That tracking shot when they go into the restaurant thorugh the kitchen is one of the greatest in the history of cinema. Worth the price of admission all by itself.
The guy that plays the lawyer offering witness protection was the real prosecuting attorney in Henry's trial. The scene was filmed in his real office at the time.
The woman who played Tommy's mother during the dinner scene was actually Martin Scorsese's mother, Catherine Scorsese. His father also had a small part in the film. His mom didn't have any lines; she just reacted to what the other actors were saying, as is they were all sitting around eating dinner.
"As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster." Fun Fact: After Joe Pesci's mother saw the film, she told him the movie was good, then asked him if he had to curse so much. Funny How Fact: According to the real Henry Hill, whose life was the basis for the book and film, Joe Pesci's portrayal of Tommy DeSimone was 90-99% accurate, with one notable exception; the real Tommy DeSimone was massively built. Method Acting Fact: Henry's last day as a wiseguy was the hardest part of the film for Martin Scorsese to shoot. He wanted to properly show Henry's anxiety, paranoia, and racing thoughts caused by cocaine and amphetamine intoxication. Ray Liotta had never been under the influence of those drugs, and found it difficult to accurately portray. Mirror On The Wall Fact: Paul Sorvino wanted to drop out of the role of Paul "Paulie" Cicero three days before filming began, because he felt that he lacked the cold personality to play the character. He called his agent and asked to be released from the film. Sorvino's agent told him to think about it for one day before making a final decision. That night, Sorvino looked in the mirror and was frightened by the look on his face. He realized that that look was the look he needed to play Paulie.
Drug fact: in real life cops never dip their fingers in drugs and taste them because they have no way of knowing what exactly it is or what it may have been adulterated with.
You're right about someone getting shot in the foot in Sopranos. Michael Imperioli got shot in foot and was later kill in Goodfellas. In The Sopranos, Michael Imperioli was the one who shot the employee in the foot for making him wait.
I like it when the both of you haven't seen the flick to be viewed, but man, this one(?), I figured at least you, David, had seen it already. Great watch. Scoresese said he was done with this genre and didn't want to make a another one anymore, then his agent insisted he read the script 'based of this guy that was in it'. The rest is history. When the movie came out Henry Hill even wrote a review article of the film for GQ magazine.
Yeah, mob movies are one area that I'm definitely lacking in. (The other being Horror) I'm not sure why but they just weren't movies I ever watched. Trying to fix that with the channel. :)
I would recommend the movie "CASINO" to you !! It´s with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci too and Pesci is a bad guy as well. A great movie💯! Another option is "SCARFACE" (Al Pacino)💥👍
For the real Tommy, there would be no point in an open casket funeral. He wouldn’t be in it because he not only got whacked, he wasn’t seen again, alive or dead. Different people have told different tales about what happened to him, but there’s not at all likely to be anyone alive who really knows how Tommy met his end. Not for a while now.
16:30 I've seen this movie more times than I can remember, yet every single time I see Jimmy's short sleeved suit I laugh. Short. Sleeved. Suit. Also, the FBI handler working out the witness protection deal is the actual FBI agent who was Henry Hill's handler in real life.
When I was younger I loved Goodfellas especially having lived in NYC in the 80s and 90s. I saw bits and pieces of The Godfather back then. Later as I got older I finally saw The Godfather in its entirety several times and realized The Godfather was the better movie overall. Put it this way, The Godfather is a fine wine and Goodfellas is a Coors light. I love both films and directors but I appreciate the The Godfather just a little more.
@@popculturallychallenged Billy Batts gets out of prison and tells Tommy to "go back home and get his shinebox". Then Tommy leaves and comes back to kill him.
Something that it mindblowing to me is that one of the real life mob guys introduced in the scene at 6:40 (Michael Franzese) now has his very own youtube channel. Check him out! - he says that although he was acquainted with the characters in this film he was working with one of the other five families so they didn't really mix, and that when he first saw the movie in the cinema with his girlfriend he immediately walked out.
You are absolutely right: this is a VERY funny movie. When I saw it in the theater, the audience was roaring with laughter the whole time. If you had just recorded the audience reaction, you would have assumed they were watching a comedy. Great reaction! And congratulations, between The Godfather 1 & 2 and this you've seen what are considered the best mafia movies of all time. There is another that is worth seeing: Donnie Brasco, which tells the story from the law enforcement side. That's with Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. And if you like Goodfellas, then check out Casino which is basically Goodfellas Goes To Vegas! (also based on a true story). But take a break first! Good to space out movies of the same genre!
Henry Hill eventually died several years ago. Actor, Ray Liotta died suddenly last spring. He is starring in the new film "Cocaine Bear" and a few other films scheduled for release later this year.
Incidentally, the real cocaine bear also died, after only absorbing a small amount of what it consumed. That’s no spoiler, though. The movie is… let’s say, very entertainingly embellished. 😉
The "funny how" scene between Tommy and Henry was partially improvised and none of the guys around them knew what was happening. They actually thought Joe Pesci was really upset at Ray Liotta, so the looks on their faces were real and not acting. Also, some real mob guys had some brief scenes in the movie, mainly in the nightclub scenes.
The irony here is, Henry had a weird funny life, while in protection. A comedy movie based on some of his crazyness was done by Steve Martin and Rick Moranis, I think called My Blue Heaven or Pennies from heaven.
In the real world Tommy killed Billy Batts because while Billy was in jail Tommy had taken over his routes for number running etc and did not want to give them up once Billy was free....so he whacked him
Not sure if he ordered it, but probably conceded to it. Tommy was getting to be too much of a liability, and getting worse. He shot some random guy walking around a corner, in broad daylight, because he wanted to try out a new gun he had.
There are two other great mob movies based on real-life events, Casino starring Deniro and Joe Pesci. And Donnie Brasco starring Pacino and Johnny Depp. It's about the FBI agent Joe Pistone who went undercover in the Bonnano crime family,
Henry Hill did a lot of interviews that are available online. He was also on the DVD. He shot the guy working in the bakery who wouldn't wait on him in the foot.
The FBI guy who arranged Henry's Witness Protection is played by the REAL guy who arranged it. If you search for 'The Real Goodfella' on TH-cam there's a good documentary telling Henry's story with interviews by the man himself.
Being "made" means being inducted into the Mafia as an official member or a "Made Man" or "Made Guy". Most of the characters in the movie--with the exceptions of Paulie and Billy Batts--are not official members of the Mafia. They are associates of the Mafia. Being Made means that you're now on the inside an eligible to claim the ranks. It also means that if anyone lays a hand on you that your entire Mafia Family is supposed to seek revenge on your behalf. That's why the killing of Billy Batts was such a crisis despite numerous other people being killed like it was nothing. Billy Batts was a member of the Gambino Family which had around 500 members at the time (and was more than twice as large as the Lucchese Family which they were associated with) and every single one of those 500 guys would have an obligation to kill the ones who murdered Billy Batts.
@@popculturallychallenged Protection is the main part. Depending the on the Family in question; there could be between 20-500 guys backing you. Now, it should be noted that not all Mafia members are killers; in fact by all accounts only a minority have directly murdered anyone. Plus a lot of Made Men are late middle age to elderly as well, but you still could have 5-100 hardened killers ready to avenge you if you're assaulted or murdered. Plus that's not even counting the wannabes and close associates who would be willing to increase their status or the chance of getting made themselves by killing someone. Also in a lot of places the Mob held a monopoly or near monopoly on a lot of illegal and even legitimate businesses and only members or those closely associated with them were allowed to take part in those businesses. Some examples are vending machines in much of New England and the Midwest were run the Mob and if you tried to start your own company; you would either have to pay a hefty "protection" fee or you just be killed. The New York Families also dominated the garbage industry and the construction industry in New York City, Long Island, and northern New Jersey. The pornography* industry was controlled by the New York Families and the Los Angeles Mafia Family until the mid-90s. Trucking (both short distance and long haul) was controlled by the Chicago Outfit in the Midwest. This provides easy access to a legitimate income with minimal competition. Also in some Families (mostly the smaller and medium sized ones like the Cleveland Family) would share in the profits of Family wide rackets such as a share in the casino skimming operations in Las Vegas. *The internet mostly changed that. The Los Angeles, Gambino, and Colombo Families mostly controlled the production of porn. The Los Angeles Family, the Chicago Outfit, and especially the Gambino Family controlled the distribution of pornography across the US and into Canada. And the Bonanno Family controlled the largest chain of pornographic theaters in the world.
Also yes, A LOT of the cast of Goodfellas (and some of the Godfather) are in The Sopranos. Spider is Christopher, Billy Bats is Phil, Pussy's actor you see for a split second during the one shot scene of walking through kitchen with Karen & Henry, Paulie is one of the guys that threatens the mailman in the beginning, Karen is Dr. Melfi, Junior was in Godfather 2 as Johnny Ola etc.
Henry and Karen's daughters when they were little were Lorraine Bracco's real daughters. One of them is Stella Keitel, whose father is actor Harvey Keitel.
I think the stress and high stakes are what attracts people to this kind of life. The reason they'd be arresting Jimmy and Paulie is not because of the drug case. Henry turned informant, to get witness protection. So he'd tell the cops everything he knew about all the other crimes Jimmy and Paulie were involved in.
@@popculturallychallenged Henry's testimony got Jimmy convicted of murdering a man named Richard Eaton and Paulie of arranging the no show job that let Henry get early parole from prison.
If you look things up, Jimmy Conway's real name was Jimmy Burke, Paulie's was Paul Vario and Tommy's was Tommy DiSimone. One of the persistent rumors is that the guy Tommy killed, Billy Batts, was personal friends with Gotti when Gotti was coming up. It's suggested that Gotti and someone else nabbed Tommy and that Tommy died over, let's say, a long period of time, as revenge on the part of Gotti. In any event, it certainly didn't go down in the way the movie shows...as a fake "making" ceremony.
Tommy also tried to rape Karen. But because Karen was having an affair with Paulie, this is one of the reasons Paulie allowed the hit to happen on Tommy.
@@popculturallychallenged Another item of interest. When they’re going through the night club introducing everyone - Micky No Nose, etc. - one of the people they introduce is Michael something or another. In real life it’s Michael Franzese. Michael Franzese has his own TH-cam channel if you want to hear authentic stories of that life. Also, when he was alive, Henry Hill - drunk most of the time - use to go on the Howard Stern show. Those interviews are also on TH-cam.
If noticed, during the scene when Jimmy is gonna have Karen killed, as the camera pulls up and away... There's a One Way sign pointed in the direction of the building and underneath it, a cross walk sign saying: _"Don't walk."_ _One Way, Don't Walk_ Also the federal agent talking to Karen and Henry is the real life agent that (if I recall correctly) either caught and/or got the real life Henry Hill into witness protection/talk.
i play video game called mafia 2 back in January and that game obviously using this movie as inspiration. main character in that game act same and he got his chunky friend too
Godfather is a classic operatic type grand epic... Goodfellas is a graphic and realistic portrayal of a true story. Ive heard it put this way... Godfather is like a story of Napoleon himself how he came into power and how he fought wars and how he ruled. Goodfellas is a story of a solider in Napoleon's army and how he lived through all the wars and Napoleon's rule.
I recommend "A Bronx Tale" (1993), which based also on true events, but have symphatic characters and heartwarming passages too in opposite to Goodfellas, where all characters were ********.
You need to watch Casino 💯 it’s all mafia movies but they are all very different like Godfather is set in the 1930s or 40s Goodfellas is set in NYC in the 80s and 70s and Casino is based in Las Vegas ☯️
Goodfellas isn't even the more violent version of The Godfather, it's what ACTUAL mob life is like. The Godfather and Part 2 are great, right up there with my favorite films of all time, but it romanticized the Mafia. The Mafia isn't about code or honor (to a SMALL extent, but only in regards to it getting you killed) or heritage. It's just a group of psychopaths that will screw over or kill ANYONE to get more money or power.
95% true. Spider is buried in Penn somewhere, John Gotti is the one who killed Tommy (Gotti was an up and comer at the time), this is real life in the underworld.
Those who've never seen "The Godfather" claim this -- or "My Cousin Vinny" -- is the best mob movie. Ignorance of history is painful to those who are not ignorant of it.
Mafia ranks from lowest to highest are 1. Associate 2. Soldier 3. Made man 4. Captain 5. Under Boss and 6. Boss. Consigliare is an adviser to the boss and outside of the chain of command.
What's the difference between the first two? I thought "associate" was the catch-all term for anyone who couldn't be made or hadn't been made yet. Were Jimmy and Henry associates or soldiers?
@@chrishh5777 associate can not be made and soldier qualifies to be made but has not yet achieved that level. Jimmy and Henry were associates and Tommy was a soldier. Jimmy and Henry would never be higher than associate. That being said that does not mean the Lucchese family of which they were a part of did not value them. At the end of the day it is about how much money you bring in and Jimmy was one of the highest earners.
Godfather was more of the upper level of the mob where Goodfellas is more the street level crews of the mob. I live in Brooklyn NY and have encountered quite a few mob guys. Some come across as pretty nice and funny guys while others you just know not to screw with just by looking at them. However they will all kill you in a heartbeat
My Blue Heaven (1990) starring Martin Short and Rick Moranis is a quasi sequel to Goodfellas with Henry Hill adjusting to life in the witness protection program.
The copacabana was a world famous niteclub in NYC for years run famously by the mob . Used to work in a small niteclub in north Jersey that was a small time mob run place. My favorite part of movie, when he goes to the Copa, brought me back to those times.
The movie says Tommy was killed as payback for Billy Batts. But in reality when Henry was in prison, Tommy tried to rape Karen, Karen told Paulie what happened and Paulie arranged for Tommy to be killed.
I love Goodfellas so much I could put it on mute and do the narration myself lol. I do think this one is the ultimate Mob Movie up there with The Godfather saga.
That tracking shot when they go into the restaurant thorugh the kitchen is one of the greatest in the history of cinema. Worth the price of admission all by itself.
It was pretty impressive!
@@popculturallychallenged - What's also impressive is that they did that whole 3 minute scene with one long continuous shot, and no cuts.
It’s really not.. it’s good, that’s it.. have you even watched movies?
@@VictorLugosi You have no idea how hard it is to do a three minute continuous take with that many moving parts. Cope
The guy that plays the lawyer offering witness protection was the real prosecuting attorney in Henry's trial. The scene was filmed in his real office at the time.
That is so cool! Thanks!
The woman who played Tommy's mother during the dinner scene was actually Martin Scorsese's mother, Catherine Scorsese. His father also had a small part in the film. His mom didn't have any lines; she just reacted to what the other actors were saying, as is they were all sitting around eating dinner.
That's so cool! 😃
She also actually painted the picture with the dogs.
"As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster."
Fun Fact: After Joe Pesci's mother saw the film, she told him the movie was good, then asked him if he had to curse so much.
Funny How Fact: According to the real Henry Hill, whose life was the basis for the book and film, Joe Pesci's portrayal of Tommy DeSimone was 90-99% accurate, with one notable exception; the real Tommy DeSimone was massively built.
Method Acting Fact: Henry's last day as a wiseguy was the hardest part of the film for Martin Scorsese to shoot. He wanted to properly show Henry's anxiety, paranoia, and racing thoughts caused by cocaine and amphetamine intoxication. Ray Liotta had never been under the influence of those drugs, and found it difficult to accurately portray.
Mirror On The Wall Fact: Paul Sorvino wanted to drop out of the role of Paul "Paulie" Cicero three days before filming began, because he felt that he lacked the cold personality to play the character. He called his agent and asked to be released from the film. Sorvino's agent told him to think about it for one day before making a final decision. That night, Sorvino looked in the mirror and was frightened by the look on his face. He realized that that look was the look he needed to play Paulie.
@BigGator5 Some many facts. 🤯
Thanks Gator! Awesome information as always! 😃
You're welcome! 😁
Go in Peace and Walk with God. 😎 👍
Drug fact: in real life cops never dip their fingers in drugs and taste them because they have no way of knowing what exactly it is or what it may have been adulterated with.
The actor playing the witness protection cop is the lead investigator who brought him down in real life. Bold.
Very bold! 😳
Mob movies always have chaos. Dealing drugs is chaotic. This is one of my favorite movies. Such a classic
It was great! 😃
You're right about someone getting shot in the foot in Sopranos.
Michael Imperioli got shot in foot and was later kill in Goodfellas.
In The Sopranos, Michael Imperioli was the one who shot the employee in the foot for making him wait.
I thought I remembered something like that! Thanks! 😃
I like it when the both of you haven't seen the flick to be viewed, but man, this one(?), I figured at least you, David, had seen it already. Great watch.
Scoresese said he was done with this genre and didn't want to make a another one anymore, then his agent insisted he read the script 'based of this guy that was in it'. The rest is history. When the movie came out Henry Hill even wrote a review article of the film for GQ magazine.
Yeah, mob movies are one area that I'm definitely lacking in. (The other being Horror) I'm not sure why but they just weren't movies I ever watched. Trying to fix that with the channel. :)
I would recommend the movie "CASINO" to you !! It´s with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci too and Pesci is a bad guy as well. A great movie💯! Another option is "SCARFACE" (Al Pacino)💥👍
We'll add them to our list! Thanks!
@@popculturallychallenged 😃👍- for "Scarface" the uncut version !!
For the real Tommy, there would be no point in an open casket funeral. He wouldn’t be in it because he not only got whacked, he wasn’t seen again, alive or dead. Different people have told different tales about what happened to him, but there’s not at all likely to be anyone alive who really knows how Tommy met his end. Not for a while now.
That's interesting, thanks for sharing! - Toni
16:30
I've seen this movie more times than I can remember, yet every single time I see Jimmy's short sleeved suit I laugh. Short. Sleeved. Suit.
Also, the FBI handler working out the witness protection deal is the actual FBI agent who was Henry Hill's handler in real life.
I'm surprised short sleeved suits never caught on. 😂 Thanks for the info! 😃
When I was younger I loved Goodfellas especially having lived in NYC in the 80s and 90s. I saw bits and pieces of The Godfather back then. Later as I got older I finally saw The Godfather in its entirety several times and realized The Godfather was the better movie overall. Put it this way, The Godfather is a fine wine and Goodfellas is a Coors light. I love both films and directors but I appreciate the The Godfather just a little more.
That’s an excellent way of putting that. 😂 - Toni
Good thing ur sitting at home Toni, now you can get ur shine box.
I don't understand. - Toni
@@popculturallychallenged Billy Batts gets out of prison and tells Tommy to "go back home and get his shinebox". Then Tommy leaves and comes back to kill him.
Something that it mindblowing to me is that one of the real life mob guys introduced in the scene at 6:40 (Michael Franzese) now has his very own youtube channel. Check him out! - he says that although he was acquainted with the characters in this film he was working with one of the other five families so they didn't really mix, and that when he first saw the movie in the cinema with his girlfriend he immediately walked out.
I'll have to look him up! Thanks!
I was going to say the same thing, but was checking to make sure no one else did already.
You are absolutely right: this is a VERY funny movie. When I saw it in the theater, the audience was roaring with laughter the whole time. If you had just recorded the audience reaction, you would have assumed they were watching a comedy. Great reaction! And congratulations, between The Godfather 1 & 2 and this you've seen what are considered the best mafia movies of all time. There is another that is worth seeing: Donnie Brasco, which tells the story from the law enforcement side. That's with Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. And if you like Goodfellas, then check out Casino which is basically Goodfellas Goes To Vegas! (also based on a true story). But take a break first! Good to space out movies of the same genre!
Thank you, we have added it to our list. - Toni
29:37 The guy that played the FBI agent wasn’t an actor. He is the actual FBI agent that worked on the case with Henry Hill.
That is so cool! 😃
27:27 finally! the shoe drops 😆
I can't believe it took me that long to recognize her!
Henry Hill eventually died several years ago. Actor, Ray Liotta died suddenly last spring. He is starring in the new film "Cocaine Bear" and a few other films scheduled for release later this year.
I still can't believe Ray Lotta died. 😭 I've seen Cocaine Bear listed online but I don't know anything about it. Is it worth checking out?
Incidentally, the real cocaine bear also died, after only absorbing a small amount of what it consumed. That’s no spoiler, though. The movie is… let’s say, very entertainingly embellished. 😉
The "funny how" scene between Tommy and Henry was partially improvised and none of the guys around them knew what was happening. They actually thought Joe Pesci was really upset at Ray Liotta, so the looks on their faces were real and not acting. Also, some real mob guys had some brief scenes in the movie, mainly in the nightclub scenes.
Cool! Thanks for the info!
Mobster James Burke was portrayed by Robert De Niro in the 1990 Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas, the character was renamed Jimmy Conway.
Good info! - Toni
Believe it or not, the real life Tommy was a more psychopathic loose cannon than depicted in the film.
crazy!! He was nuts in the movie in my opinion. - Toni
Two of my favorite people, watching a classic drama! I'm envious of you & your first viewing.
Thank you so much! We hope you enjoyed the video!
23:55 the doctor was played by Isaiah Whittock aka Clay Davis from The Wire.
Cool!
The irony here is, Henry had a weird funny life, while in protection. A comedy movie based on some of his crazyness was done by Steve Martin and Rick Moranis, I think called My Blue Heaven or Pennies from heaven.
Got it added to our list. Thank you! - Toni
You omitted the best part. The critique of the mom’s painting.
That was a funny part, we just didn’t react very much to it.
In the real world
Tommy killed Billy Batts because while Billy was in jail Tommy had taken over his routes for number running etc and did not want to give them up once Billy was free....so he whacked him
Interesting. Thanks! 😃
I think Billy (bats) was good friends with John Gotti, so yes... he was untouchable. 🤔👍
👍
Tommy’s mother never had a casket for his funeral because his body was never actually found.
Interesting.... - Toni
I believe that in real life Paulie ordered the hit on Tommy. Tommy was way out of control. Plus, he killed a made man. Unforgivable.
That would make sense. Paulie was the only person not involved who seemed to know it was Tommy that did it.
Not sure if he ordered it, but probably conceded to it. Tommy was getting to be too much of a liability, and getting worse. He shot some random guy walking around a corner, in broad daylight, because he wanted to try out a new gun he had.
There are two other great mob movies based on real-life events, Casino starring Deniro and Joe Pesci. And Donnie Brasco starring Pacino and Johnny Depp. It's about the FBI agent Joe Pistone who went undercover in the Bonnano crime family,
We've added them both to our list. Thanks! 😃
Another Gangster movie based on actual events is "American Gangster" starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.
We'll add it to our list! Thanks!
Henry Hill did a lot of interviews that are available online. He was also on the DVD. He shot the guy working in the bakery who wouldn't wait on him in the foot.
Thanks!
The FBI guy who arranged Henry's Witness Protection is played by the REAL guy who arranged it. If you search for 'The Real Goodfella' on TH-cam there's a good documentary telling Henry's story with interviews by the man himself.
That is so cool! I'll have to check out that documentary. Thanks! 😃
Excellent films based on true stories: "Black Mass" and "Donnie Brasco". "Donnie Brasco" (one of Al Pacino's best) explains what "made man" means.
Thanks for the suggestions!
I literally drop what im doing the second i see a vid from you two haha. This is a masterpiece cant wait to watch it with you guys :D
Hope you enjoyed it! 😃
Being "made" means being inducted into the Mafia as an official member or a "Made Man" or "Made Guy". Most of the characters in the movie--with the exceptions of Paulie and Billy Batts--are not official members of the Mafia. They are associates of the Mafia.
Being Made means that you're now on the inside an eligible to claim the ranks. It also means that if anyone lays a hand on you that your entire Mafia Family is supposed to seek revenge on your behalf.
That's why the killing of Billy Batts was such a crisis despite numerous other people being killed like it was nothing. Billy Batts was a member of the Gambino Family which had around 500 members at the time (and was more than twice as large as the Lucchese Family which they were associated with) and every single one of those 500 guys would have an obligation to kill the ones who murdered Billy Batts.
Oh that makes sense.
So you want to be "made".... for protection?
That's alot of members!!
-Toni
@@popculturallychallenged
Protection is the main part. Depending the on the Family in question; there could be between 20-500 guys backing you. Now, it should be noted that not all Mafia members are killers; in fact by all accounts only a minority have directly murdered anyone. Plus a lot of Made Men are late middle age to elderly as well, but you still could have 5-100 hardened killers ready to avenge you if you're assaulted or murdered. Plus that's not even counting the wannabes and close associates who would be willing to increase their status or the chance of getting made themselves by killing someone.
Also in a lot of places the Mob held a monopoly or near monopoly on a lot of illegal and even legitimate businesses and only members or those closely associated with them were allowed to take part in those businesses.
Some examples are vending machines in much of New England and the Midwest were run the Mob and if you tried to start your own company; you would either have to pay a hefty "protection" fee or you just be killed. The New York Families also dominated the garbage industry and the construction industry in New York City, Long Island, and northern New Jersey. The pornography* industry was controlled by the New York Families and the Los Angeles Mafia Family until the mid-90s. Trucking (both short distance and long haul) was controlled by the Chicago Outfit in the Midwest.
This provides easy access to a legitimate income with minimal competition.
Also in some Families (mostly the smaller and medium sized ones like the Cleveland Family) would share in the profits of Family wide rackets such as a share in the casino skimming operations in Las Vegas.
*The internet mostly changed that. The Los Angeles, Gambino, and Colombo Families mostly controlled the production of porn. The Los Angeles Family, the Chicago Outfit, and especially the Gambino Family controlled the distribution of pornography across the US and into Canada. And the Bonanno Family controlled the largest chain of pornographic theaters in the world.
Also yes, A LOT of the cast of Goodfellas (and some of the Godfather) are in The Sopranos. Spider is Christopher, Billy Bats is Phil, Pussy's actor you see for a split second during the one shot scene of walking through kitchen with Karen & Henry, Paulie is one of the guys that threatens the mailman in the beginning, Karen is Dr. Melfi, Junior was in Godfather 2 as Johnny Ola etc.
I thought we recognized a few people! 😃
And Martin Scorsese has a cameo (as himself) in The Sopranos!
Henry and Karen's daughters when they were little were Lorraine Bracco's real daughters. One of them is Stella Keitel, whose father is actor Harvey Keitel.
Oh cool! Thanks for the info! 😃
8:51 "I think we picked the wrong career paths..."
i don't know, you're not in jail or dead. 🙂
Well there's that... 😂
The woman that played Tommy’s mother, (Joe Pesci) is Director Martin Scorsese‘s mother.
Cool!
That was a real FBI Agent, I think he is a judge now. The woman that played the mother is really the director's mother. Enjoyed your review
Thank you!
i'm really glad it's a first watch for you *both.*
We both really enjoyed it. 😃
I think the stress and high stakes are what attracts people to this kind of life. The reason they'd be arresting Jimmy and Paulie is not because of the drug case. Henry turned informant, to get witness protection. So he'd tell the cops everything he knew about all the other crimes Jimmy and Paulie were involved in.
Good point!
@@popculturallychallenged Henry's testimony got Jimmy convicted of murdering a man named Richard Eaton and Paulie of arranging the no show job that let Henry get early parole from prison.
Another fun fact: The guy talking to Karen and Henry about witness protection was an ACTUAL FBI agent!
That's cool! Thanks!
If you look things up, Jimmy Conway's real name was Jimmy Burke, Paulie's was Paul Vario and Tommy's was Tommy DiSimone. One of the persistent rumors is that the guy Tommy killed, Billy Batts, was personal friends with Gotti when Gotti was coming up. It's suggested that Gotti and someone else nabbed Tommy and that Tommy died over, let's say, a long period of time, as revenge on the part of Gotti. In any event, it certainly didn't go down in the way the movie shows...as a fake "making" ceremony.
Tommy also tried to rape Karen. But because Karen was having an affair with Paulie, this is one of the reasons Paulie allowed the hit to happen on Tommy.
Wow, that's crazy!! - Toni
@@popculturallychallenged
Another item of interest. When they’re going through the night club introducing everyone - Micky No Nose, etc. - one of the people they introduce is Michael something or another. In real life it’s Michael Franzese. Michael Franzese has his own TH-cam channel if you want to hear authentic stories of that life.
Also, when he was alive, Henry Hill - drunk most of the time - use to go on the Howard Stern show. Those interviews are also on TH-cam.
Wow, that’s pretty cool!! I’ll need to make some time to check it out!! - Toni
They did do a fake making ceremony to lure Tommy in, but they didn't shoot him quickly in the head. In fact Tommy's body was never found.
The FBI agent in the movie was also the FBI agent in real life.
Cool! Thanks for the info!
The joe pesci characters mother is Martin Scorsese mum
Oh cool!! 😃
1:47 i do not think those are tissues. it sounds like the paper you put in a gift bag.
So true! 😂
If noticed, during the scene when Jimmy is gonna have Karen killed, as the camera pulls up and away... There's a One Way sign pointed in the direction of the building and underneath it, a cross walk sign saying: _"Don't walk."_ _One Way, Don't Walk_ Also the federal agent talking to Karen and Henry is the real life agent that (if I recall correctly) either caught and/or got the real life Henry Hill into witness protection/talk.
That's cool!
Joe Pesci won an Oscar for this movie
He was great in this! 😃
Casino also a Mob Deniro/ Pecsi classic produced by scorsese.
Adding to our list, thank you. - Toni
i play video game called mafia 2 back in January and that game obviously using this movie as inspiration. main character in that game act same and he got his chunky friend too
I've never played that but I may have to check it out!
The Godfather is a better film, but Goodfellas is fantastic and a mob movie classic. So much fun.
Agreed!
Godfather is a classic operatic type grand epic...
Goodfellas is a graphic and realistic portrayal of a true story.
Ive heard it put this way...
Godfather is like a story of Napoleon himself how he came into power and how he fought wars and how he ruled.
Goodfellas is a story of a solider in Napoleon's army and how he lived through all the wars and Napoleon's rule.
That’s a great way of putting that. Thank you!! - Toni
I recommend "A Bronx Tale" (1993), which based also on true events, but have symphatic characters and heartwarming passages too in opposite to Goodfellas, where all characters were ********.
We'll add it to our list! Thanks!
You need to watch Casino 💯 it’s all mafia movies but they are all very different like Godfather is set in the 1930s or 40s Goodfellas is set in NYC in the 80s and 70s and Casino is based in Las Vegas ☯️
We've got it on our list. Thanks!
Thank you!!! The real Henry Hill did a lot of appearances on the Howard Stern Show if you're interested and they're on TH-cam.
I'll have to check them out, thanks!
Goodfellas isn't even the more violent version of The Godfather, it's what ACTUAL mob life is like. The Godfather and Part 2 are great, right up there with my favorite films of all time, but it romanticized the Mafia. The Mafia isn't about code or honor (to a SMALL extent, but only in regards to it getting you killed) or heritage. It's just a group of psychopaths that will screw over or kill ANYONE to get more money or power.
Good point!
The FBI agent at the end is played by the real FBI agent
Thank you for the insight, I didn’t know. - Toni
Great film, This, Godfather 1, 2, Casino and Scarface, amazing
We've got them on our list! Thanks!
This following eternal sunshine is like night and day but they are both in my top 10, glad ur reacting to classics
Thank you!
Back in that time. There were no car washes.
I wouldn’t have guessed… I was sure that’s where he should have been cleaning the car. :) -Toni
95% true. Spider is buried in Penn somewhere, John Gotti is the one who killed Tommy (Gotti was an up and comer at the time), this is real life in the underworld.
I think the fact that it was based on a true story is what surprised me the most! 😃
Read "Wiseguy" or ""Wiseguys And Goodfellas" The movie is remarkably accurate.
Those who've never seen "The Godfather" claim this -- or "My Cousin Vinny" -- is the best mob movie. Ignorance of history is painful to those who are not ignorant of it.
I had never thought of My Cousin Vinny as a mob movie. 😂
Would love to see you guys react to the Rocky franchise, then Creed I and II. Wifey will definitely need the tissues
We've got them on our list! 😃
Check out the movie American Gangster(2007) starring Denzel Washington. This is also based on a true story.
7:01 "Oh no." 😑
😂
yea...the Lufthansa heist is notorious..almost crazy how easy it was...but all true..
That is crazy!
Next you guys gotta do Al Pacino in "SCAREFACE"
We'll add it to our list! Thanks!
R.i.P RAY LOITTA 67 years old, you were great in this movie.
Gone too soon. 😢
Please watch a bronx tale, it is Goodfellas combined with Romeo and Juliet. It is great. it would win in a poll with most movies.
We've added it to our list! Thanks! 😃
Mafia ranks from lowest to highest are 1. Associate 2. Soldier 3. Made man 4. Captain 5. Under Boss and 6. Boss. Consigliare is an adviser to the boss and outside of the chain of command.
What's the difference between the first two? I thought "associate" was the catch-all term for anyone who couldn't be made or hadn't been made yet. Were Jimmy and Henry associates or soldiers?
@@chrishh5777 associate can not be made and soldier qualifies to be made but has not yet achieved that level. Jimmy and Henry were associates and Tommy was a soldier. Jimmy and Henry would never be higher than associate. That being said that does not mean the Lucchese family of which they were a part of did not value them. At the end of the day it is about how much money you bring in and Jimmy was one of the highest earners.
Wow! I never realized there were so many ranks! Thanks for the info! 😃
Martin Scorsese never misses. 🎥
We need to watch more of his stuff on the channel! Anything that you would recommend? 😃
Film opens in 1970. 20 years in the past. Like making a movie about the Iraq war now.
That’s crazy! - Toni
They never found Tommy body fr
Tony (James Galdofini) of The Sopranos is not in this film. You mistook Pauley (Paul Sorvino) for him😊
I think you're right. I was surprised how many people from the Sopranos were in this!
Great reaction guys
Thank you very much!
Godfather was more of the upper level of the mob where Goodfellas is more the street level crews of the mob. I live in Brooklyn NY and have encountered quite a few mob guys. Some come across as pretty nice and funny guys while others you just know not to screw with just by looking at them. However they will all kill you in a heartbeat
My Blue Heaven (1990) starring Martin Short and Rick Moranis is a quasi sequel to Goodfellas with Henry Hill adjusting to life in the witness protection program.
Added to our list, thank you! - Toni
Of course with Steve Martin and Rick Moranis starring, you know it's gonna be a comedy. 😄
We miss you Ray Liotta❤
Agree!
The copacabana was a world famous niteclub in NYC for years run famously by the mob . Used to work in a small niteclub in north Jersey that was a small time mob run place. My favorite part of movie, when he goes to the Copa, brought me back to those times.
That must have been interesting!!!! - Toni
You should definitely follow up with ,,, Casino , great reactions keep up the good work..
Thank you so much! 🥰
Suspension of disbelief is essential
So true! 😂
You’ll LOVE “CASINO” with Dinero, Pesci etc. CRAZY
It's on our list! 😃
@Pop Culturally Challenged - Another based on real life mob movie to watch is Donnie Brasco, great film.
Added to our list! Thanks!
@@popculturallychallenged
No worries, Anytime! love your reactions 👍
The woman in glasses reminds me of an older version of Imon_Snow, she's another reactor.
I hope we're half as successful as she's been with her channel! 😃
The movie says Tommy was killed as payback for Billy Batts. But in reality when Henry was in prison, Tommy tried to rape Karen, Karen told Paulie what happened and Paulie arranged for Tommy to be killed.
Oh wow! Thanks for the info!
React to Donnie Brasco....another great mob movie...has Johnny Depp and Al Pacino
Thanks for the suggestion!
Another top mob movie you need to do is A Bronx Tale.
We'll add it to our list! Thanks!
Still waiting on good will hunting!!
I love Goodfellas so much I could put it on mute and do the narration myself lol. I do think this one is the ultimate Mob Movie up there with The Godfather saga.
It was awesome!
Another one I saw once and it affected me.
Actually, they are all deceased now.
Thanks for the info! 😃
"She just married him" lmao It's cute you think that matters.
😂
11:14 - aboost (money envelopes) :-)
👍
Are you sure your tissues in the tube, are not Pringle's 🇬🇧😊😊❤
The Pringles might actually be softer! 😂
Great reaction! Thanks!
Thank you! 😃
Yeah its way more gory than godfather but the tone is much lighter
We agree! - Toni
Back in the day
👍
Try Sexy Beast.Ben Kingsley makes joe Pesci look like a nice guy.
Added to our list! Thank you! -Toni
Why are the curse words edited out? The majority of other reaction videos leave them in. We are not children.
I agree! The rules for profanity have changed a couple of times so at this point we are blocking out some just to avoid having our videos blocked.
Go to Vegas guys.
Toni actually just got back from Vegas tonight! 😂