael Jackson. I thought he did a great job in "Goodfellas." Did he do anything after that?
Posted By: NYC Goodfella

Re: Goodfellas - 02/11/12 04:05 PM

Originally Posted By: DE NIRO
Just finished watching Goodfellas, i've lost count the amount of times i've watched this film. It's one of those films i could watched two/three times a year and still love.. This film is the one i've watch the most..


I agree. I can't tell you how many times I've watched it. I could be channel surfing and if I happen to come across it I will say that I am only going to watch this scene and before I know it I've watched the whole movie. The only time that I will not watch this movie is when they show the edited version. They kill it.
Posted By: Turnbull

Re: Goodfellas - 02/11/12 04:20 PM

Well, that's the great thing about "Goodfellas": Not only is it a terrific movie overall, but the way it's constructed--a series of relatively short but intense scenes--keeps it moving right along despite its great length. And you can always zero in on one of your favorite scenes without having to see the entire movie. No doubt about it: the best movie of th Nineties.
Posted By: Mark

Re: Goodfellas - 02/11/12 05:15 PM

Absolutely agree. It is one of the very few movies that I can watch no matter what time it started or what scene is currently showing. It is a channel surfing "speed bump" for sure! One of the funniest scenes is when Karen and her parents are waiting up all night for Henry. When he finally pulls up with Joe Pesci, the dialogue that ensues cracks me up every time! "Henry!!!"
Posted By: Frosty

Re: Goodfellas - 02/11/12 07:01 PM

Ditto
Posted By: DE NIRO

Re: Goodfellas - 02/12/12 12:27 AM

Originally Posted By: NYC Goodfella
Originally Posted By: DE NIRO
Just finished watching Goodfellas, i've lost count the amount of times i've watched this film. It's one of those films i could watched two/three times a year and still love.. This film is the one i've watch the most..


I agree. I can't tell you how many times I've watched it. I could be channel surfing and if I happen to come across it I will say that I am only going to watch this scene and before I know it I've watched the whole movie. The only time that I will not watch this movie is when they show the edited version. They kill it.


I've not seen this version as i've only ever watched it on Video/DVD. Do they cut much out?
Posted By: phatmatress

Re: Goodfellas - 02/12/12 07:53 AM

Originally Posted By: DE NIRO
Originally Posted By: NYC Goodfella
Originally Posted By: DE NIRO
Just finished watching Goodfellas, i've lost count the amount of times i've watched this film. It's one of those films i could watched two/three times a year and still love.. This film is the one i've watch the most..


I agree. I can't tell you how many times I've watched it. I could be channel surfing and if I happen to come across it I will say that I am only going to watch this scene and before I know it I've watched the whole movie. The only time that I will not watch this movie is when they show the edited version. They kill it.


I've not seen this version as i've only ever watched it on Video/DVD. Do they cut much out?
they cut a shit ton out
Posted By: gemini_killer

Re: Goodfellas - 02/13/12 09:13 PM

amazing love goodfellas... I didn't realize until recently that Martin Scorsese's father is also in it ...Vinny the "too many onions in the sauce guy" lol fuck knows how I missed this as I also have seen this movie a crazy amount of times...
Posted By: DE NIRO

Re: Goodfellas - 02/13/12 10:04 PM

Martins mum is in Goodfellas as well,she plays Tommy's mum..
Posted By: ukwiseguy

Re: Goodfellas - 02/14/12 09:50 AM

Goodfellas is a movie that you watch one scene you end up watching the whole movie. The music that brings in each scene keeps you hooked from start to finish.

If i listen to any of the songs from the soundtrack i can almost remember the whole movie just about from quotes lol.


Posted By: ukwiseguy

Re: Goodfellas - 03/13/12 09:18 PM

Was i the only one who wasn't convinced by Pesci in Goodfellas. What i mean by this is that from what i have read of the book Tommy was a large framed man 6,2 in height and pyschopathic. I didn't really get that feel from Pesci in Goodfellas, although i feel he was definitley the right choice for the role and what was right for the movie.

Anyone bigger would have gave the movie an even darker tone which probably wouldn't have worked. For me Pesci lightened the scenes for me, ok he came across as unpredictable but i never really felt it, like portrayed elsewhere. Still amazing. I thought Pesci came off scarier in Casino. I think its the fact many of Tommys/Pesci's scenes in Goodfellas are telling wiseguy jokes and the high pitched voice reminds me too much of Lethal Weapon lol.

For me Paul Sorvino as Paulie was very under-rated. That look he gives Sonny when he says they should just whack Tommy is better than words.
Posted By: DE NIRO

Re: Goodfellas - 03/13/12 10:10 PM

Pesci is perfect for the role, can't think of anybody else who could have played the part so well.
Posted By: ukwiseguy

Re: Goodfellas - 03/14/12 09:12 AM

Originally Posted By: DE NIRO
Pesci is perfect for the role, can't think of anybody else who could have played the part so well.


Don't get me wrong like i say he was perfect for the role and the movie wouldn't have had the same feel to it without him.

But i just wasn't feeling it, reading the reviews it is usually Pesci's perfomance that is picked out as the unpredictable pyschopath but i just wasn't feeling it on Goodfellas.
Posted By: ukwiseguy

Re: Goodfellas - 03/16/12 04:41 PM

I watched the Batts scene on a big screen last night at a friends and it changed my opinion of Pesci's performance totally.

I guess for me the 2nd joke scene wasn't needed and toned Tommy down for me abit other than the start of the movie, Spider and Batts.
Posted By: Hisenberg

Re: Goodfellas - 03/25/12 06:26 AM

New movie by Marty with pesci pacino and deniro!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKe3W7Gxs2s
Posted By: U talkin' da me ??

Re: Goodfellas - 04/24/12 08:41 AM

Originally Posted By: ukwiseguy

For me Paul Sorvino as Paulie was very under-rated. That look he gives Sonny when he says they should just whack Tommy is better than words.


I think that Paul Sorvino as Paulie "made" this movie.

It was DeNiro's performance that I wasn't as impressed with -- as I thought I would be.... but it's a Scorsese film -- so whatya gonna do????

One thing that bugged me about Scorsese's use of the Rolling Stones background music.... in one scene of the film, it states across the frame 1980, but Scorsese has a 70's Stones track playing.... That just didn't seem right.

I know you can choose any track to set the mood.... but when you go out of your way to put the year on the screen, then I'm expect something.... from that year in a period specific film like this.

But the Stones releases around that time, Some Girls in 1978 and Emotional Rescue in 1980 may not have had what Scorsese wanted for this film. I figure Scorsese was going to put his favorite Stones tracks in the movie, period.
Posted By: getthesenets

Re: Goodfellas - 05/08/12 03:25 PM

discovered a goodfellas goof


Remember the scene where Henry is meeting Karen's family..and right
before they enter her house...she tells him to hide the cross on his gold chain?


Much later in the film, when Paulie and Jimmy are advising Henry to
go back home to his (then)wife...editing team let one slip by

Camera cuts to Henry seated three times.....the first time....he has on a star of david..... the second time..he appears to have both the star of david and the cross...and in the third clip..he just has on the cross


*So, the joke he tells Karen's mother in the first scene about being half jewish (the good half)
is even funnier after seeing him (apparently)swap pendants in the second scene.
Posted By: pizzaboy

Re: Goodfellas - 05/08/12 04:54 PM

It was a goof for sure, Gets. But it's ironic because in real life Hill did convert to Judaism.

He claims to this day, over twenty years after his marriage to Karen ended, that he's still a practicing Jew. In that awful book "Gangsters and Goodfellas," he states that "Judaism is the only religion that makes sense to me."
Posted By: Ivan

Re: Goodfellas - 05/16/12 07:14 AM

For those of you doubting (or were discussing it in 2009 anyway) whether Paulie or Jimmy would have whacked Karen... well, FWIW, their real life counterparts butchered Theresa Ferrara, a woman who was the girlfriend of pretty much everyone, for suspicion of her being an informant after the big Lufthansa heist.

I've heard they tortured her first by shoving broken glass down her throat, pouring acid on her, etc.

Edit: the way I wrote this makes it sound like they did this personally - they probably didn't
Posted By: Gangster_Fiction

Re: Goodfellas - 06/16/12 12:42 PM

I watched Goodfellas again the other night (been a while, I admit) and I was amazed by just how many of the supporting actors in this movie later each played a significant role in The Sopranos.

This has probably come up before, but just out of curiosity does anyone happen to know how many people have actually appeared in both? (I'm just fascinated by this kind of trivia).
Posted By: goombah

Re: Goodfellas - 06/18/12 01:16 PM

Originally Posted By: Gangster_Fiction

This has probably come up before, but just out of curiosity does anyone happen to know how many people have actually appeared in both? (I'm just fascinated by this kind of trivia).


1. Spider/Christopher
2. Sonny/captain of Soprano crew (name escapes me)
3. unknown button/Paulie Walnuts
4. Karen Hill/Jennifer Melfie
5. Billy Batts/Phil Leotardo

I'm sure that there are many more.
Posted By: short841

Re: Goodfellas - 06/18/12 01:50 PM

Tony Darrow is who you are thinking of goombah :)Pussy Bonpensiero (soprano character) is in goodfellas, hes the guy in restaurant who helps with the coats smile
Posted By: ukwiseguy

Re: Goodfellas - 06/18/12 02:16 PM

Carmine Lupertazzi is in one scene where Henry is introducing everyone in the Copacabana.
Posted By: goombah

Re: Goodfellas - 06/18/12 04:28 PM

Originally Posted By: short841
Tony Darrow is who you are thinking of goombah :)Pussy Bonpensiero (soprano character) is in goodfellas, hes the guy in restaurant who helps with the coats smile


Thanks Tony. Wow, I do not remember Big Pussy being in Goodfellas. I do remember Moe Greene from GF in the myriad of people young Henry is being introduced to in the bar.
Posted By: ukwiseguy

Re: Goodfellas - 06/18/12 05:24 PM

Johnny Sach im sure is in it somewhere aswell if i remember.

Or maybe im thinking about Gotti, between Gotti and Witness To The Mob you have Big Pussy, Paulie and all the usuals, even Uncle Junior.
Posted By: Turnbull

Re: Goodfellas - 06/18/12 05:27 PM

Also, Vito Antuofermo (former boxing champ) was seen briefly in one of the Copa scenes. He turned up in Sopranos as a garbage contractor or strong-arm guy.

Scorsese knew how to pick his extras--everybody (and everything) looked authentic in "Goodfellas." In the introduction scene in Sonny's restaurant, Fat Andy is played by Louis Eppolito, a former NYC cop who was later nailed with his partner, Steven Caracappa, for doing hits for the Lucchese family. In a later scene, the guy that Batts greets with "Vito!" (tall thin guy, beard, chain) is Vito Piccone, former lead singer of the Elegants, an Italian-American doo-wop group that had a big hit in 1958: "Little Star."
Posted By: DE NIRO

Re: Goodfellas - 06/18/12 10:30 PM

Originally Posted By: goombah
Originally Posted By: short841
Tony Darrow is who you are thinking of goombah :)Pussy Bonpensiero (soprano character) is in goodfellas, hes the guy in restaurant who helps with the coats smile


Thanks Tony. Wow, I do not remember Big Pussy being in Goodfellas. I do remember Moe Greene from GF in the myriad of people young Henry is being introduced to in the bar.


Cant say i've ever noticed Moe Greene in Goodfellas..
Posted By: Gangster_Fiction

Re: Goodfellas - 06/18/12 10:40 PM

Thanks guys--it's good to know I wasn't just seeing things!

Y'see I have a bad habit of prodding my gf with an elbow and shouting out "Sopranos!" every time I spot an actor from that in any other series or movie (a surprisingly common occurrence, it must be said). Needless to say--while watching Goodfellas again--she soon became more than just a little annoyed with me, and after the fifth or sixth time she decided I was lying . . .

'Scuse me while I go drag her here to read the proof! grin
Posted By: goombah

Re: Goodfellas - 06/19/12 08:19 PM

Originally Posted By: DE NIRO
Originally Posted By: goombah
Originally Posted By: short841
Tony Darrow is who you are thinking of goombah :)Pussy Bonpensiero (soprano character) is in goodfellas, hes the guy in restaurant who helps with the coats smile


Thanks Tony. Wow, I do not remember Big Pussy being in Goodfellas. I do remember Moe Greene from GF in the myriad of people young Henry is being introduced to in the bar.


Cant say i've ever noticed Moe Greene in Goodfellas..


I can't find anything with him in the credits, but I swear he is in the scene where Henry gets introduced to a bunch of hoods in the bar. The actor is wearing glasses and is in the scene where we are introduced to Jimmy Two Times.

He's the one at :29 seconds into this clip:

Posted By: OliveOilVoice

Re: Goodfellas - 07/01/12 06:39 PM

That sort of looks like Moe Green, but it's definitely not the same actor.

Originally Posted By: goombah
Originally Posted By: DE NIRO
Originally Posted By: goombah
Originally Posted By: short841
Tony Darrow is who you are thinking of goombah :)Pussy Bonpensiero (soprano character) is in goodfellas, hes the guy in restaurant who helps with the coats smile


Thanks Tony. Wow, I do not remember Big Pussy being in Goodfellas. I do remember Moe Greene from GF in the myriad of people young Henry is being introduced to in the bar.


Cant say i've ever noticed Moe Greene in Goodfellas..


I can't find anything with him in the credits, but I swear he is in the scene where Henry gets introduced to a bunch of hoods in the bar. The actor is wearing glasses and is in the scene where we are introduced to Jimmy Two Times.

He's the one at :29 seconds into this clip:

Posted By: DE NIRO

Re: Goodfellas - 07/01/12 10:07 PM

Didn't think it was him..
Posted By: Nick_the_Greek

Re: Goodfellas - 07/28/12 12:06 AM

I always love to point out Eppolito in this movie..."that motherfucker right there really was a hitman!"

Also, at the time my cousin was dating the actress playing the blond wife of...whatever that guys name was, that ended up shot in the noggin with her in the pink Cadillac. But, but...in was in her mothers name! wtf! lol

Probably like many others on this forum, I feel like a tour guide every time I watch this flick with others! Like a mix of pop-up video, and MST3k! lol
Posted By: Dapper_Don

Re: Goodfellas - 07/29/12 11:58 PM

Originally Posted By: ukwiseguy
Johnny Sach im sure is in it somewhere aswell if i remember.

Or maybe im thinking about Gotti, between Gotti and Witness To The Mob you have Big Pussy, Paulie and all the usuals, even Uncle Junior.



Your thinking of Gotti, Johnny Sack and Uncle Junior are in it. Uncle Junior is also in Godfather 2 as Johnny Ola. Uncle Junior's real life son Dominic Chianese jr plays a member of the Lupertazzi family called Dominic in the final season
Posted By: Wudstock

Re: Goodfellas - 07/30/12 04:39 PM

Can't believe you guys forget to mention Carmella's mother plays Karen's mother in Goodfellas.

Dr. Jennifer Melfi's ex-husband plays Michael in Mean Streets
Posted By: Dapper_Don

Re: Goodfellas - 07/30/12 11:36 PM

^^^your right!
Posted By: danielperrygin

Re: Goodfellas - 08/06/12 12:48 AM

I just saw herny hill do a.mob story on amc for mob week. He said there was 36 min cut out of goodfellas or it would have been rated x. Any way we could get this?
Posted By: danielperrygin

Re: Goodfellas - 08/06/12 12:52 AM

Originally Posted By: Wudstock
Can't believe you guys forget to mention Carmella's mother plays Karen's mother in Goodfellas.

Dr. Jennifer Melfi's ex-husband plays Michael in Mean Streets

Ive mentioned it 100 times in th sopranos forum. Actually there are a couple threads where all the actors who were in both are named. Ray L that played Henry was almost cast as Tony Soprano as well, and thee lady that played Dr. Melfi actually tried out to be carmela but was offered the role of melfi. Go look for th thread on beensie in the sopranos forum, it names them all i think as well as all tue mob movies beensie was in.
Posted By: Trance750

Re: Goodfellas - 08/06/12 02:22 AM

I think Jimmy had every intention of whacking Karen.

True, Karen and Henry were paranoid, but so was Jimmy... maybe even more so.

He was afraid that Henry was going to rat him out and Karen already knew too much and if he whacked Henry, then what was to stop Karen from going public, as revenge?
Posted By: Camarel

Re: Goodfellas - 08/06/12 12:43 PM

Originally Posted By: danielperrygin
Originally Posted By: Wudstock
Can't believe you guys forget to mention Carmella's mother plays Karen's mother in Goodfellas.

Dr. Jennifer Melfi's ex-husband plays Michael in Mean Streets

Ive mentioned it 100 times in th sopranos forum. Actually there are a couple threads where all the actors who were in both are named. Ray L that played Henry was almost cast as Tony Soprano as well, and thee lady that played Dr. Melfi actually tried out to be carmela but was offered the role of melfi. Go look for th thread on beensie in the sopranos forum, it names them all i think as well as all tue mob movies beensie was in.


I was just gonna say tht lol i've seen that mentioned loads on this site.
Posted By: FEECHLAMANA11

Re: Goodfellas - 08/11/12 02:30 PM

In the book Wiseguy (which is the book that Goodfellas is based on) it says that after Henry went to prison Tommy DeSimone (Danny Devito's character is based on) that he tried to have sex with Karen and when she refused he tried to rape her. Apparently Tommy getting whacked under orders by Paul Vario (Paul Cicero- the Lucchese Capo in the film) was partly in revenge for DeSimone's attempted rape (it was another excuse to put Tommy down because he was out of control).
None of this was included into Goodfellas, however it gives you an idea of what Jimmy's fate may have been if he had killed Karen; clearly Vario was against women being involved in violence, etc.
So i doubt that Jimmy really would have whacked Karen...
Posted By: Imamobguy

Re: Goodfellas - 08/15/12 02:59 AM

I believe that Jimmy though Henry was going to rat and by him kidnapping Karen, Jimmy could get some information out of her if he went into the WPP or been seen with the Feds/Cops.
Posted By: U talkin' da me ??

Re: Goodfellas -- JFK 2012 Heist - 11/15/12 11:43 PM

Thousands of iPads Stolen from JFK

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Kennedy-Airport-iPad-Theft-Steal-Police-179470241.html?dr

I guess some things never change . . .

Two thieves looted nearly 4,000 new iPad minis from a John F. Kennedy Airport cargo building and authorities believe the heist may have been an inside job, according to a published report.

The bandits stole into the same cargo building that was the site of the infamous 1978 Lufthansa heist featured in "Goodfellas" shortly before midnight Monday, reports The New York Post.

They used one of the airport's forklifts to load two pallets of the mini iPads, worth about $1.5 million, into a truck, and may have stolen more had an airport worker not returned and questioned their activity, the paper reported.

The Post says detectives believe someone may have let the thieves into the area near the cargo building and then let them out once they had stolen the iPads.

Authorities have questioned airport workers and administered polygraphs to three.

The suspects remain at large.

The 1978 heist at Building 261 was the largest robbery of cash in the country's history. In that incident, thieves stole $5 million ($21 million today adjusted for inflation) and about $900,000 in jewelry. Luchese crime-family associate James "Jimmy the Gent" Burke was considered the mastermind behind the heist.
Posted By: Vigil

Re: Goodfellas -- JFK 2012 Heist - 02/21/13 06:26 AM

One of the all-time best movies...
Posted By: Erratic

Re: Goodfellas - 03/15/13 12:40 AM

I am not sure what Jimmy stood to gain by killing Karen, it would give Henry more incentive to flip. You would want both of them in the same place at the same time to whack them both and decrease the chance that they may escape.

I felt that if anything, Jimmy was gonna hold Karen hostage.

One thing that a viewer should look out for is possible symbolism. After all, this is a movie and it's directed by a legendary director.

Toward the end of then scene, you see a sign that reads "One Way" and another that says "DON'T WALK".

A one/way walk to death? I don't think Scorsese just happened to have that in here, he's a very detail-oriented director.
Posted By: Vigil

Re: Goodfellas - 03/15/13 07:18 AM

Perhaps that symbolism is real and you may be exactly right. Along with that, though, Karen knew everyone, all the names, all the drug action, and had known it all for decades.
Posted By: Vigil

Re: Goodfellas - 03/15/13 07:22 AM

Like the federal agent Ed McDonald told her in the movie, "Don't give me the babe of the woods routine Karen." She knew a bunch and Conway (Burke) knew she would talk. He wanted to kill everyone who knew anything about him so there wouldn't be any witnesses against him, including Henry and Karen. I think that's why Scorsese portrayed it in that scene that way.
Posted By: Moe_Tilden

Re: Goodfellas - 12/15/13 08:30 PM

I love the moment when Joe Pesci realises he is getting whacked "oh n......" *blood splatters*

And Robert De Niro losing it in the phone box.
Posted By: Moe_Tilden

Re: Goodfellas - 12/15/13 08:30 PM

Originally Posted By: Legend
in late scene Di Niro directs RAy Liotas wie to go somewher down an alley..... WHAT Is he trying to pull off here?? cant figure it out


Love that scene; so eerie.
Posted By: fortunato

Re: Goodfellas - 12/16/13 01:40 PM

One of the best and sexiest scenes is when Robert Deniro is in a bar smoking a cigar.
Posted By: Moe_Tilden

Re: Goodfellas - 12/16/13 06:42 PM

When I was younger, I used to think it was ridiculous that Joe Pesci's character caused so much fear and intimidation.

But now that I am older and know more about the mafia, I am shocked to discover that some of the most feared men in the mafia have been tiny; Galante, Casso, Gravano, Scarfo...

So it obviously isn't that far fetched.

Although Pesci's real-life counterpart was way younger, way taller and more handsome.
Posted By: Frank_Nitti

Re: Goodfellas - 12/28/13 09:12 PM

Frank Pellegrino, actor who also plays in The Sopranos, briefly portrays Johnny Dio in Goodfellas.

When do we see him? Outside of the main cast, there aren't too many real life, hard core mobsters like Dio portrayed in this film.

Am I wrong? I mean, Dio was no sweetheart.
Posted By: Giacomo_Vacari

Re: Goodfellas - 12/29/13 04:10 AM

A great movie. Scorsese made the movie the best mobster movie of all time.

@Legend, that scene was by far the most eerie in the movie. It leaves a lot up to the viewers mind, either way something bad was going to happen to Karen.
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