Film Style
Martin Scorcese, a realist, made Goodfellas based on a story about Henry Hill.
This film was carefully and beautifully done to preserve much truth in it. Through
this film, we could walk through the same lane as the mobsters did and understanding
what they were going through. Mobsters were often thought as'bad company'. They
had a worldwide labeled as ruthless, vicious and notorious crime organizations. But
we often misunderstood and overlooked the reasons why these guys join the mobs. In
this film, we learn about Henry Hill and how his life came crashing down due to his
negligence in upholding the mafia rules and his greeds.
Stylistic Elements
Goodfellas opened withnarration by Henry Hill introducing the audience to his
world of world of wonders. The narration in the movie is really effective at making
audiences feel as though they are experiencing a world that few people can see
without being on the inside of a gang themselves.The use of non-linear editing was
clearly shown. We started off into his childhood as he narrates his story. Henry
wanted to b a gangster ever since he was a kid and ran illegal errands for the gangster
and earned their trust and soon became one of their crew. The narration did not guide
us through the story unlike'Casablanca' which we depended more on narration
instead of the characters presence. The narration in Goodfellas merely help us to
understand the each character better.
Martin Scorcese used inventive camera works to enhance the visuals of this film.
Long shots and montages were used. Long shots used for the scene at the bar where
Henry introduced the audience to all his friends. It was dramatic and sharp. We know
who they are and how they are associated to Henry within one long shot.
Martin Scorcese used appropriate soundtracks to go with the era of the film. He
did …