DVD Notes: Goodfellas Special Edition

One of the DVDs I picked up in Hawaii was the new two disc special edition of one of my favorite films, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. It has so many great moments: the opening shot where Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro finish off Billy Batty in the trunk, which sets the tone of the film, the handy cam one take shot of the entrance into The Copa, Pesci and De Niro beating Billy Batty to the mellow “Atlantis” by Donovan, the “Do I amuse you?” Pesci speech, the murder montage sequence after the Luftsta robbery, and the cocaine fueled day when Ray Liotta gets caught-flips and becomes an informer. These are just some of the great moments. It’s amazing to know that Scorsese had already thought out some of the camera angles and songs (Scorsese makes so many great song choices in this movie) to use in the film, which is seen in the Paper Is Cheaper Than Film featurette, which shows the storyboard-to-screen comparison. The other extras include: Getting Made-how a movie classic hit the streets, made men: The Goodfellas Legacy-in which film makers comment on the film’s influence, The Workday Gangster-a look at the less glamorous side of mob life.

There are two commentaries: Cast And Crew with Scorsese, Liotta, Lorrraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Frank Vincent, Nicholas Pileggi (co-screen writer), Prducers Irwin Winkler and Barbara De Fina, Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, and Editor Thelma Schoonmaker. The other is Cop and Crook: with Henry Hill and former FBI Agent Edward McDonald-which is interesting but not as refined as the other commentary.

Highly recommended.

Comments

[phatrick]

If you like the music from Scorcese, you might want to check out the latest issue of "Uncut", a rather pricey (but good) British music and film mag. Each issue comes with a companion complilation CD always compiled according to a theme. This month's is called "mob life: 16 great tracks from teh films of martin scorsese." At first glance, I didn't think I would like it, but I was wrong.

[Ray Lee]

Good choice on the Goodfellas special edition. Some to also check out (unfortunately, I need to buy the "definitive" versions even if I already have the first run DVD...it's a disease):

Shawshawk Redemption (2 Disc)
Untouchables (2 Disc)
Battle of Algiers (3 Disc Criterion)
Slacker (2 Disc Criterion)
Videodrome (2 Disc Criterion)

[MC]

Hey Ray, I guess for me, it depends on the movie. Of the recommendations you mention, the only one that intrigues me is Battle of Algiers, even though I quite enjoyed Slacker and Videodrome-I guess the other two seem too mainstream to collect. I read an article in Salon.com about Battle of Algiers, and how it relates to the situation in Iraq and modern terrorism in general, so I'd like to see it. Furthermore, I've been really impressed with most of the Criterion editions of films.