Goodfellas - How Scorsese Creates a Frenzied Set Piece

In this 3rd episode I breakdown the "Last Day as a Wise Guy" sequence from Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas.
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Here's the sequence without commentary - vimeo.com/134835336
*Unfortunately this video has been blocked on some devices. However, it's freely available on Vimeo - vimeo.com/135486928
For educational purposes only.
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Roger Ebert on the sequence:
Scorsese has never done a more compelling job of getting inside someone's head as he does in one of the concluding passages of "GoodFellas," in which he follows one day in the life of Henry Hill, as he tries to do a cocaine deal, cook dinner for his family, placate his mistress and deal with the suspicion that he's being followed.
This is the sequence that imprinted me so deeply with the mood of the film. It's not a straightforward narrative passage, and it has little to do with plot; it's about the feeling of walls closing in, and the guilty feeling that the walls are deserved. The counterpoint is a sense of duty, of compulsion; the drug deal must be made, but the kid brother also must be picked up, and the sauce must be stirred, and meanwhile, Henry's life is careening wildly out of control.
Films Referenced:
Scarface (Hawks, 1932)
The Roaring Twenties (Walsh, 1939)
Bicycle Thieves (De Sica, 1948)
On the Waterfront (Kazan, 1954)
Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954)
Shoot the Pianist (Truffaut, 1960)
Breathless (Godard, 1960)
Who's That Knocking at My Door (Scorsese, 1967)
Faces (Cassavetes, 1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick, 1968)
The Godfather (Coppola, 1972)
Mean Streets (Scorsese, 1973)
Jaws (Spielberg, 1975)
Taxi Driver (Scorsese, 1976)
Apocalypse Now (Coppola, 1979)
Raging Bull (Scorsese, 1980)
Scarface (De Palma, 1983)
Miller's Crossing (Coen, 1990)
Carlito's Way (De Palma, 1993)
A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (Scorsese/Wilson, 1995)
Casino (Scorsese, 1995)
The Departed (Scorsese, 2006)
The Wolf of Wall Street (Scorsese, 2013)
Music:
Rags to Riches - Tony Bennett
Baby, I Love You - Aretha Franklin
Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones
Monkey Man - The Rolling Stones
What is Life - George Harrison
Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy
Jump into the Fire - Harry Nilsson
Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
Layla (Piano Exit) - Derek and the Dominos
Magic Bus - The Who
Memo from Turner - Mick Jagger

[@user-qk7qr7qq8t]

The thing about The Godfather being a more romanticised version of the mob life has to do with the fact that, unlike Goodfellas, it shows the lives of the bosses who have all the power in the mob and don't have to be very violent but more sensible, diplomatic and calculated. Goodfellas shows the lives of Henry and his friends who were just associates in the mob. They didn't have that much power, so the only way to withstand inside the mob world was through being tough, violent and good earners. Paulie, who wasn't a violent charcter at all, was shown as the most powerful character in terms of ruling and he was in fact a capo in the family (like for example Clemenza in The Godfather who was shown as a less powerful character in the movie). So to sum up, The Godfather shows the more elegant and classier lifestyle of the bosses, while Goodfellas focuses on the hardcore lifestyle of enforcers and lower rank gangsters.

[@gigicestone4902]

@TheGooners11 That's why he got whacked, both in reality and in the film, Tommy DeSimmone was a cowboy, had too much to prove and eventually became emotionally unstable and unreliable, guys like that only have one place in the life, and it's below ground.

[@alessiodelcastillo1613]

The Godfather was how the Mafia wanted to be portrayed. Goodfellas was how the Mafia really was

[@WW-fn7rt]

@@alessiodelcastillo1613 I second this notion.

[@milovarquiel]

@@alessiodelcastillo1613 I third this notion. The Godfather is pure fucking fantasy.

[@alessiodelcastillo1613]

@@milovarquiel W

[@derfanddarf1]

I love this sequence and have seen it dozens of times, but I have never once noticed the police on the edge of frame in the braking scene.

[@M16HTYMADTreats1]

M. Gustave H. But ya brain did

[@jaykefleury2279]

Ray Liotta should've won the Oscar for best actor

[@Mathew19_26]

This should be *the* template for making a video essay. Really effective juxtaposition of ideas, visuals and footage overall. Loved how thorough the analysis was- while still being well paced and gripping. I had come to hate this format, too many broad statements, with cherry picked evidence to back them up. This however was to the point, not a second wasted and tremendously well edited. *hats off*

[@thenewshowfilmsandmore9518]

This is beautifully made, I've seen this film dozens of times and I never sat down and considered how deliberate it was for Henry's appearance to contrast the wiseguys in the beginning. Great work!

[@HoovyTube]

Basically, the more blur of quick movement, unbalanced frames not following the rule of thirds and wide lens jitters the more chaotic a scene becomes. Goodfellas nails this.

[@caesarplaysgames]

This has always been my favorite sequence in the whole movie.

[@CASmith-qr6pm]

Terrific analysis. One of my favorite portions of one of my favorite films.

[@samuelraji8343]

Best Gangster Movie in my opinion. A perfect 10/10.

[@ryebread7224]

Great analysis. I love how amped up the narration and editing gets during the helicopter scenes. Makes you feel the paranoia going on in Henry’s head.

[@mummersfarce775]

It would be very interesting to analyse one of Martin's earlier more less stylistically flashy films: Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull

[@khambrelgreen]

i LOVE that 'Memo From Turner' was included in this piece.

[@John_Doe....]

3:42 lol, i never realized he could have been arrested. But i sympathized with the way he didn't pay attention to the cars that were standing still in front of him. it's so relatable, and then i was so relieved he stopped in time..

[@Daniel-Rosa.]

Oh my gosh, you juxtapose other films and then either just let the juxtaposition speak by itself or leave the connecting to me. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the pleasure! The respect to our intelligence!

[@raoul3016]

"Stop with those fuckin' drugs; they're turning your mind into mush!"

[@rumbalala]

Brilliant and entertaining analysis of my favourite sequence in Goodfellas. Great upload, thanks for posting it :)

[@rumbalala]

Incidentally, love the brief flash of Miller's Crossing.

[@pablohb4]

Man! your work is amazing! thanks a lot!

[@IamTheaveragegamer]

How does this not have more views?

[@timespace.productions7513]

Beautiful work! 2001 Moonwatcher crosscut with Scorsese's homage to Porter's gunfighter breaking the 4th Wall! Uh huh!

[@bluetrailerproductions7488]

I love that you added my favorite part of Rolling Stones Monkey Man In the video, Best Stones song Ever

[@asabgameface]

Love your videos! Thanks, man!

[@Vijay-1111]

Amazing analysis. This is your first video I've seen. Instant subscription!

[@nm841]

Vijay Vaidyanathan I’m indian too !

[@noahhoward2883]

What a great channel. I just discovered it this afternoon. It deserves more views. I'll be sure to tell fellow cinephiles about it. Keep up the good work!

[@hawie2]

hey really well put together, thanks!

[@MrRomes123]

Great video, really enjoying your channel!

[@Dashizzleface]

I love these videos. Excellent stuff

[@gattsbyproductions]

Great work, thank you...

[@NEOMASSO]

good stuff man, subscribed!

[@jordanriley7158]

Brilliant once again my fine gentleman.

[@bacht4799]

Jordan Riley sir that’s was a great response.. a like from here and hope you having a good day 😊

[@justindemoude520]

Nice...really good! Brilliant in fact.

[@TheDeepState2001]

Nice choice of music for the video!

[@madameversiera]

Amazing review of an extraordinary film, Scorsese uses the camera to give the feeling, not only to depict or to show as many others do. I loved so much the movement and the energy, the characters are real, they face true consequences for their choices, but you want more of that adrenaline when the movie ends.

[@mockbattles]

RIP Ray Liota.

[@iameam]

How can one watch this channel and not become... endlessly interested in the genius filmmakers of our time and mainly from the past. Damn!

[@himothy9871]

Film is so beautiful

[@lolahpeppers]

I loved Goodfellas, and the driving scene with Ray Liotta (sky high on coke and whatever else) RIP Ray!

[@jtothag007]

Giant inverted face reflected in windshield at 2:01. I've never noticed it before. Gonna have to check my copy now!!

[@theknifesong]

are you kidding? the video creator put that in from Apocalypse Now

[@buttheadandbeaver]

good stuff!

[@nicholasjoost5111]

Dude that was an amazing edit at 1:09

[@studinthemaking]

You notice how the drug connection steps out of the motel doorway after Henry comes in and check everything outside?

[@DataWaveTaGo]

Bravo!

[@BhagyanagarRE]

God of Directors Scorsese

[@williambentley2802]

Yea it's a ten out of ten... masterpiece

[@thatcherschild]

Scorsese gets all the credit here but his producer did all the fast shots. Don’t get me wrong I love Scorsese definitely my favourite film maker.

[@JonWilkinsComedyVO]

Why would 25 people not like this? Well done! I agree with all of it. Have you seen the Menace to Society comparison to Goodfellas from the 90s?

[@rocksunjaxindie]

Angry that its over, because I got caught up in the lifestyle myself...

[@GirlFriday68]

Scorsese describing the dilemma about about liking these guys even though they are really bad.. because he grew up around them.. love it. my mom grew up in Brooklyn in the 40's 50's the stories she told about how they would help the neighborhood but at the same time everyone knew not to cross them or rat them out,... she often told the story of the "olive oil guy" coming to their house, buy their olive oil, and there would be benefits. it's very complicated those who didn't grow up in it don't realize

[@nyspawn9332]

did you do carlito's way?

[@keithleeuwen877]

KOOL !

[@joshfenton5522]

This is a masterclass on how to make a KZbin video.

[@RD-lt3ht]

Many consider Goodfellas to be superior to The Godfather as a realistic gangster movie, but if you consider that old saying "Behind every fortune there is a crime" and contextually apply it to The Godfather, you are watching a story that has precedent in history, of the peasant/squire who ascends to aristocracy through "merit". The Godfather then, is less about gangsters and more about the making of a dynasty.

[@damianedge531]

A real face of a person doing coke for several days.

[@acdragonrider]

Scorsese fails to ever make me like these despicable criminals.

[@axxellein]

TRES Heavy=The Quill

[@WesCoastPiano]

What's the name of the movie with the murders on the beach?

[@tiktokplaza517]

That was The Departed.

[@smilefenn4813]

I LOVE THIS VIDEO AND I LOVE YOU ok bye

[@ronnytrapp2766]

in the end it only matters that you are alive

[@lactroc11]

nice

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Hi. What is a setpiece, though?

[@-0rbital-]

I’ve heard that Scorcese slightly increased the speed of that sequence so that it’s more chaotic and jarring.

[@JohnBakerKKK]

What do you mean?

[@-0rbital-]

@@JohnBakerKKK Im talking about that sequence of the day he’s running around coked up and rushing everywhere, which ends when he gets busted. The scene supposedly runs slightly faster than normal. Don’t ask me the technicalities cause I don’t know, sorry. I guess it’s the opposite of slo-mo, but only slightly so you just notice it subconsciously and it makes the scenes more frenetic and unnerving so the audience shares the stress of the character.

[@JohnBakerKKK]

0rbital gotcha. I’m not sure if it was actually sped up tho...

[@-0rbital-]

@@JohnBakerKKK You may be correct. It’s something I heard when the movie came out. But next time you watch the sequence, see what you think. It’s supposed to very slight.

[@JohnBakerKKK]

0rbital definitely will look at it. My favorite sequence ever. If it is sped up, it is very minimal and probably barely noticeable, paired up with the quick cuts, whip pans, and fast paced music.

[@amjadsarwar6112]

Henry the fucking rat spoils the whole fucking movie

[@SammyLeMieur]

What is the movie at 10:33?

[@waterspout8]

Miller's Crossing

[@jimsmint]

Well that went fukn nowhere, nice work

[@oldgit4260]

Great analysis, the clip of Brando condemning drugs, nowadays that's ALL mobsters are involved in , most of the time

[@TairnKA]

If needing the hat was accurate (doubtful), it could have been a signal to the cops (she was wired?) they were about to leave. Yes, they showed her in cuffs but her expression says a lot (her revenge was sweet). ;-)

[@nathanhill4458]

B mylittlebaby pleeeze by mylittlebaby

[@jonaslundholm]

What happens to the clip?

[@TheDiscardedImage]

+Jonas Lundholm Hi Jonas, what is this in reference to? Thanks, Julian

[@jonaslundholm]

+The Discarded Image Says clip not available. Did Warner bros. make KZbin take it down? Btw, you videos are super educational. You make me smarter! :)

[@TheDiscardedImage]

+Jonas Lundholm I appreciate the kind words. I think the issue is resolved now. Alternatively, if you still struggle, the episode is on Vimeo - vimeo.com/135486928

[@jonaslundholm]

+The Discarded Image Works swimmingly now. Thanks. Has this been posted before? I remember seeing this video or something similar a while back.

[@TheDiscardedImage]

+Jonas Lundholm The series started on Vimeo back in March. Some of the episodes were on KZbin temporarily, but there were issues with copyright.

[@viralshaman5736]

You should learn about the treacherous nature of female before you attempt to inform others about the social dynamic within a film. Stick to techniques the film maker use. Other wise you devalue you own good work.