Film analysis part 3

 Film: Goodfellas

Analysis: The openeing sequence of this film is just a display of words passing by in a swipe effect. This is to give the idea that the words are like cars driving by, we can infer this by the sound used in the background of cars passing by. We are told the story is based off a true story which is put as a label on some crime show series or documentaries. The film then transitions to a black Cadillac driving in the dark there is no music or talking only the sound of the car driving on the road. This adds a sense of mystery and a question of "what are these people doing out this late?" It cuts to a clip saying it takes place in New York, 1970 we are then shown the inside of the car and its three men that seem to be tired as the one driving is rubbing his eyes and the one in the passenger seat is asleep. It is implied these men are in a mafia by the design used with their clothing, hair, makeup, and body language being very serious. We finally hear their voices and learn they are italian by the accent as the driver asks if he hit something. The scene jumpcuts to them pulled over in the woods with weapons in hand opening the trunk of the car. We get a slow dolly in of the trunk of the car implying something important is in there. As one of them goes to unlock the trunk they prepare their weapons showing the viewer they are prepared to kill/fight. We get a dolly in of a barely alive bloody body covered in a sheet. We get mid shots of people stabbing and shooting the man. After the driver closes the trunk adding in a medium close up shot of him giving him a sense of power to the viewer. Jazz music plays as soon as we hear the sound of the trunk shut. The music is upbeat implying the viewer their task is complete or this is where the film really starts. After this it lists the production crew in the same mannor as the actors this time with grand jazz music in the background which is pretty common in most mafia style movies. The overall mise en scene being conveyed to the reader is a mafia style film similar to films like the Godfather. This still fits my films genre because it still matches the conventions of the criime genre. Mafia style just focuses more on the murderes and convicts.

Comparison: In comparison to our film this is a different sub catergory of crime. Our film is more centred on the victims point of view in this film while goodfellas focuses on the criminals perspective.