Breaking Down the Ending Segment of “Goodfellas”

Goodfellas Direction

There are many great scenes in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990). The club entrance scene is probably the most discussed and copied in a variety of places, including a spoof on Jon Stewart’s final Daily Show. But there is also a lot going on with Scorsese’s direction in the final segment following Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) on the day leading to his arrest. In a new video essay, Julian Palmer breaks down the details of those ending scenes.

Palmer, Creative Director and Founder at 1848 Media, discusses Scorsese’s editing and use of techniques.  He explains, for example, how the director uses hand-held cameras to reflect Hill’s paranoia.

Palmer does an excellent job of referencing other films, like The Godfather (1972).  And he even explains the significance of the shots of food.

Check out his video essay, “Last Day of a Wiseguy.”



Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    “Westworld” is Coming to HBO

    Westworld HBO

    You might remember that great attempt to combine science fiction and Western categories into the classic 1973 film, Westworld. That movie was written and directed by Michael Crichton, and it starred Yul Brynner as the robot gunslinger at an amusement park where everything goes wrong. Even if you have never seen the movie, you might be a little excited seeing the new teaser trailer for the upcoming HBO series Westworld.

    The teaser trailer does not reveal much about the HBO series, but we get a glimpse of Anthony Hopkins and Evan Rachel Wood in a series that looks updated for the current century. Some folks think that Westworld will be HBO’s next great show. But we will have to wait until 2016 to find out.

    What do you think of the teaser trailer for “Westworld”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Don Henley and Dolly Parton: “When I Stop Dreaming”

    Don Henley pays tribute to the music he grew up listening to on the radio in Texas with “When I Stop Dreaming,” joined by Dolly Parton.

    Don Henley country

    On Don Henley’s upcoming deluxe album Cass Country, he pays tribute to his years growing up in Cass County, Texas and listening to the radio with his father. On one of the tracks from the album, Dolly Parton joins him on “When I Stop Dreaming.”

    The song is a classic that was recorded by the Louvin Brothers. Check out the former member of the Eagles and the legendary Dolly Parton singing “When I Stop Dreaming.”

    Henley’s album Cass County, which features covers and Henley originals, will be released on September 25. Several of the songs feature guest artists like Mick Jagger, Miranda Lambert, Merle Haggard, and Martina McBride.

    Finally, below is the Louvin Brothers version of “When I Stop Dreaming.” Check it out.

    What do you think of Henley and Parton’s version of the Louvin Brothers song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Chris Farley as Shrek

    Chris Farley Shrek

    Up until a few weeks before his death, Chris Farley was recording the voice for the animated lead character in Shrek (2001). Although the Saturday Night Live alum had recorded the overwhelming majority of the movie before his untimely death at age 33 in 1997, it still was not finished so producers had to re-record the part with Mike Myers taking over the lead. If you have ever wondered what Farley might have sounded like as Shrek, now you can find out.

    A newly released video features storyboard drawings with Farley voicing Shrek and Eddie Murphy as the voice of Donkey. Check it out.

    After Farley’s death, the voicing of Shrek still took awhile. After Mike Myers was cast, he insisted on a rewrite of the script. Myers tried various accents throughout the process, and it was only after he had recorded the part that he asked to re-record it again with the now-familiar Scottish accent. While Shrek came out very well and Myers did a wonderful job, I still cannot help wondering what the movie might have been with Chris Farley.

    What do you think of Chris Farley as Shrek? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    “Southpaw” Aims High (Short Review)

    boxing film Southpaw (2015) begins with Jake Gyllenhaal’s Billy Hope on top of the boxing world, but we get the impression that Hope is at the top more from his willingness to take a beating than his stellar boxing skills. Soon, Hope undergoes a number of blows outside the ring that further test his ability to take a beating and bounce back. The movie attempts to be a combination of a serious family drama and sports movie in one. Although it is not really a champion in either category, it is a decent summer film that at least aims high in a weak cinema summer.

    The basic plot of Southpaw involves Hope facing a tragic loss that he magnifies because of his inability to manage his anger. As he struggles to win back custody of his daughter, Hope finds some help from the wise boxing coach Tick Wells, played by Forest Whitaker. Will Hope find redemption?

    Yes, Southpaw is full of cliches. After all, the main character’s name is “Hope.” But the acting performances by Gyllenhaal, Whitaker, and Rachel McAdams — along with excellent fight scenes by director Antoine Fuqua — make it decent entertainment. I also appreciated that the movie treated the big fight more realistically than some of the later Rocky films, avoiding the temptation to turn it into a big cartoonish revenge battle.

    Of course, Southpaw is no Raging Bull (1980) or Rocky (1976). Yet, one could have an interesting discussion about how it compares to a movie like Cinderella Man (2005), another boxing family drama, although the latter was aided by the fact it was a true story about James J. Braddock. Overall, if you really like boxing movies and do not mind some moving family drama (or vice versa), you might still find Southpaw entertaining.

    Conclusion?
    Rotten Tomatoes gives Southpaw a 58% critics rating but a decent 83% audience rating, which probably reflects audience members who are looking for something to enjoy and not the next great boxing classic. If you want to get out of the heat for a few hours of air-conditioned entertainment, you could do a lot worse than Southpaw.



    What did you think of “Southpaw”? Leave your two cents in the comment.

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