The Goodfellas Copa Shot: As Told by the Guy Who Shot It | Art of the Scene
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- It’s been over 30 years since Martin Scorsese released his gangster movie classic, Goodfellas. On this episode of Art of the Scene, we’re talking to Larry McConkey, the Steadicam operator on one of Goodfellas’ best scenes - The Copa shot. He’s going to tell us all about his behind the scenes experiences working with Martin Scorsese, Ray Liotta, and Michael Balhaus on one of the best long shots in the history of film.
While Martin Scorsese has directed classic films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Departed, his depiction of the 1960’s Italian mafia still holds up as one of the best mob movies of all time. Sure, Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro gave great performances- both Tommy DeVito and Jimmy Conway are iconic characters. However, Scorsese’s long shot through the Copacabana is easily one of Goodfellas best clips. In this video, while it doesn’t feature an original Martin Scorsese interview, we discuss what makes The Copacabana scene so special. Larry McConkey talk to us about how he worked with Ray Liotta (Henry Hill), who channeled his inner gangster, and improvised some of the most memorable moments in the whole movie.
Honestly, The Copacabana scene is really just an incredible piece of cime cinema (plus the best Goodfellas scene while also being one of Goodfellas best moments) and we hope you really enjoy watching this piece of Goodfellas analysis.
For more movie lists and film analysis be sure to check out Cinefix!
Hey Everyone, thanks so much for watching the lastest Art of the Scene. October is right around the corner, so you know what that means - horror movies. Let us know in the comments what classic horror scenes you'd like to see us tackle on the next Art of the Scene.
Any scene from Tom Hooper's "Cats".
Eraserhead!
The Sunday May 11th, 1980 sequence from GoodFellas!!!!!!!
I would say Se7en, The Thing, or Alien, but you guys already did those...
Perhaps The Shining or The Exorcist
The Ending of Halloween 4 or the opening of Halloween 1
The Steadicam operator to Scorcese: "Hey, I took care of that thing for ya."
And then there was Nicky Eyes.
M.Night Shammertime and Mikey Franzese
@@mohamedashian604 and Jimmy Two Times, who got that nickname cuz he said everything twice like......
TheGuyWhoIsAustralian i’m gonna go get the papers get the papers
What, you mean that Brooklyn thing?
"No, no, the other thing..."
That thing near where Shelly used to live?
As many times as I've watched this film I never noticed they went through the same door twice in the kitchen.
Neither have I, that’s how good their “tricks” worked on us
I noticed when i watch it second time, i know iam fooled, but i have watched this movie more than 10 times😁, me and the movie are goodfellas
Same, must have seen the film 30 or 40 times (and this scene alone a good many more), and never, ever picked up on that. Amazing!
I noticed it, but I didn't notice they changed the entire dressing in between? It's supposed to be a different door, but I never noticed...
well they go in circle in the kitchen, but it really looks like they use another door
It's amazing hearing about this scene from the perspective of the Steadicam operator. Especially after learning that he had so much to do with how the scene looks and feels.
I’m sure some of it is even true!
I love the part where he talks about Marty's reaction: "no no no, you have to have the table FLY in!" - such a tiny alteration to the scene but it has a huge impact on the feeling. Following the waiter as he lifts the table ober his head and watching the cloth flutter as it moves is one of the most memorable images of the film for me. Don't know why, it's just perfect
A magnificent scene. In a film that is busting at the seams, with magnificent scenes.
But can we take a second to appreciate Ray Liotta and Lorraine Bracco? They were incredible in this film, but the plaudits always go to Pesci, De Niro and of course Scorsese. All richly deserving of praise no doubt, but without Liotta and Bracco at the heart of this film...it just wouldn't have worked as well.
K Ahmed: I totally agree.
Karen: *whispers* "Wake up Henry..."
*CLLLLLIIIICCCK*
Henry: "Karen...what are you doing?" *pee's pants*
@@jenniferbaldini3527 loool. That's real love right there. You don't pull a gun on a man for cheating. Unless you really love him.
Ensemble cast for sure
@@jenniferbaldini3527 "I gotta f***ng come home to this?"
@@stantonfuerton *Screams* "IM SO-RRRY" *Guteral cries*
We could have heard about this great shot from anyone, but this Larry guy, he's a pistol, he's really funny. That story, it's funny. He's a funny guy. It's not the way he talks, he's just funny, the way he tells the story and everything. It's not that he's funny like a clown, that he amuses me and makes me laugh. He's not here to fucking amuse me. It's just how he tells the story. That's how he's funny.
Funny how? Like he amuses you?
he's a real funny guy.....
😈
that and the "you don't exist out here without me" rant are 2 of pesci's best bits.....and pesci has done some good stuff don't get me wrong, it's a trip to think the same guy who plays one of the craziest toughest gangsters also played the kinda bumbling crook in home alone and he's a real funny guy.....lolz
This comment lmfao 😂😂I can’t stand you
Cool for recognizing a crew member that doesn’t get brought up a lot. Good job Cinefix
Can you do “Art of the scene” for:
-Tank chase in Indiana Jones the last crusade
-Train fight or stopping the train in Spiderman 2
-Shootout in Heat
-Foot chase in Baulieue 13
-Coin toss in No country for old men
-First Russian roulette scene in The deer hunter
Yes all of these please!! ⬆️⬆️⬆️
The Heat shootout for sure. That 1st then the coin toss scene.
Wow, great list!
"He's wired in" scene from Social Network.
Somehow you forgot to mention Tech Noir?
*Scorsese:* "So anyway, Larry, you and Ray, you guys get this scene done, I'll be back later."
And all this time we give Scorsese credit for the scene when he wasn't even there. This guy and Ray Liotta made this scene and made it great.
He selected all the people and made the decisions so, myeah.. he can't do everythingg but the CEO always takes credit up front.
But it was his vision
It was Scorsese's initial idea though. Especially the timing of the table being brought in.
Watched this as a teenager, and it remains a firm favourite. Good choice.
I just saw Goodfellas for the first time a few months ago. I was so enthralled. Such a wonderful movie.
Joe Pesci famously improvised the "funny how?" scene, but what few of us know is that it was filmed by a kid from craft services while Marty was sick with the flu in Costa Rica ✔️
I like watching long, uninterrupted, continuous shot like this
You must have loved the intro scene to Spectre?
I am always amazed how many different ideas, camera angles, improvisation, and effort have to come together to shoot a perfect scene.
Love when artists talk about their craft.
I'm gonna click the like button the like button
Diego M-A: Before or after you get the paper?
Well done 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👍🏾
😆
I took an American Cinema class in college, and this scene was an actual lesson for the day. It has been seared into my brain. One of the best in history!
Love how all the tricks to let the camera catch up with the action totally added to the narrative. Very clever.
TH-cam has to amend its policies on copyright. We're getting a film education here and we can't hear the Crystals' track to visualize the importance of the song to the scene.
You can listen to the song separately or just watch the scene/movie. The video is more about how it’s shot.
Blame the lawyer anti-culture that has infected the entertainment industry like a cancer - growth for the sake of growth, in mindless danger of killing the host organism.
This is fascinating. Goodfellas is one of my favorite films and I love learning more about the nitty-gritty of what made those films
*Starts video, doesn't hear Clint, panics and checks to make sure I clicked the right video*
Wonderful video really driving home the fact that movies are a collaborative effort and the truly talented always know how take help and suggestions from each other, not letting their ego get in the way. Scorsese with the original vision of the scene and its meaning, the camera man and actor helping to bring it to life. Result: Iconic.
A good director works with the crew. A great director lets the crew work.
imagine doing this 3 minute shot (plus the time it takes to reorganize everything to shoot again), eigth times only to be ruined by the guy who has to say one line
Edit: orthography
Cut Henny Youngman a break, he was pretty well up in age by then.
Right at the end n all
Why didn't they replace him? He had 1 job and 1 line
orthography 😉
@@wadehm63 thanks. the irony was strong in the "edit"
I want another movie like Goodfellas 😭
The Departed.
Casino.
@@doritochipgamer474 guys i think he means he another new one
Squidward 😂
Casino & Wolf of Wall St. are similar
You can see earlier techniques of this in mean streets
From memory is it the bar fight scene where they do a lap of the room while fighting
And in “Raging Bull”, there is an unbroken shot from the backstage to the ring that is very similar.
"You come to me" with an awesome deep dive on our unique and unforgettable Copa "walking" shot. Keep it up and stay safe!
GoodFellas may be my favorite movie, and learning about the genius of Larry McConkey and all the hard work he & Ray Liotta put into that 1 scene astonished, educated & humbled me. Thank you Cinefix for this video!
During October, maybe tale a 1 day diversion into some classic scary music videos? No, not Thriller, more along lines of Nine Inch Nail's Closer, Johnny Cash's Hurt, Die Antwoord's I Fink U Freeky, Marilyn Manson's covers of Sweet Dreams & Tainted Love, pretty much anything Aphex Twin .... Oh and PS the Crystals ! xoxo Anyone not familiar with the song "He Hit Me (and it felt like a kiss) needs to check it out immediately, I cannot believe Scorsese hasn't used already :-)
So much goes into so small sequences, so much preps, collaboration and finally a pinch of luck combining to form a thing of beauty, which is a joy for ever.
Gotta love channels like this, that allow you to understand and appreciate films and what they’re made of more.
The art of the scene.
The thing bloodtest.
The opening getaway in drive.
The Thing blood test!
I contacted Larry about a question for my research for my uni a year back, got back to me straight away and was extremely nice about it!
I'm proud to say I was part of this shot as an extra. And I was right behind this man during the whole movement sequence of the shot until I got into my seat with my date. Me and my "date" were the first in line with about thirty extras right behind us. There was another fake wall covering a doorway that was quickly moved away when the camera passed it to allow the same extras that were in the line at the front of the Copa to swarm into the club as different people already in the club. That way they utilize less extras. We were all instructed to immediately follow the camera once in entered the side entrance and be very quiet and make our way into our seats. In other words, those people sitting at their steats behind them as the table flew in, were the same people that we at the line in front of the Copa waint "to go in". One thing that doesn't sound accurate was that this famous scene was shot at night. They didn't finish it before lunch as he stated. By the way the extras ate their food sitting in a bus. But it was a fun cold day of filming.
Amazing that you were there! Can you point out in the clip where that fake door was? Also--"lunch" on a film set just means the mid-work day meal, six hours after call, so if it was a night shoot that could easily be 11 pm or 12 am.
@@chupap1 After three years, I just saw your comment. As far as the lunch. I see. I understand. Now, that I recall the shoot was all day as well. Other shots were done earlier.
As far as the fake wall; I don't remember exactly but probably the fake wall was moved right before Ray tapped the cook on the shoulder.
i read an article about the same interview and couldn't figure out some of the stuff - thank you for matching the scenes from the shot with the narration - great video!
This video really demonstrates that importance of collaboration in filmmaking and how a good director knows to trust their cast and crew. So cool to hear about Larry and Ray’s creation of the scene!
It's amazing how advanced special effects have gotten since then. I love this series and look forward to more stuff like this.
Anybody else surprised by how much liberties Martin Scorsese gives his crew?
Clint isn’t the narrator?
@Jack The Film Fanatic he didn't. I asked on the last Art of the Scene. And Clint answered saying he is still there. I think he narrates the lists now. And this guy narrates the Art of the Scene.
😢
I had a manager who was obsessed with this scene, and at the time it didn't stand out to me as much. But I've come to appreciate the appeal, so hearing the true thought process behind it was very cool.
Thanks for doing this. One of the most legendary, loved and homaged scenes of all time. It’s fascinating to see it broken down❤️
Art of the scene is such a good series please keep it up
Amazing how they turned all the problems into benefits for the scene. Unable to turn the corner? Have a quick repartee with the chef to boost familiarity.
Masterful sequences, magnificent video.
You gotta do more of these with the people who actually were in the crew that day
the impression of Scorsese was pretty spot on
I finally get how a lot of cinematographers also become directors
"I'm a union delegate."
Thank you for this cinematic gift, Larry!
I love this story, and this glimpse of collaboration
Love this break down. One of my all time favourite movies and this scene was exceptional.
This isn’t cinema, it’s magic
Assuming you haven’t already, how about from one continuous take to another? The opening shot of Touch of Evil?
Union delegate that was funny when she asked him what kind of work he does.
Goodfellas is Scorcesse's magnum opus. The Irishman was just a try to get back the nostalgic feel but no movie can top this classic. Goodfellas is a movie for our grandkids and generations to come.
With all the changes in lighting through out that. scene, keeping things in focus must’ve been challenge.
Terrific, yeh my favourite monster movie. My mom worked at the Copa as a photographer during the war
When it is all about acting and directing effort not graphics and marketing
Thank you, I’ve always loved this scene and knowing What went into it makes me love it all the more!
True artistry. Incredible!
Greatest director of all time. He's had hit and culturally popular movies in the last five decades.
I prefer Alfred Hitchcock, Ang Lee, William Wyler, Terrence Malick, Vittorio de Sica, Mikhail Kalatozov, Peter jackson, George Lucas
So...
1970s: “Taxi Driver”
1980s: “Raging Bull”
1990s: “Goodfellas”
2000s: “The Departed”
2010s: “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Yep, checks out!
Make a video on how Denis Villeneuve makes his movies. Please🥺
Please more from Art of the Scene, I learn a lot!!! 🙌 Thanks for such good content.
Arguably the meeting the crew scene with mina mazzini's "Il cielo in una stanza" is even better I think. The zoom to de Niro's as he stands up just as the violins build is beautiful
I've could also accepted the 'I'm funny' scene'. Great video, Thanx!!!
Fun fact: Pretending or acting like a gangster, won’t make you a gangster
Now go home and get your fuckin' shine box!
Not a fun fact. Not even funny. You amuse me though.... Like a clown.
Is Donnie Brasco a joke to you?
The best fucking scene in the history
This is my favorite movie I have a copy of a revised Script witch some of the stuff is not in the movie I should let you see it
Great video. Love behind the scenes stories from the deeper crew members like Larry.
awesome video i like how you added in the bit about The Crystals
Interestingly they didn't mention the assistant director Joseph Reidy. I knew his brother and he told me all about the development of the scene. I wonder why they didn't mention the A.D.?
Masterfully shot! Another one of my favorite one shots is the beginning of Spike Lee’s Summer of Sam where Vinny and Dionna drive up to and enter the nightclub.
This scene may be a cinematic masterpiece but is historically inaccurate. Henry Hill never had the mob status to walk through the Copa like that. Source: Michael Franzese
does it really matter though? Besides everybody know that before Michael Franzese even said it
CineFix, you beauty ❤️
At 11:50 that looks like Barney Kessel in the studio shot!
Really enjoyed this! Iconic scene
That Henny Youngman story is hilarious
Can u breakdown the bridge scene from les amants du pont-neuf.
Okay, you need to run a hiss reduction or other high end filter on your VO. It's ridiculously sharp.
What a legend, this dude was my film professors roommate he told lots of stories about him
How could Henny Youngman blow that one line repeatedly?
WHAT THE HELL IS THSI Scorsese just left the room and let them do the whole thing, i've cited this scene as one of Scorcese best and his big input was "you gotta follow the table" lol
Yeah, the kitchen part made no sense to me either. Don't know what that was supposed to be. I suppose a contrast of colors and context?
Can you do a video for the movie Hostage (2005) and the book?
It's one of my favorite movies of all time.
Masterpiece.
Waiting for more frequent videos.
TRUE masterpiece 🔥🔥
I knew it was the same door bc NYC restaurant kitchens arent that huge but he played it off well.
dude what happen to homemade movies!!?? i missed it so much...
Shootout scene in Heat
Slightly off topic but our grandkids are gonna wonder why all of the interview footage in 2020/2021 was somebody just sitting in their living room.
I would love to see an "Art of the scene" for the sequence where Titanic hits the iceberg in the 1997 movie. This is one of my favorite movie scenes of all time.
This is a great to know what a camera operator does
One of my favorite gangster flix. ❤
A film is a collaboration with multiple factors contributing to its success or lack of success. This video is a great example of why "possessory credit" is bullshit.
You guys should do death of stalin for your next whats the difference
Reminds me of another second unit sequence -- the truck chase in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Is the there a CineFix list for awesome second unit scenes?
How about making a list of best mystery movies of all time... Would be awesome
Day for Night
This is fantastic content, thank you