Thread by @carlquintanilla

“GoodFellas” has its world premiere 31 years ago today, at the Venice Film Festival.

".. There's not a day that goes by that I don't hear somebody mention" it, Ray Liotta once said. "It's defined who I am, in a sense.”

Thread:

Among the early casting ideas:

* Tom Cruise as Henry.
* Madonna as Karen.
* John Malkovich as De Niro’s character, Jimmy.

As Malkovich later told @GQMagazine:

“It’s hard to explain why you end up in ‘Eragon’ instead of ‘GoodFellas’.”// 2

The Copacabana/Steadicam shot was, blocked, lit and filmed in half a day — over seven takes.

Assistant director Joseph Reidy: "It's probably the hardest orchestrated single shot I've ever been involved in." // 3

“Marty said it would be funny to try to do it one minute longer than De Palma's [Untouchables shot]. The world perceives this as 'Oh, the Copacabana scene!' But what it really is, is directors behind the scenes having fun fucking with each other." - @Illeanarama // 4

Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus:

“When De Niro kicks this guy, he’s really into it. It was amazing how much hate he had for this guy. We filmed the shot from below to show the emotion in their faces.” // 5

Stuntman Peter Bucossi:

“De Niro was kicking the hell out of me that night. I had pads on, but I recall being quite bruised a few days later.” // 6

There’s an actual recipe for Paulie’s garlic/prison feast. // 7

@MiraSorvino
shortlist.com/news/how-to-ma…

“I was told that ‘GoodFellas’ is the most expensive movie soundtrack in history. Marty used, like, thirty seconds of a Rolling Stones song; he had to have it." - @Illeanarama

(“Gimme Shelter” kicks in at the end of this clip, via @Sergiofordy) // 8

Pesci improvised much of the "Funny how?" sequence.

Screenwriter Nick Pileggi:

I've won awards "because of that unbelievable scene that I, quote, 'wrote.' I never wrote that scene! I had no idea about that scene!" // 9

De Niro once said, “One of the hard scenes for me was when I heard that Joe’s character was killed. .. I tried my best.”

DP Ballhaus: “I think we shot that scene only once. He was so much into it that you couldn’t do it again.” // 10

A great clip of editor Thelma Schoonmaker and Liotta explaining Scorsese’s attention to detail.

Liotta: “He tied my tie every day. .. The way he wanted my knot was very specific." // 11

(via @sjmay92)

"U should get yourself a nice girl"
"I get a nice one almost every nite, Ma"

Another improvised scene from Pesci and Catherine Scorsese (Marty’s mom) // 12

Screenwriter Nick Pileggi:

The studio held an early screening "in Southern California for an audience of Orange County, white, conservative people .. and about 70 people walked out. The Warner Bros bosses were sitting there, they said, "Holy shit. .. We've got problems." // 13

But as Scorsese told @GQMagazine in 2010: "You think you're doing something at the time, and that gets you through it. And maybe it changes over the years. A picture takes on a life of its own." // END