Selected movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.... lists and explain how three cinematic techniques and/or design elements have helped establish a major theme in that film. Note: While you are a
Power 2
Money & Power in Goodfellas
Martin Scorsese’s film Goodfellas (1990) is a gangster drama that shows the audience
what it is like to be a part of the Mafia. This film is mainly told from the point of view of Henry
Hill, played by Ray Liotta, who knew as a child that he wanted to be a part of the crime family.
This film shows Henry Hill’s “thirst for and rise to power,” which is its major theme
(Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2014, Ch. 4.2, para. 12). The movie Goodfellas shows the power that
comes with money, the power of choice, and the power of persuasion, all of which are
established through cinematography, acting, costuming, and design.
With money comes power. This is shown in “The Long Take” scene in which Henry Hill
and his date are walking into the Copacabana nightclub. Scorcese uses a continuous tracking shot
to show Henry gladhanding the nightclub staff the resulting respect he is given, not only by the
staff of the nightclub, but the other patrons inside. This cinematographic technique portrays
Henry Hill as a man of importance. The camera stays low, making him look tall, and stays with
him through the back entrance, a hallway, the kitchen, and into the dining room where he is
given his own table in front of everyone else. Also, a bottle of wine is sent over to him from
another table in the club, to show as a sign of respect. The color in this clip is desaturated to
appear more realistic, so that the audience feels they are right there with the actors, getting the
VIP access that comes with the rise in power. Another point to make in this scene is how it
shows the flashy car, fancy suits, and money being thrown around like it’s a normal way of life.
This is Scorcese’s way of demonstrating that these things are essential elements of the gangsters’
lives, (Castellitto, 1998. P.3). The power theme is established in many visual layers; attention is
drawn to money exchanging hands, to material items, and, because money buys both material Power 4
crew, have their own ways of using their power to get others to follow their demands. For
example, after the big heist on John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jimmy (Robert De Niro)
distributes the money to his guys and tells them not to spend it. Jimmy only wants to keep the
police’s attention away from them in regards to the crime. Some of the men don’t listen to his
commands. They spend money on luxuries, like a pink car and a fur coat, which makes them
look too flashy. Jimmy has the couple killed in return for their disloyalty to him. Even though he
was a gangster himself, Jimmy “appeared to be a greater threat to other gangsters, than law-
abiding citizens,”(Goodykoontz, & Jacobs, 2014, Ch. 4.2, para. 12). This was a definite way to
convince the others not to spend their money. The mise en scene showing the luxury pink car and
the way the wife and husband are dressed fancy in the “He’d rather whack ‘em” clip, shows that
the couple had money, but they did not have the ultimate power like Jimmy, to make the call that
they should die.
In conclusion, Martin Scorcese’s film, Goodfellas (1990), gives us a look into the life of
mobsters. When watching this film, one can see the theme of power portrayed throughout it. The
use of continuity editing increases the audience’s awareness of the characters and their
surroundings in the film and how they are given a certain authority over others because of the
lifestyle they live. With the red color hues and camera angles, the viewer can see how the
mobsters earn power by taking it from others. Adding in props, like guns and fancy clothes,
along with the actors’ style of acting, help enhance the audiences’ perception of how much
power these characters in the film, truly hold. Power 5
References
Barthesian. (2009, March 11). The long take: Goodfellas
[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/OJEEVtqXdK8
Castellitto, G. P. (1998). Imagism and Martin Scorsese: Images suspended and extended. Literature Film Quarterly , 26(1), 23
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing
(2nd ed.) [Electronic
version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
IMBd. (2016). Goodfellas Trivia. Retrieved From: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/trivia
Kanqa2007’s channel. (2010, December 14). Goodfellas (the beginning). [Video file]. Retrieved
from: https://youtu.be/LRw3nudL1Fw
ScarFail. (2011, February 1). Goodfellas (1990)- “he’d rather whack ‘em.”[Video file]. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/IowunN9Y5yE
Winkler, Irwin. (Producer). & Scorcese, Martin. (Director). (1990). Goodfellas. [Motion
Picture]. United States: Warner Brothers. 1. The author clearly presents the thesis for the paper, explaining how a discussion of the various required
elements will establish theme.
2. This is a great way to show the immediate effect of cinematography in a film. The way the camera treats a
character tells the viewer how we should perceive that character. Here, the author not only notes the specific
cinematographic technique, but describes what that technique does to establish the major themes of the film.
3. This very astute observation identifies the actions and objects captured on camera and interprets their
meaning accurately as it corresponds to and constructs the film’s theme. It’s as simple as noting what appears
on camera (the mise en scène), how the camera treats it (cinematography), and what it suggests about the story
(theme).
4. Color and hue, whether created by light or filters on the camera’s lens, has a very palpable effect on how
we perceive a scene and how a director might signal what’s to come. This is a very strong use of examples and
analysis to show exactly how color contributes to the film’s theme.
5. Using specific examples establishes the support necessary for the claims the author has made.
6. This conclusion does a great job of reflecting the thesis statement, and reiterating the major points of each
paragraph as relates to the overall theme of money and power. A great model for a conclusion is to rephrase
the thesis, address each paragraph, and tie these points together in a summary statement about the topic of the
p ap e r.
