I saw Goodfellas in the theater the day it was released. We walked out of the theater in a sort of daze, it was like no time passed at all, that's how quickly the film passed. It's like being shot out of a gun. The opening is still iconic, the way the music kicks in.
Killer review of an amazing film: something just came to mind from 1984, the best picture winner, Amadeus! Not for everyone, but an absolute masterpiece.
Goodfellas is one of the greatest movies ever made. It is one of the three God tier gangster movies to come out in 1990 [Goodfellas, King of New York, Miller's Crossing] but...I find myself liking Casino so much more. I don't really have any specific reason for this. Maybe I just watched Goodfellas too much back on VHS in the 90's. Actually, scratch that. There is no such thing as watching Goodfellas too much.
Goodfellas is not Scorsese's magnus opus. I think that is Taxi Driver or Raging Bull. You have to consider that a reason Goodfellas is so great is that it is an amazing true story. Henry Hill was the first mobster to go into the witness protection program and live to tell about his experiences. On top of that, Henry Hill's story takes place in the neighborhoods that Scorsese grew up in and new. So Scorsese knew the culture. Goodfellas was going to be at least a pretty good movie even if Scorsese was going through the motions and not even trying. In contrast, I have come to appreciate the amazing artistry it took to bring a character like Travis Bickle to life on the screen.
