re: Is Goodfellas as good or better than Godfather 1 or 2?

quote:

---

So rewatchability is not a minor concern.

---

Agree. Which is why I think it's closer to being as good as Godfather as opposed to some sayings it's not even close

Godfather 1 and 2 are probably "better movies", but if I had to pick only 1 of the 3 to be able to watch from now on it would be Goodfellas

Goodfellas. Godfather is too long. Great movie but would put Goodfellas on top and it got robbed by not getting Best Picture. Dances with Wolves...lulz.

quote:

---

Don't be fooled by the first 2/3 of Goodfellas that kind of glorifies the life, because the final act is as depressing as anything. Pesci's character is as sick as Hannibal Lector and DeNiro's character is as terrifying as any serial killer.

---

If you ever read the story of Hill, Burke and DeSimone, you would know that Scorsese actually toned down the violence. Henry Hill was as scum of the earth as any criminal you would run into. DeSimone liked killing people which is probably why he was whacked...he would kill people who were complete strangers and not involved with the mob.

Goodfellas was great, But Godfather I and II are simply the greatest because it's a twisted morality play

quote:

---

The two movies are radically different. Boogie Nights has more in common with Goodfellas than the Godfather films does.

---

can we atleast all agree Goodfellas was better than the Master?

quote:

---

Henry Hill was as scum of the earth as any criminal you would run into.

---

One of the things I always found laughable about 'Goodfellas' is the lengths it went to make sure we knew Hill wasn't actually involved in any murders, ever, and even implied he tried to prevent murders (Morrie). He kinda played an ancillary role in the Batts killing, but that's it. Otherwise, he comes across as being almost shocked that these adorable organized criminal figures he grew up with would go around murdering people. I can only assume (haven't read Hill's book) that his deal with the government was predicated upon not having any provable murders on his record, because I don't believe for a second that he was either innocent of or uninvolved with multiple killings.

quote:

---

Is Goodfellas as good or better than Godfather 1 or 2?

---

good god


Goodfellas is a really good movie but it's gotten to the point where it's been dramatically overrated....overrated to the point where i dont even really want watch the movie. Scarface level overrated.

quote:

---

Casino is better than all of them

---

While an enjoyable movie to watch, this line of thinking is a little over the top.

A better name for that movie would have been Goodfellas: Vegas

quote:

---

i wonder if someone saw Casino first then saw Goodfellas say 2 years later, which would they like more?

---

As someone who does not hide his love of the film Casino, I think I can interject here.

Casino builds on the work done in Goodfellas. It is a much higher echelon level. Looking at Goodfellas - recall that Paulie was effectively a deity to them - Paulie was a Capo and sometimes underboss. Now he was an important Capo (Idlewild/JFK), but he had to share territory with the Gambinos and the Luccheses were always the little gang who could, relative to their big brothers, the Gambinos.

Now - Ace and Nicky (based on Lefty Rosenthal and Anthony Spilotro) were part of the Chicago Outfit. Lefty/Ace was an associate of, and more or less worked directly for Joseph Aiuppa (Remo in the film). Aiuppa was essentially the direct line successor to Al Capone and Sam Giancana and headed all of the Chicago Outfit during the period depicted by the film. Equivalent to Paulie's boss in Goodfellas.

Nicky (Spilotro) had been made over a decade at the beginning of Casino. Chicago isn't quite as hierarchical as they are in New York, but he was roughly capo level, certainly by the time he went to Vegas. Vegas was supposed to be an open city, so they didn't have a full organization out there - thus the need to have someone like him to secure the Casino skim. So, roughly a guy of Paulie's level, maybe higher as he was arguably the "boss" of Vegas, on behalf of the Chicago Outfit at least.

And the relationship between Ace and Ginger is just endlessly fascinating to me.

All three deserve a 10/10; even on the Pitchfork rating system.

quote:

---

Too long? And what,pray tell, would you cut out?

---

I once had a friend who offered up pretty much the same criticism. After I finished punching his face until it was permanently disfigured for having the gall to say something like that, I asked the same question. His answer was that, even with the bride's death, the Sicily scenes were pretty much unnecessary. I suspect that would be the likely answer because so many people misguidedly undervalue those scenes. Other than the bomb, most people don't talk much about that part of the movie.