Goodfellas Opening Scene Analysis

The film “Goodfellas” was released in 1990, and directed by renowned Italian American director Martin Scorsese. The narrative follows the main character Henry from his late teens, building up to his career as a professional criminal associated with the mafia. The opening scene is a harrowing and graphic example of the casual violence that surrounds Henry. The disturbing reality depicted in this opening scene has what has made it particularly iconic in the Gangster genre of film.

The first shot of the film is of a black background with the credits. Minimal wording appears on the screen, and the words quickly slide across the screen from the right in a large white font. The word that has just slid across the screen then reappears in a smaller white font, and stays still until it is replaced by the next larger word sliding across. The sound, that goes with the word transitions is presumably diegetic traffic noise, and gives the viewer an idea of the setting. The final sentence that the audience see on this background is “This film is based on a true story” this is used to get the viewer instantly believing of the story and the characters portrayed within it.

The first opening shot containing real images is the tracking shot of the car driving down the road in the darkness. The shot instantly promotes a foreboding atmosphere that is consistent with the gangster image. This shot pans left and comes alongside the car, giving the viewers the impression that we are following the car, and that the characters inside the car are perhaps key to the story.

When the audience eventually sees inside the car there is a medium close up of the driver, although we can see two other men in the car. The focus on the driver gives the audience a subtle hint that he could be the main character. The next shot of note in the scene is when the men get out of the car to investigate the noise in the boot. The shot is a low angle of the characters in side profile, for the viewers looking up at them, it shows the characters have an authoritative and controlling air about them, which makes them more believable as gangsters.

There is then the gradual close up to the boot of the car; the camera zooms in to the source of the noise like a person reluctantly going to open it. This cuts to a medium shot of all three of the men that gradually zooms in on the two holding weapons, who obviously getting ready for a confrontation. The man holding the shovel nods to the character who is out of shot, then the camera pans round to focus in on the un-armed man to reveal the contents of the car. The camera moves slowly again here to convey the trepidation that all of the men are feeling towards having to deal with whatever is making the noise in the back of the car. Also from an audiences point of view this creates anticipation through the build of tension. The scene ends with a still of who we can assume to be the main character, slamming the boot shut in time with a song from a typical 50s Italian American singer Tony Bennett. This is appropriate as the 50’s is a time in history, often thought of as the peak of the American Mafia’s powers. The song is also contemporary to the setting of the next scene.

The editing throughout this scene maintains a slow pace, to ensure the build up of tension. However, the level of tension that the audience may feel as the scene develops is not matched by the characters involved, as they remain stony faced and uncaring throughout. The type of shots used also effect the time between cuts, as the panning shots, tracking shots and shots that slowly zoom in from medium to a close up, prolong the time that the audience has to wait to find out what is making noise in the boot. The editing during the kill follows the same slow pattern to expose the audience to the brutal realism of the world that the characters inhabit.

The costume and general style used in this scene is typical of the Gangster genre. All three characters swear crisp neat suits, and have hair that has been combed back in a style dating from around the fifties. Other iconic films such as “The Godfather” and “Scarface” support this smart wealthy image of Italian mafia gangsters. The lighting and setting, aside from the smart suits and haircuts, supports the secretive nature of the events that are taking place. The lighting is minimal, with only the car headlights to light the murder scene, and presumably streetlamps that light up the inside of the car at points. The lighting is deliberately dark because as I have said, the characters are trying to hide their criminal activities and do not want to be seen. However, use of a torch by the men or any other lighting device would have an inappropriate and unrealistic prop given the circumstances. The weapon props however are realistic and are used to define the brutality and the ruthlessness of criminals of that level. The carving knife, the shovel and the gun all appear in this scene to show that whatever is in making noise in the boot will die very painfully, thus the trepidation in the camera work.

Pulp Fiction Opening scene analysis

Pulp Fiction is a deliberately counter-typical Gangster/Comedy film from 1994.

The plot involves 12 main characters and follows three separate story lines that intertwine at various key points throughout the film. As my task for this project is to create a film opening, for part of my research I am now going to break down and analyze what makes the opening scene of pulp fiction, a successful and effective one.

The first shot of the film is a still shot of the dictionary meaning of the word pulp. There are two meanings but it is clear to the viewer that the second is relevant and immediately gives an indication of what is to follow in the film. This shot fades in and out; I believe this is because Tarantino wanted the meaning of this word from the title to stick in the viewer’s minds throughout the film. There is no sound during this shot, which also makes the viewer concentrate more on the words on screen.

This cuts to a medium shot of a man and a woman sitting at a table in the restaurant. The two characters in the scene have conflicting characterizations, the man’s slovenly posture, and the fact that he smokes, and his foul language suggests a rebellious nature. The woman in contrast sits up straight in her seat and has a happy and bouncy character. The shot is highly lit due for authenticity, because of the restaurant setting. And the only sound used is diegetic, such as background conversation, traffic noise and quiet music from the restaurant. This sound is used to give the viewer the viewer the indication they are in a busy environment, despite for the time being only being shown this single booth of the restaurant. When we first see the couple due to the costume and the very mundane setting, they appear to be a normal everyday couple. However, this is only a reuse to cover up their true identities, as the dialogue reveals them to be professional criminals. This reuse is deliberately used by Tarantino to counteract the conventions of the Gangster/crime-thriller genre.

Despite their incriminating conversation the next shot is a close-up of the waitress who comes to serve them more coffee, to add to the element of normality the waitress seems happy to serve them. This cuts to match on action shot of the waitress pouring the coffee, and the woman on the table gratefully accepting it, acting in a polite and civil manner towards the waitress. This short exchange again counter-acts the audience’s expectations of the woman’s behavior to others, taking into account she is a criminal.

The next series of shots uses the shot-reverse shot editing technique. These shots cut between an over the shoulder shot of the man talking, and a close up of the woman who doesn’t talk, but shows an animated interest in what she is saying.

During this part of the scene the couple again further themselves from normality, as although they talk together like a normal couple, the subject matter of the conversation is a theft and armed robbery. This series of shots carries on as the man explains more about his intentions; this provokes the woman to become yet more animated. The lighting and diegetic sound remain the same, suggesting a relaxed and laid-back surrounding environment, again in complete contrast to what the couple is talking about. This relaxed atmosphere forces the viewer to a standpoint of disbelief that they aren’t actually going to carry out this plan, morbid curiosity just keeps us interested as to his methods.

Soon after the man suggests actually robbing the restaurant they are sat in. This immediately alarms the audience and disrupts the calm that the setting and sounds has created. In this shot the camera moves and zooms in simultaneously, this is done to show an increased interest in the man, as the conversation has escalated from a possible robbery, to robbing the restaurant they are currently sat in.

After this succession of shots the couple are now getting ready to rob the restaurant, the woman’s character has changed from a calm happiness to an almost sexual enjoyment of the idea of robbing the diner. There is a match on action shot of the man slamming a gun down on the table, this says to the audience that they are serious and have the means to carry out this robbery.

Before they get up to initiate the robbery the man says to the woman “I love you honey bunny” a corny and stereotypical nickname for a romantic partner, again going against the conventions of the gangster film genre, after this there is a close up of the two of them as they kiss.

Starting the robbery the man stands up on top of his chair and waves his gun in the air, the camera pans up with him as the focus of the shot as the woman turns away from the camera. At climax of this opening scene all the ideas and preconceptions the audience has of the woman are dismissed, she jumps quickly to the same position as man, and gesturing with gun start shouting and swearing at the people in there telling them that she is going to execute them. The shot used during this is a medium shot, containing both the characters waving their guns in the same direction, with the woman closer than the man, suggesting her dominant involvement in the robbery. This restaurant sequence, and opening scene ends with a freeze frame of the woman and the man pointing their guns to the left as the credits appear on the screen. At this point non-diegetic sound is heard for the first time, in the form of the theme tune of the film.