Martin Scorsese's "GoodFellas" is a film that conforms to many of the conventions of the crime genre. This is what has made the film so popular and accessible to audiences. Opening with bold white text on a black background, we can tell that this is a film that takes itself seriously - "This film is based on a true story", a statement that will give the audience more reason to care about the characters and their situation. We are instantly shown the red brake lights of a vintage car - indicating that this is a period piece - in total darkness, speeding down a road. "New York, 1970" a title card tells us, as we cut to an interior shot of the car, with the driver focused heavily in the foreground, and two other passengers, who all seem curious about something that causes them to stop the car and inspect their trunk.
The red of the brake lights illuminate the three men as they investigate the noise, the camera slowly panning towards the trunk to convey anxiety, as one of the men whips out a blade. What follows is a brutal stabbing, and eventual shooting, of the victim in the trunk, the edits being slow-paced in order to show the audience the full viciousness of this act. As the central character (Ray Liotta) approaches to shut the trunk, his narration kicks in. "As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster". Upbeat jazz music accompanies the freeze frame of the main protagonist in startling contrast to the events that have just transpired. From this line, and the cut to the blood-run lettering of the title, we the audience can tell that this film is his story. All of these elements, especially the scenario, are consistent with 'gangster flicks' and this opening is especially effective as it throws you straight into the heat of it all, with the intention of making the audience wonder what led to these events that are shown in the brief but evocative prelude to the main film.
The red of the brake lights illuminate the three men as they investigate the noise, the camera slowly panning towards the trunk to convey anxiety, as one of the men whips out a blade. What follows is a brutal stabbing, and eventual shooting, of the victim in the trunk, the edits being slow-paced in order to show the audience the full viciousness of this act. As the central character (Ray Liotta) approaches to shut the trunk, his narration kicks in. "As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster". Upbeat jazz music accompanies the freeze frame of the main protagonist in startling contrast to the events that have just transpired. From this line, and the cut to the blood-run lettering of the title, we the audience can tell that this film is his story. All of these elements, especially the scenario, are consistent with 'gangster flicks' and this opening is especially effective as it throws you straight into the heat of it all, with the intention of making the audience wonder what led to these events that are shown in the brief but evocative prelude to the main film.