1. Textual analysis: Goodfellas
The start of ‘goodfellas’ appears with a black screen; a short opening credit sequence begins
of main actors are introduced with a non-diagetic sound of fast cars. It starts from a mid-shot
of the back of a car; it then gradually changes to a tracking shot displaying the side of the car
on a quiet dual carriageway road. The camera use makes it seem like they are being closely
followed and overtook, the shot could potentially be of a point of view from a driver but is
not shown. This is all with a onscreen diagetic sound of cars and the engine. The shot then
tracks around the car and speeds off and fades out into a black screen with writing saying
‘New York 1970’ the audience is now given a place which helps them relate to what is going
on. It then cuts to three men in the car; this now introduces some of the main character in the
film: Henry Hill, Jimmy Conway, and Tommy De Vito. These men are in suits but have a
rough look to them as they are lounging in the car with the main driver only the one wide
awake. This is shown by a mid-shot of all three men in the frame which helps the audience
feel they are there with them and the mood within the car. A non diagetic banging sound is
introduced which is mysterious to all the drivers too, This knocking noise wakes them all up
as they are curious to where it is coming from and why, so they stop to investigate. This then
cuts to a mid shot of the back end of the car from a side view, the three mysterious men walk
out the car; two of them holding weapons such as a spade and carving knife, which portray
they are seriously dangerous and quite baffling types of characters for having weapons of
such easy access with them. The scene is set in New York as identified before; they also stop
in a random space in the forest to isolate from any people. They walk slowly over to the boot
and stand there glancing at it, this is also with a red glow from the rear parking lights which
create the mood and give a sense of danger associated with the colour red and also is the
colour of blood which plays an important role in the film later on. This cuts to a slow zoom
onto the boot whilst accompanied by a diagetic sound of banging inside to get out, makes the
audience anxious to see who’s inside or if it’s a person. Switches to a zoom of the two men
who are holding weapons of some sort with the glare from the rear lights, this is shown in a
two shot. There is a close up on the driver opening the boot after being signalled to still with
the banging sound in the background, following the opening of the boot is a the cause of the
banging which is a man wrapped up in sheets covered in blood. ‘he’s still alive..’ quoted one
of the men who then decided to stab the man multiple times repeatedly and steps back, the
other man steps forward and shoots him to confirm the death of the unknown man. The man
steps back also and the driver slowly walks forward and closes the boot, this is done with a
slow pace of editing which contrasts the fast pace when driving at the start, this portrays he is
opposite to the two other men who are instant brutal killers and he is calm and has attributes
of a leader. A voiceover is used when he closes the boot, saying how he has always wanted to
be a gangster summarised in one line with a slow zoom onto his face. This zoom helps to
identity to the audience that he is one if the main characters and an important part of the film.
At the end of the zoom is a freeze frame of him which is along with an off-screen diagetic
sound of dancing style of music at bars called ‘Rags to Riches’. The main theme associated
with it is the way of a gangster life and the violent nature that comes with it.